Lord Kitchener as Diplomatist.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume IV, Issue 226, 8 July 1902, Page 1

Lord Kitchener as Diplomatist.

Writing two or three days before the declaration of peace, the London Daily Mail says :

" The most recent advices from Pretoria speak of Lord Kitchener, though still full of energy, as a good deal in appearance, and somewhat worn by the severe and continuous strain.

" There is a general consensus of opinions that, the negotiations which he has carried on lately have proved him to be the most rare of combinations—a great diplomatist as well as a great soldier. "It is difficult for anyone not behind the ssenes to appreciate the magnitude of the difficulties which the Commander-in-Chief in South, Africa has hud to face. Lord* Kitchener has always been credited with the qualities of a great militaiy organiser, but it has remained for this last phase of the war to demoustrale his immense resources of diplomacy and administration.

" It is not a little to say that the Koer leaders, one and all, are net only deeply impress<-d by bid personality, but trust him implicitly. A distinguished and well-informed officer writes :—' If this is the end of the war, all here know to' whom our gratitude is entirely due.'

" Lord Milner is understood to have expressed most gracefully the view that as Lord Kitchener has borne the burden of the great task, the ultimate credit for its accomplishment shall be his alone." There are many happy details in Mr Bennett Burleigh's account of the Boer delegates' visit to Pretoria. The following will surely increaso admiration for Lord Kitchener as a diplomatist: —"With studied care the large drawing-room he uses for carrying on his work was tidied up, and many of the maps, books, pictures, and papers were I removed. But the large Dutch family Bible, the pride- and r> ment of every Bor-r ; o :k:'.,o/ h its old conspicuous p..ir:* :• ou ■.!.'.! centre of the great tabic.''' But the most significant information relates to the purobases of the delegates. In two instances, we are told, complete ping-pong sets were bought! After this, remarks the Westminster Budget, who could entertain any. .further fear 3 as to the prospects of peace te-