SIR REDVERS BULLER AT ALDERSHOT.

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 10863, 12 January 1901, Page 8

SIR REDVERS BULLER AT ALDERSHOT.

A MESSAGE TO HIS NEW ZEALAND FRIENDS. (By Otra London Ladt Correspondent, Miss Constance A. Babkicoat.) Sir Redvers Buller could not have had a more beautiful day for his home-coming than Saturday, the 10th November. Indeed, one quite forgot that it was dismal November at all. Then was not only no fog, but not even a damp mist, nor drizzling rain, nor sleet; but a clear blue sky, and sunshine that was almost bright. The air was crisp and sharp, and the cold breeze blowing reminded one that winter was again upon the land. The hour and a half's journey from Waterloo to Aldershot was delightful. The autumn has been very late this year, and the Uavnn have kept on much longer than usual. The oaks and chestnut-* were still golden and brown, where indeed they have turned colour at all. Frost-dyed bramble leaves, hips, haws, belated blackberriee, and scarlet holly berries brightened the hedges. Here and there even a late wild flower might be found, and the little cottage-gardens were Still often quite gay with chrysanthemums and the remains of last summer's annuals. And over all, the sun ehone; only those who have lived in a sunless climate can ever realise what it is to be for weeks without its glorifying and vivifying influence. The first impression of Aldershot itself — buried away as it is in the undulating English country, amid hosts of smooth little hills and qiiiet little woods, with here and there a sleepy little river—-was, I fear, an impression of dirty backyards; the second, of a crowded station, on one of the upplatforms of which, hung with manycoloured flags and decorated with evergreens. » great concourse of people had collected. There was no need to ask at which platform General Buller's train would come in. The special train from Southampton, where the General had landed the night before, was to arrive at 12.8. Everything was ready. Everybody had a red and white rosette, with a Buller button in the centre, or other patriots insignia.

The members of the local district council, staff officers in "undress," and regimental officers in* lull dress uniforms, veteran reserve officers—all were waiting in readiness. Great was the display of gold lace and lnilitaty finery. Only the guard of honour was lacking, it having been countermanded at the last moment by a telegram from the War Office, on the ground that a General in his own district had no right to one, and also that the reception was not official. Annoying as tiiie certainly was to the enthusiastic citizens of Aldershot. they could do nothing but reheve their feelings by execrating red-tape in general, and the War Office in particular.

Nearly half an hour after time, the train was signalled—THE train, its engine adorned in front with a laurel wreath, encircling the letters R. 8., with the Buller arms below, and the motto in Latin "The eagle does not catch flies." Sir Redvers Buller, who was accompanied by Lady Buller eldest daughter, was received on the platform by all the local magnates assembled, the Bishop of Winchester (and I wonder how many colonials realise what a potentate an English bishop still is), Sir William Butler and Lady Butler (who, it will be remembered, is the most famous living English painter of battle pictures), to say nothing of a number of military men. Sir Redvers, it was generally agreed, looked very well, though much thinned by his year in South Africa, which is only another way of saying that he was f_r too stout when he went away. Lady Audrey Buller, whose birthday it was, loked radiantly happy, and it was probably not merely out of politeness that she described that day as the huppiest in her life.

Through the booking-office, prettily decorated also with flowers and plants, the party passed into the station yard, gayer even than the station with flags and streamers. The tiers of seats ranged round it were filled with expectant ladies. A low dais had been erected, and upon this Sir Redvers (who, I suspect, does not much like this sort of thing) had to sit, and listen to a loyal address, illuminated and framed. His reply of brief, but not conventional, thanks—for he is not a man of many words— was, of course, uproariously cheered.

After the Bpeech, the General and his party turned to the landau awaiting them; but the family coachman soon found himself frith no horses to drive, for the Aldershot firemen rushed forward and took their place, and for the two miles up hill and down dale between Aldershot station and Government House they dragged the conquering hero's chariot.

What with grateful convalescents, who came to greet Lady Buller, the members of a Working Men's Club with an address of welcome, and the crowds of sightseers and sympathisers, progress along the beflagged and Deflowered streets was somewhat slow. General Buller, it is to be hoped, has not good taste nor an artisjie eye, for, if he has, they must have received rude shocks when he was dragged in triumph through the streets of Aldershot. The day, the country, the scenery, all were lovely. Only the decorations, the tawdry artificial roses, the discordant hues of flags, banners and Chinese lanterns, the hideous portraits of her Majesty, Baden-Powell, and even General Buller himself (which would be lifb-llous if a French cartoonist had drawn them)—combined to spoil Aldershot. If cnly the good people had decorated their town with the holly and evergreens from their own woods, or, better still, not decorated it at al'.

