THE FIGHTING HEAD OF THE EGYPTAIN ARMY.

Waikato Argus, Volume IV, Issue 294, 28 May 1898, Page 2 (Supplement)

THE FIGHTING HEAD OF THE EGYPTAIN ARMY.

Although it is claimed for Sir Horatio Herbert Kitchener, tho Sirdar of the Ejryptain army, that he was horn and educated in Qtago, where somo of his relatives atill reside, there is a conflict of authorities over the question. According to the statement of ono of his biographers he was born in County Kerry, Ireland, and three of the latest books of reference make no mention at all of bis birthplace, while they do not flven agree 88 to his age, some making bici out to be 48 and others 47 years old. They all agree, however, in stating that between 1874 an I 1898 he was engaged in surveying in Palestine in connection with the Palestine Exploration Fund, Then succeeded a term of residence in Cyprus, whither he had been sent to organise the courts, and subsequently he surveyed the whole island, a term of service as Vice-Consul at Erzerouin intervening between the two tasks. Previous to 1874, it may bo mentioned, he received a military education at Woolwich, and entered tho Royal Engineers in 1871, ono writer going so far as to say that he served as a volunteer in tho Franco-Piussian war. Hearing in 1882 that Sir Evelyn Wood was organising the Egvptain army he applied for a commission, and was appointed one of the two majors of cavalry. From that date commenced his rapid rise in his profession. He beoame irapressod with a firm belief that the Egyptain soldier could be made into a first class fighting man if ho was properly managed and disciplined, and when he was given practically a free hand by -the Khedive he set to work. He is the creator, one might say, of the present Egyption array, and he should be proud of it, for it had verified the truth of all his argument. The re-organisation of any army whioh ten or twelve years ago would have fled before a much smaller force of Dervishes into one which, under British officers, will boldly stand up to, or charge, thoir once dreaded foe, was a matter of time. Spirit and confidence had to bo put into men out of whom such qualities had been crushed by tyranny and centuries of oppression. But Kitchoner was the man to do it. Ho waH given almost unlimited power, but, fortunately, he tempered his despotism with justice and in his own person he set an example of which any army might bo proud. Fearlesss, dashing with absolute reliance in himself, and filled with a Berserker's joy of battle, very tall and of commanding presence, with unflinching, pitilers, grey eyes, he is the beau ideal *>f a soldier and a leader. Kitchener's love of adventure, his perfect lack of fear for his own skin, and his great powers of mimicry led him, at one time of his life, to adventure as a spy into the henrt of the Dervish country, to learn what the Mahdi's plans were and what means ho had of carrying them out. This was in the early days of his connection with the Egyptain Army, when a portion of the latter had just been routed by tho Dervishes at Handoub. Kitchener sot out from Korti as an Arab date-soller, and for many months he wandered alout the country and often in peril of his life. In Omdurmau he s<iw a supposed spy flogged until his flesh hung in strip*, then rubbed with salt and pepper, fastened face downwards in tho blazing sun, and left to die. The samo fate might have been Kitchener's had ho fallen under suspicion, but his great knowledge of Arabic speech and ways and of all the different local dialects along the Nile pulled him through. Daring Lord Wolseley's advance up the Nile two Buspioious looking Arabs were found prowling about the camp, and were promptly confined in the guard tent under suspicion of being spies. They had not been there long before a third suspicious character was discovered stumbling about the lines. Ho was put into the same tent as the other two, and valuable chatter was going on among the prisoners. Some- little time later the sentry on gu«rd was astounded to see the third prisoner emerge from the tent and reveal himself as Kitchener, who, in the guise of an Arab, had learned from tho others that they wero actually epics. Ho had worked in disguise among the natives, in order to find out what they know of the enemy's movements, and a British private had ono day tho extreme bad fortune to hit him with a stono which he threw at the supposed Egyptain. Ho learned, it is said, next morning, when he was paraded in the orderly-room, that even a ' blooming nigger ' had rights. But though a splendid intelligenceofficer, Sir H. H. Kitchener is essentially a fighting man. He can, however, combine caution with courage, and the way he has built up his long lino (if communication almost to within touching distance of the Dervishes is, we think, the most remarkable feature of the present lampaign.