Youth Versus Age.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume II, Issue 140, 3 May 1900, Page 4

Youth Versus Age.

Is it true that the British Empire is being managed too much by old men? A writer in the National Review seems to think so. The Empire, he contends, was built up mainly by young men. Chatham was not fifty when he was called upon to rescue Fngland from utter collapse, and to convert continued defeat into victory every morning* Pitt was a boy when ho was summoned to the administration of affairs, on the eve of the greatest struggle in which our country has ever engaged. Wolfe was oi^y forty-two when he laid down hi? noble life on the Heights of Abraham. Nelson was thirly-nina when the victory of the Kile stamped him as " osr pref u te°t sailor since the woWd began." Wellington was thirty-four when he commanded at Assaye, and only forty when he opened the Peninsula War as Commandcr-in-Chiof of a great army. John Churchill, Duke of Marlborough, was fifty-two when he took the field for the first campaign as Generalissimo in Flanders. Cromwell, the gieatebb soldier and organiser Britain has ever produced, wj.s forty-six when he won Kaseby. The Duke of Cumberland v;a& nofe twenty-five when he becamo Commander-m-Ohief. As we slowed a few da\s l j<igo, the geneials v.ho made their names on the side of the North during the American Cm! War weie all young men, and most of ihose who fought for the Soulh were in the prime of life. Sheridan ' was 33, Grant 40, Sherman 44, ; Stuart 28 and " Stone\uill " Jackson 87. If we turn to the Briton army in South Afuca to-day, find that while a fow iuaportar. posts are held by young men, not a single officer in high command is under 40 \eai3 of age. Loul .Roberts i» 68, Lord Kitchener 50, General Buller 61, Loid LJethuen 55, General Clery 62, General Kelly Kenny and General Warren are both 60, and the defender of Lady smith is 65, -\>bAle the youngest ( eader is General French, whoso age is forty-eight. Similarly, the men who conttol ttib fortunes of the Empire at Home are all o\er fifty years of age, Lord Salisbury being 70, Mi- Chamberlain 61, Mr Balfour Si, Mr Cosehen G9, and the Com-mander-in-Chief, Lord Wolseley 67.