THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. FRIDAY, JANUARY 18, 1907. NEW VERSIONS OF WATERLOO.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8335, 18 January 1907, Page 4

THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. FRIDAY, JANUARY 18, 1907. NEW VERSIONS OF WATERLOO.

A writer in Chambers' Journal notes a determined effort in certain quarters on the Continent to ' write the history of Waterloo on new lines. Apparently these new versions, which differ widely from the accepted accounts of eye-wit-nesses, are inspired by the Kaiser's famous speech to Hanoverian recruits," in which he said that their ancestors,* assisted by Blucher and his Prussians, had saved Wellington's army from destruction. This remarkable speech is an old story now, but it may be remarked that the only Hanoverian cavalry regiment present on the field refused to advance and ultimatly fled ] in panic. The writers of one revised version seek to detract from the magnificent performance of the Scots Greys in dispersing 'the dense mass of D'Erlon's corps. Eyewitnesses of all nations have agreed upon the value of that charge, and Napoleon himself exclaimed', "These terrible grey horses, how they fight!" The compilers of the new Waterloo legend contend that this remark had no reference to the Scottish cavalry, but was intended to apply to a hitherto overlooked regiment of French cavalry, mounted on superb grey horses. Again, it has always been agreed upon that both at Quatre-Bras and Waterloo the Dutch-Belgian brigades gave way before the French. There has now been published "for the use of schools" a book designed to. remove from history the legend that the Belgians took flight at Waterloo. It is not denied that one brigade misbehaved grossly, but it is claimed that another actually repulsed and pursued the Old Guard.

Eye-witnesses are agreed that this brigade advanced twenty minutes after the Guard had been dispersed. It is contended by some modern German writers that the advance of Von Zietken's brigade of Blucher's army decided the day, although, Muffling, a Prussian eye-witness, admitted that even if the Prussians had never come up, the enemy could not have won. The writer i-emarks that the Kaiser, having sounded the first note of disagreement with the verdicts of history, "all the minor participants have now begun to regard themselves as equally, if not more justly, entitled to the laurels won on that day." But, after all, did not Napoleon himself admit that the only thing which prevented the French from winning was "the obstinate and unconquerable bravery of the British troops?" FORTY-EIGHT "BOB." It is, no doubt, the duty of every local body to pursue an economical policy, no matter how progressive that policy may be, but to quote an old adage, "there's reason in roasting eggs," a fact of whicfrthe Masterton Borough Council apparently require to be reminded. In yesterday's issue a correspondent drew attention to the decision of the Borough Council to accept the tender of a Christchurch firm for the erection of a gasholder at £640, when the Council had the opportunity of accepting a tender from the Masterton Implement Company'of £642 Bs. The business acumen of the Council prompted it to save a whole forty-eight "bob," even though the claim of a local industry was ignored. Admitting that the Masterton Borough Council is an economical body—and we should be somewhat chary in making such a contention—it was, surely, more in the interests of the town that the Masterton Implement Company's tender should be accepted than declined. It has been repeatedly pointed out that • Masterton's great need is more local industry, and public bodies should, .as a matter of policy, encourage local industry where they can reasonably do so.