LATE LORD ROBERTS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 148, 17 November 1914, Page 5

LATE LORD ROBERTS.

| HIS LAST WORDS. PREGNANT WITH WISDOM. ' A I'LEA FOR MORE INFORMATION. AS A STIMULANT TO RECRUITING. Received 1(>, 7.35 p.m. £) Cable Press Association—Copyright. London, November 15. Lord Roberts' last words are contained in ail interview with Count Denu for the Echo de Paris on Tuesday, prior to his departure for France. He declared that the primary reason of his visit was to see his dear Indian troops. He intended to speak to General French regarding the unnecessary secrecy observed oyer the brave deeds of the British soldiers. War correspondents ought to be allowed to receive a fair amount of information, apart from military ■movements, which must be kept absolutely secret. He urged that correspondents should be permitted to write up details of the glorions actions fought by our troops. France, with conscription, could afford to remain silent, but liritain wanted many more men, and l? they failed to inform the Home people of the soldiers' brave fights and gallant deeds, how were they going to waken in the souls of the young men the high sentiment of emulation which would lead them to the recruiting officer? They don't know that every minute they are losing is of priceless value, and that delay is, perhaps, jeopardising future battles. lie paid a high tribute to Mie French army and Generals, particularly General Joffre. As a gunner himself, he commented on the merits of the French T.i-millimetre gun. Franco, he said, would shortly feel the efforts of the great support England was preparing to give. Tie added-: "The. people don't realise our men are fighting continuously against tremendous odds. We want more, men to equalise matters. The information given regarding the. London Scottish Regiment might be repeated about other regiments." Tie concluded: 'Til talk to General French about it."

WELL, UP TILL THE END, HIS DEATH A GREAT SHOCK. London, November 10. Lord Roberts has been remarkably active since the beginning of the war. He dealt with a vast correspondence with friends in the army, to whom lie gave adviee and sympathy. He was a constant visitor at the Government departments. He was apparently in robust health. The suddenness of his death caused a great shock. There were many references in the churches.

He was making a brief visit to the Indian troops, of whom he was colonel - in-chief. He contracted a chill oil Thursday and succumbed to pneumonia. The King and Queen are greatly distressed at the death of Earl Rolwrls. They sent messages of condolence to his wife and family.

The question of * interment in St. Paul's is b'itng considered. f Sydney, Nov, 10.,

Leading articles in the ncvspiiptira pay a tribute to Lord Roberta, ;is> the Empire's greatest soldier. Sir R. Munro-Ferguson cabled.'- to Countess Roberts: "The Australian Forces mourn the loss of their i.'olonrl-in-Chief."

London, Kove-nli'.".' Hi. .Lord Roberta had a rough crossing on Wednesday. He was accompanied by his daughter. He showed no sign of distress, on landing. He visit id the British bases and camps oil Thursday and Friday, and inspect,o.l the Jndi.vv. A chill developed in the evening, (ill! he complained of slight pain <n Saturday. The doctors' treatment re(:.;'ved him, stld he fell into a quiet sleep, in which he he tranquilly expired. Sir John French, in telegraphing his condolence to Lady Roberts on behalf of the. army, said: "It seems a fit ending to the life of so great a soldier that he should have passed away in the midst of the troops he loved so well and within sound of the guns." Wellington, November 10. At the request of the Prime Minister, the Governor sent the following cable to the Secretary of State for the Colonies: "Myself, my Government, and the. people of New Zealand learned with the deepest sorrow of the death of FieldMarshal Karl Roberts, who did so much to uphold the honour and integrity of the Empire and who earafcd the love of the whole British race. Please convev our deepst sympathy to Lady Robert's and her family."

1 THE GREAT SOLDIER'S LAST DAYS. GREAT RECEPTION BY THE INDIANS. "A VOICE CRYING IN TOE WILDERNESS." Received 16, 11.55 p.m. London, November 16. ''l must go and see my Indian soldiers. It is the most useful thing I caii do at the moment," Lord Roberts said to an intimate friend prior to departing for France. With this last service done, he I passed away.

Lord Roberts was received by the Maharajah Bikanir and Sir Pertab Singh (the latter being a close friend for nearly 60 years) on Thursday, at the Indian headquarters. On Friday ho visited the British, and on returning to headquarters in the evening experienced a chill. His son-in-law and daughter were with him throughout. In deference to the family desire, he will be buried privately at All Saints', Ascot, adjacent to his home.

The King sent an autograph letter of condolence with the widow. Lord Roberts visited the wounded Indiana at Boulogne, and conversed with them in Hindustani. He received a great ovation from the Indians at the front. He frequently said: "I am so glad I came."

The Bishop of Salisbury, referring to the death of Lord Roberts, said he had been like a voice in the wilderness, warning the country of a peril that she was too blind to see. Yet, when the storm broke, Lord Roberts uttered no reproaching word.

SOUTH AFRICAN TRIBUTES. Capetown, November 15. The newspapers publish appreciative tributes to Lord Roberts' services to the Empire and .South Africa. MESSAGE BY THE PREMIER. By Telegraph.—Per Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. Tn answer to a message from the editor of the Daily Express, London, announcing the death of Lord Roberts, the Prime Minister sent the following cablegram:—"The death of Lord Roberts has removed a most picturesque arid beloved ! personality: from the English iArmy. ■ His'

ensure the preparedness of the nation in time of danger, gave him a pre-eminent J place in tlift affections of not only the Mother Country, but of the dominions, oversea. New Zealand, in common with the other dependencies, to-day mourns the loss of tho illustrious Colonel-m-Chicf of the Expeditionary Forces. "Flags are half-masted on the public buildings and schools throughout the Dominion."

