THE NATION'S LEADERS.

Auckland Star, Volume L, Issue 64, 15 March 1919, Page 17

THE NATION'S LEADERS.

REWARDING VICTORIOUS GENERALS. FORTUNES AVON THROUGH FIGHTING. Rumour is rife regarding rewards for our victorious generals and admirals. In addition to titles bestowed, Parliament will, as is the custom, vote handsome grants of money to the commanders who have so nobly led our men to victory. History provides numerous substantial precedents for the recognition, monetary and otherwise, of commanders who have triumphed in the field. In this respect nothing can equal the 'romance of war" as it existed in the days of the great Napoleon, whose generous recognition of conspicuous ability among his men passed into a proverb. Rewards and honours were dealt out in the most lavish manner to his successful Marshals—men of humble birth, :ind who had risen from the ranks. Princedoms and dukedoms were bestowed upon these sons of peasants. As a matter of fact, two of their number Murat and Bernadotte, actually became kings, Murat ascending the throne of Naples, and Bernadotte that of Norway and Sweden. It was the overthrow of the very ablest of these illustrious soldiers that brought Wellington into the limelight of martial fame. This was in the Peninsular War, where the prowess of Massena. Prince of Essling, and Duke of Rivoli, and of Soult, Duke of Dalmatia, suffered an eclipse at the hands of the "Iron Duke." Indeed, it was the brilliant achievements of Wellington against these men, and finally against their master, which ultimately led to the hero of Waterloo being the recipient of more honours and rewards than any other general the world has even seen.

For his victory over the French at Talavera in ISO 9he was raised to the Peerage. Three years later hie was granted a pension of £2000 a year, and advanced to an Earldom. Within a few months he was promoted Marquess and given £100,000. In 1814 he was created Duke of Wellington, and given a further grant of £400.000. For the crowning achievement of his career, the British Government presented him with the fine estate of Strathfieldsaye, at a cost of £263,000. Apsley House, that beautiful mansion in Piccadilly, was also a gift of the nation to the "Iron Duke" after one of his victories.

His various grants in all amounted to nearly £700,000, while an annuity of £2000 per annum was thrown into the bargain. Other countries, such as Spain, Portugal, the Netherlands, vied with each other in paying tribute to the hero of so many epoch-making battles, princely titles and orders and beautiful estates being bestowed upon him.

Marlborough was another "conquering hero" who, from a financial point of view, found the game of war a fairly profitable speculation. His were the "good old days" of campaigning, when a commander was able to make—as Marlborough was said to have done—half a million sterling out of a single expedition. , The Royal manor of Woodstock, where the famous Blenheim Palace was built for him, was one of the princely gifts granted to Marlborough, while a further token of his country's appreciation of Jiis undoubted military genius took the form of a pension of £5000 a year to him and his heirs for ever. That sum, small as it may seem nowadays, was equivalent to no less than £20,000 then. In 1883 this pension was commuted for a large sum by the late Duke.

Nor can it be said that Great Britain dealt tardily with those splendid soldiers who so magnificently helped to win India for the Empire —men like Lord Clive, Sir George Harris —the hero of Mysore—Lord Gough, Lord Hardinge, Sir Colin Campbell, Sir Henry Havelock, Sir James Outram, etc.

Clive gained his Peerage for his victory at Plaesy, Harris for his conquest of Mysore, Gough and Hardinge for their brilliant services in the Sikh wars, while the Mutiny and its suppression won'for the redoubtable Sir Colin and his gallant compatriots rank and prestige that shall never die.

The last British general to receive a hereditary pension—£2ooo per annum — was General Sir Robert Napier, for his brilliant storming of Magdala in the Abyssinian Expedition of 180 S. He was also raised to the Peerage, and received the thanks of both Houses of Parliament.

That great and universally beloved soldier, the late Lord Roberts, had a most imposing array of honours and distinctions won on the field of battle. H;s was indeed a glorious record. From the early days of his wonderful career until he attained to the very highest ranks in the British Army he was almost continually being honoured for some notable performance or other.

He received his baronetcy for his magnificent Kabul to Kandahar feat in ISBO. His meritorious services whilst in command of the Indian Army brought him his Peerage and a grant of £100,000 was awarded him by the Government for his work in the South African War. Of orders and decorations —home and foreign—he had a most resplendent display, the letters behind his name running to fully a score. <

Than his almost equally famous contemporary, Lord Wolseley, few eoldiers had more honours and decorations showered upon them. Like Roberts, he first smelt powder in the Crimea, and, although he was reckoned as good as dead then, he early set about to carve for himself a niche in the annals of his country's battles. His first independent command was the Bed Kiver Expedition in 1870, for which he was made a K.C.M.G. and a C.B. Three years later he triumphed in the Ashanti War, for which he received quite a host of honours. He was thanked by both Houses for his "courage, energy, and perseverance" in the conduct of the campaign; other orders were appended to his name, and the City of London presented him with a sword of honour valued at £luu. Over and above these, a grant of £2.i.im was awarded him. The battle of Tel-el-Kebir brought him his Peerage and a further sum of £20,000. After the Soudan Campaign he was made a Viscount; the year 1894 saw him raised to the rank* of Fiejd-Marshal, and a year later the height of his ambition was realised when he was appointed Commander-in-Chief of the British Army.

Lord Kitchener was £50,000 richer for his splendid services in South Africa, while for smashing the Khalifa he received a sum of £30,000, a seat in the House of Lords, and a whole armoury .of swords of honour.