THE LATE LORD ROBERTS.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXV, Issue 5, 7 January 1915, Page 4

THE LATE LORD ROBERTS.

M. Gaston Dru, the correspondent of the Echo de Paris in London, in a letter to The Times, describes the meeting with Lord Roberts on the eve of his departure for France, when he uttered, in the tonn of an interview, what were probably the last! words he spoke in England in a public' capacity. Lord Roberts spoke with; warmth on his favourite subject, the necessity for more men, and he particularly said that, while the primary reason of his visit was to see his dear Indian troops (of which he was Colonel-in-Chief) he intended to speak to General French about the too great secrecy Which was, to his mind, kept by the military authorities at the front and at Home concerning the work and the brave deeds of the English soldiers. "I naturally approve," said Lord Roberts, "that all the military movements, whatever they be, should be kept absolutely secret from all war correspondents; but it seems to me that they should be allowed to receive at least a fair modicum of information. Why not allow them to write, for instance, in detail of the glorious actions fought by our troops, several days, it goes without saying, after these action have taken place lam referring naturally to the English lines. You in France are in a position different from us. You have conscription. Every man is called to the colours, and yon do not rely on the public enthusiasm to recruit your army, which can very well afford to be 'la grande silencieuse.' "