GENERAL BULLER.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 216, 5 June 1908, Page 5

GENERAL BULLER.

0 — COLONEL PORTER'S APPRECIATION. In - conversation with a Dominion representative yesterday morning, Colonel Porter, C.8., paid a tribute to tlio memory of the lato General Sir Redvers Buller's popularity in tlio'Army and with the English people as a bravo soldier, by relating several occurrences ill ivliicli ho (Colonel Porter) was given an excellent opportunity of judging. "Strong evidence of General Buller's great popularity' 1 said Colonel Porter, " during tho Coronation celebrations in London in 19U2," when I was in command of tho colonial contingents. During a parado of tho contingents through Islington, I was riding ahead of tho column, and, being tall and somewhat liko him in appearance—the difference would, of course, bo seen if wo wore together—l was taken for tho General, and tho people flocked on to tho road near tho Alexandra Palace and cheered 'Good old General Buller!' Men, women, and children alike fell into tlio same error. "On 'another occasion," continued tho Colonol, " I was driving from tho Crystal Palaco through Norwood and Brixton, and great numbers of people stopped mo and cheered mo .as the General. SOlllO time later, I was. driving to tho docks through East End, and 'tho driver got into ono of tho by-streets by accident, and the carriago was besieged by multitudes of boys under tho impression that I was the popular hero. I could not convince them at all; they simply crowded the roadway, and joined in the acclamation. My progress was effectually impeded until tho driver got me out of tho predicament by asking if I had any pennies. I gave him some, and he scattered them amongst tho youngsters in such a way as to clear tho road, and I e'ventually got through. " At another time, wliilo alighting from a carriago to enter tho Trocadero, a similar mistake was made. 1 . " Speaking to General Bullor later, I mentioned tho incidents, and ho was highly amused. Ho referred humorously to these experiences in a letter to mo two or three months ago. ' I hope,' tho letter said, ' that tho likeness has not placed you in any more difficult positional' " With roferenco to that mistake ho made.. He was very popular throughout the whole service, although ho no doubt committed an indiscretion in an after-dinner speech, which brought him into conflict with his superior officers in tho Army. By tho rules of the service, ho 'could not show any injustico lie might have felt, for it is one of tho most stringent rules that no officer can verbally or in writing call into question any action of his superiors. Much has often been said about tho difficulties of tho campaign in Natal, but all who have been there know what it is liko. I havo been concerned in tho operations in that country, and it was the most difficult part of South Africa for military movements. The Army officers were fully aware of tho difficulties with which he had to contend, and the naturo of the country upon which lie had had to operate, and yet lie did forco his way through, and at tho conclusion of tho operations jio was highly commendcd in the dispatches. I simply intend this to show that throughout tlio Army and'throughout England, whatever the one mistake he may have made, he was generally considered, and recognised as a bravo and good soldier. To quoto Lord Roberts: — j ' •'When war is coming; and danger nigh, God and tho soldier is all tho cry; ~ When war is o'er and all things righted, God is forgotten and tho soldier slighted.' _ "It is interesting to recall that, whilo in Zululand, tlio seventh contingent went to tho pass over which General Buller earned his V.C.,- and at that spot tlio contingent had a brush with -the Boors. Tho contingent also passed over sovoral of Buller's battlegrounds in the early Zulu/war. "It is tho people of tho colonies," ho concluded. " who seem t-o havo a wrong impression of General Buller."