Bat even the undecorated parts of the little town were pretty. It was very scarlet, and scarlet was cheerful on that crisp, cold day. To begin with, there were soldiers everywhere, not in khaki, but in good old-fash-ioned red coats. Clinging to the brick walls of ths many tall barracks—Aldershot being -*ry military —were scarlet patches of Virginia creeper, which had not yet shed its leaves. In the gardens were scarlet rowan berries, and holly, and even late dahlias.

The whole town and half the countryside seemed to have come out to do honour to the treneral, who, if he is a modest man, as report says, must have blushed many times to see his praises floated to the skies on so many crimson and gold patriotic banners.

Government House, where General Buller will remain for some three months at least, is a pretty English country house, looking out over a long stretch of typical, quiet, English country scenery. A pretty story, too, is told by one London paper of General Holler'a arrival there-. Like most' English households, that of General Buller seems to have some faithful old servants attached to it. Lady Audrey Buller brought with her to Aldershot two of these retainers, a superannuated housekeeper and Sir Redvers's old nurse, who, it seems, idolise their master, and have anxiously followed his movements through the whole South African campaign. When General Buller at last reached his own hall door, the first person to greet him was the old nurse. "What, you here. Nannie?" he said, and gave the old soul a hearty kiss to make up for her thirteen months' anxiety toncerning him.

1 know that Generals cannot possibly al-

lotr themselves to be interviewed, but I determined that in the afternoon I would see General Buller, if by any manner of means it were possible. It was not very easy to find out where Government House was, because, of course, everyone I asked was a stranger, and did not know. However, I did find it at last, if only by the crowd waiting in the road outside, in the faint hope that the General might show himself again. Fortunately there was no sentry to be got past, only the lodge-keeper, who said I could proceed. It is a very pretty place, with a very pretty garden, in which late heliotrope and" chrysanthemums were still blooming. I knew it was a bold thing to do, and most unlikely to succeed when I rang the bell, and told,the fcK-t-nan what I wanted. I waited in the vestibule for a few minutes. The air was heavy with tlie scent of some eight bouquets, presented to Lady Buller and her daughter, and the settee was quite covered with violets, lilies of the valley, orchids, and even carnations. Presently a young and pleasant lady appeared, whom I took to be Miss Buller." I told her exactly what I wanted, and followed her into a large draw-ing-room, opening into a conservatory, full of chrysanthemums. This was a step further. Directly afterwards she asked mc to come into Sir Rcdvers's private room, and I crossed the flower-decked hall, entered a /.mall, workmanlike study, and found myself face to face with a very tall, powerfully built man, in a dark blue serge j*uif. *-trangely unlike a general. Of course, I had always seen his pictures taken in uniform, with a military cap or helmet on, and did not realise that he might wear the dress of an English country gentleman, and that he did not always wear a cap, even indoors. It is a peculiar face, very high-coloured, and 'm. good-looking than his portraits. He rose from a table piled inches thick with correspondence, which he was apparently beginning to wade through. Boxes of papers already littered the room. I must say he shook bands very pleasantly. "Well," he said, "what is it you want to see mc about?" I cxplainefl. "You know," lis said, "to tell the truth I don't like journalists yen- much —bar lady journalists, of course." "No, they have not always been very kiud to you." "Oh,'' ho said, "I don't know about that. No," he went on, "I have never had any New Zealand troops under mc, none at alf, to my very great regret. I should have been only too glad to have had them, if I could hava got them. And one thing I should very much like to say. I have had a great many letters from New Zealand, from people whom I did not know, whom probably I shall never know or meet; but they v>" ere most sympathetic letters, exceedingly so, and I should like to take this opportunity of thanking my many unknown New Zealand correspondents for their kindness and sympathy." We had a little more talk, which I should willingly report, but do not think I ought. However, I did not take up many minutes of his time.

Outside the garden gates theie was still an-anxiously expectant crowd. Someone stopped mc; she had besn already waiting two hours, she said, did I think G.nerol Buller was coming out again. So I had to stop and give her the pros and cons. A few days -ater General Buller arrived in J.M.d'iii. Somehow or other, the news had leaked out, although he was travelling quite privately. Waterloo is a dreadful station, where nobody ever knows their way, or which train is coming in where. Consequently an enthusiastic crowd cheered several wrong trains before it cheered .b-e right one, but in the end General Buller hnd a welcome which must have been almost as gratifying to "him as his reception by the citizens of Aldershot. London, 16th November, 1900.