Manawatu Herald. TUESDAY, NOV. 20, 1900. A Lord Roberts.

Manawatu Herald, 20 November 1900, Page 2

Manawatu Herald. TUESDAY, NOV. 20, 1900. A Lord Roberts.

The heart of the great British nation must be exceedingly sorrowful at the further trouble that the wretched South African war has brought upon the noblest of gentlemen, Lord Roberts, the great Commander-in-Chief . The soldier who might have thought that he, prior to the outbreak of the war, had done all that a nation had a right to call upon him to do, having fought at Kodagunge, where he obtained his V.C. ; in the Looshai Expedition, in Afghan, at Candahar, in Natal and the Transvaal in 1881, and in Burma, yet at his Sovereign's request, at the crisis of the South African war, though verging on seventy years of age, gave up all thoughts of self, and took the command over from General Sir Redvers Bullet 1 . He had no further honour to get, and his acceptance of this important position must be attributed to his sense of public duty. Early at the outbreak of the war Lord Roberts lost his only son whose death was occasioned by a gallant attempt to rescue the British guns. Private grief was set aside and his dealings with the enemy have ever shown a too great consideration, the action of the avenger never having actuated his dealings with them. If he failed at all it was in showing toi ■ great a clemency to them. We have had before ns the story of his life during the past twelvemonths, how, accompanied by Lady Roberts and his daughter they have shown every kindness and sympathy for the sick and wounded, calling at the hospitals and interesting themselves in all details. Now, the war being practically over, the real organised resistance having been completely brokenup, Lord Roberts was anticipating leaving the colony to return to England to rest and receive the highest honour a soldier can have conferred upon him, that of Commander-in-Chief of the British Army. These anticipations have been roughly interrupted from his daughter having been stricken down with the dread fever of Africa. The trial must be great and the sorrow and anxiety hard to bear by the parents, but they may be slightly comforted by the knowledge that the whole British people enter into their anxiety, and tender them their sympathy, and the prayers of the people will be that the revered head of the Army may be spared this further sacrifice, and that Micfj Reburta may bo moral f«ily preserved to her loving pareuti,