GRIEF IN THE TRENCHES. V. GLOOM SPREADS IN INDIA. Received 17, 12.30 a.m. London, November 16. Army surgeons and specialists • hastened from all parts of the front to attend Lord Roberts, but their skill \vas unavailing. When the news reached thu trenches, many old-timers broke down, sobbing bitterly. It is reported from Calcutta tlmt the death caused deep gloom everywhere in India, particularly at the military centres.

A BRILLIANT CAREER. SKETCH OF THE GREAT SOLDIER. The death of the veteran Field-Mar-shal removes from the public eye the most picturesque, illustrious, and bestloved personality in the British Amy, a brilliant strategist, and dashing soldier. In every undertaking Lord Roberts showed the highest powers of organisation, remarkable foresight, and perfect skill in dealing with every military prpblem which presented itself to him.j&is watchword was "Thorough" in everything lie; undertook. This charaoteimic manifested itself at the very outsefrof his career, for it is recorded of him that when he joined the Bengal Artillery he began by riding every horse in his troop, and thus acquainted himself by personal experience with the amount of nerve and skill necessary to make a good Horse Artillery driver. He himself states that this "had the additional advantage that he was brought into constant contact with the men," and thus laid a sound foundation of regimental knowledge. It also throws a light on the immense personal hold which Lord Roberts has always been able to retain of the personal affection of the men in the ranks.

A SOLDIER'S SOX. Sir Frederick Sleigh Roberts, first Earl of Kandahar, Pretoria', and Waterford, was born on .September 30, 1832, in Cawirpore, India, his father, Sir Abraham Roberts, being known as "the Patriarch of Indian Generals." His family was Irish on both sides. At the age of 14 lie went to' Sandhurst, and after two years spent there to Addis-

combe, a preparatory academy for the East India Company's cadets. He left Addiscombc, after two years, to take a commission in the Bengal (Artillery. He was sent after a time to Peshawur, where ho acted as aide-de-camp to thp father, who was in charge of the division, and did duty with the Mountain Battfcry of, Artillery, to which he was attached.

When lie joined the army his chanees of promotion seemed small, indeed. He was only, a supernumerary officer, and in the Bengal Artillery the average period of service for subalterns in the establishment was 15 years before promotion to captain. The Indian 'Mutiny, however, changed the aspect of tVmgs, and the young junior subaltern soon had a chance to show the-'stuff that was in him. He served throughout the whole of tint terrible period, taking part in the s;ege of Delhi, where he was wounded, and in the actions at Bulaiulshah, Aligarh, Agra, Bithur, Kanauj, the relief of Lucknow, the battle of Cawnpore, and the pursuit and defeat of the Gwalia contingent. Then came Khudaganj, where he won the Victoria Cross. Fatehgarh, and scores of other fights in which he was ever foremost in the fray. WORK IN INDIA.

After the suppression of the Mutiirphe was naturally marked for special employment, and was promoted to the staff in the Quartermaster-General's Department, where Ue served for many years, with occasional spells of active service, including the Umbeyla Expedition and the Abyssinian campaign. The whole gl the work of superintending the ments for the embarkation of tlic Bengal Division was in his charge, and here his high capacity for organisation was first prominently displayed. When the Afghan war of 1878-84 broke out, lie got command of the Murrain Field Force, and greatly distinguished himself by his daring capture df the Pelwar Kotal, which was very difficult, and strongly keld by the enemy. The operation was .parried out with an admirable combination of audacity, skill, vigour, and foresight. When Sir Louis Cavagnaxi, the British Envoy at Kabul, was murdered with' his escort, Sir Frederick Roberts, as <he was then, was selected to lead thiKpunitive expedition. His advance over the Shutargarden Puss into Afghanistan with only 0000 fighting men, the defeat of the Afghan army at Charasiah, and his triumphant entry into Kabul in nine days, stamped General Roberts as a military leader of tho very first rank. How he held his position at Kabul throughout tho winter of 1870, and liis ever-memorable march to Kandahar in the following year, after the disaster at Maiwand, need no recalling. His undaunted courage when the news of the Maiwand affair reached him at Kabul showed the nature of the man. When the Indian Government decided to despatch ft column to Kandahar, lie sent the famous telegram: "You need have no fears about my division. It can take care of itself, and. will reach Kandahar under the month."

All the world knows the result of that glorious march, and how Roberts' promise was fulfilled to the letter. In the Burmah campaign of 1885-S+i he showed equal skill and prescience, first in the arrangements for the expedition, and afterwards in actual command in the field.

THE SOUTH AFRICAN AVAR. After Majuba Lord Roberts was sent out to South Africa by Mr. Gladstone's Government to repair the disaster to Sir George Colley, but before he landed peace had been made with the Boevs, and twenty years were to elapse before he was to meet the Boers in the field. In the dark and tragic days of December, 1899, Lord Roberts, without a moment's hesitation, took up the task that had proved too heavy for others, and carried it through to brilliant success. He was then at an age when most men would be inclined to lay down their arms and take a well-earned rest, and ho had suffered a terrible bereavement in tho death of his only son. Lieutenant Fred' crick Roberts, who lost his life in a heroic effort to save the guns at Colcnso. The story of tho South African campaign is known to nil, and-it is to recall the relentless prosecution of ■Nam