OUR ONLY GENERAL.

Temuka Leader, Issue 169, 13 August 1879, Page 3

OUR ONLY GENERAL.

Lord Elcho, in a vigorous but somewhat arriun mous speech in the House of Lords gave expression to what many feel concerning Sir Garnet Wolscloy’s appointment to Natal. Ho said that just as it was becoming evident that we had no army it was becoming equally apparently that we had only one general. Nothing, it seems, can be done nowadays without” Sir Garnet Wolseley. Yet this constant employment of one and the same individal, however distinguished, is no less slighting to other excellent officers than it is injurious to the public service. To say that he is one of the few who have already forced themselves to the front does not dispose of the question. There are numbers of others who have also a right to he tried. Here, indeed, would be an admirable op} ortunity for- the display of that unerring insight into character which has be r n deemed one of our versatile Premier’s 'principal gilts. Surely the political Columbus who discovered Loid Lyttou and Air Cross might be. expected to be equally successful in a voyage through the Army List in seal eh a new Marlborough or Wellington. Nor is it only that these other good men arc kept in the background by tl\is narrowness of selection, but the public service is made to hinge upon the continuance of a single life. Where should wc be without our Wolseley ! Although the secret was well kept, there is uo doubt that Sir Garnet himself new of his selection some clays before it was made public. Days only ; for those who will have it that he came back from Cyprus on purpose are quite in the wrong. He had really made all arrangements for returning thithci at the end of the summer, so soon as his labours upon the army reorganisation committee were at an end. Ibis he persistently told everyone who met him and asked him any questions. Towards the end of the week, however, befoie the announcement was made in Purliamciit, there were many symptoms that something was iu the wind. There wore mysterious gatherings of followers and friends who had served with him before. Big dinners at one or other of the military clubs, where the talk studiously kept away from the one-topic of the Capo war.' Whispers only, and those vaguely worded, gave even a hint that anything was in the wind. Of course everybody know also who was to aceompanv Sir Gaunct. ihey had heard Colonel'Braokcnbury a week previous announce his departure for Natal, Colonel Baker Russell also, and others. They knew Colonel Colley was to be summoned troin India, and that reinforceuKMits ivgi'G to be drawn from those wGiseasoned troops —the Marines. What thev did not know, nor do they even now, altimugn rt is the fact, that oil Garnet takes out in his pocket a dormant commission as Governor-General and Lord High Commissioner of the whole Cape Colony should Hr Bartlc Frerc take umbrage at tire affront put upon him and wish to resign, if this takes effect it will keep Sir Garnet out of the way for some time to come.