FANTASTIC STORY ABOUT KITCHENER.

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 160, 26 August 1916, Page 5

FANTASTIC STORY ABOUT KITCHENER.

A most fantastic story has reached America to the effect that Earl Kitchener is still alive and is now directing the great Allied offensive. The Newspaper Enterprise Association of America set the story in circulation in the j United States, alleging that the copy I was supplied to them by a newspaper j writer who had just reached New York j dissatisfied with B’ritish censors. The | startling account was prefaced with | the notification: “This article was written on shipboard by a correspondent who had just reached New York, having left London to escape the British mail and cable censors.” The “enterprising” agency refused to disclose the identity of their correspondent, whose article was couched in the following terms: —“Is Lord Kitchener alive? as the story of his tragic death a gigantic hoax intended to deceive Germany? “Is Kitchener’s hand at this moment I secretly directing; the tremendous simultaneous pressure being directed against the Teutonic alliance by the Russians in Poland and the Caucasus, and the French and British in France? “Rumours of the most sensational sort are running the len'gth, and breadth of England to the effect that Kitchener is alive! “The question was actually raised in the House of Commons on July 6 by Sir R. Cooper, and a bare paragraph crept into a single London paper on this incident. But no report of it was permitted by the cable censor to get to the outside world. Financial Secretary Macnamara replied to the Cooper question, saying that an inquiry was held immediately after the news of the Hampshire sinking, with Lord Kitchen er aboard, was received, in order that the survivors could be 'got together. No further inquiry would be held, he said, as it would ‘serve no useful purpose.’ With that, absolute silence was shut down on the suggestion that there was no proof the Hampshire was sunk —no proof that Kitchener was dead. “Just why the Admiralty w r as so certain within a few hours of the Hampshire’s reported loss that Kitchener:* was among the dead ‘‘Just why the usually slow moving 1 ?; department should send “death notices g I prqmptly to the relatives of the offic-* j ers. and men- , | “Just why a great memorial service in St Paul’s Cathedral was arranged imu \ mediately—are points that will require some ingenious explaining; to convince : the sceptical in England that Kitcheni er really was .drowned l,:f- ---| “Picture the amazement that would j cover the Germans, and the added vim j of the Allied attack should Kitchener j suddenly emerge, at the crucial hour, to direct the Entente Powers towards victory ‘ “There is little doubt too, that after the first shock of the news of Kitchener’s death the British people went about the Avar with , added determinajtion; the loss was an inspiration. | “It is considered possible that Kiti chener himself suggested the pre-ar-I ranged ‘demise’ with the triple object ;in view—first, to shock and inspire | the British public into greater efforts; I second, to visit the Allied nations in- ! cognito; and, third, to clinch the chan- | ces of victory by his dramatic reap- ! pearance, as from the dead, -at the i crucial moment when Germany is ex- ! pected to waken!” i Aside from the fact that this story • may be made out of whole cloth it | created a profound sensation through- | out America, and found many believers j A PARADE OF MAIL COACHES On May 17. 1838, was held the last I birthday parade of London mail coachI es, for Queen Victoria had hardly as- ; vended the throne before the railway abolished these historic features of our | old English highways. It was a fine I sight in the ’good old days of William IV. this King’s Birthday parade. Twen ty-seven coaches, each resplendent with a gorgeous and special hammer cloth, drew up on Millbank. Each guard had a new gold-laced hat. and (like the coachman) a new scarlet coat. The harness Avas fresh from the saddlers, the brasswork glittered hi the spring sunshine, the men sported nosegays as huge as cauliflowers, and I the one hundred and two horses were I groomed “till you could see your face” |in their sleek, shiny hides. The drlv- | ers “gave 'em their heads” at a given | signal, and the procession wound | through the streets till St. James’ Pal ace was reached, in front of which were | tAvo barrels of best ale, and a capacl ions pewter pot was handed to each coachman and guard. Then at one of the Palace windoAvs appeared the sailor king, surrounded by his family. His Majesty lifted his hat and boiyed, and the coachman of the Bristol mail, aa'Ho always led the procession, raised his peAvter and announced, “We drink to the health of his gracious Majesty! God bless him!” And he emptied his. pot, Ms fifty comrades drinking with equal loyalty and dexterity. Then the King retired and the coaches drove off to the G.P.O. Their departure was usually a signal for a, rush for the beet barrels, which were, of course, emptied through either being upset or otherwise,