KITCHENER.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 582, 10 August 1909, Page 5

KITCHENER.

TO COMMAND IN T.HE:MEDITERRANEAN FIELD-MARSHAL. JAPANESE AND AUSTRALASIAN TOUR. IBjr Telegraph,-l'rcaa ABsoclatlon.-OoDyrlEbt.l London, August 8. General Lord Kitchener will be promoted to the rank of Field-Marshal upon vacating the command in India. • ■ . ' Lord Kitchener will represent the King at the forthcoming Japanese manoeuvres. Thonoe he will proceed to Australia and New Zealand, to inspect troops and advise on questions of defence, upon lines ' decided upon by the Imperial Defence Conference. Afterwards Lord Kitchener will succeed the Duke of Counaught in the Mediterranean command, the importance of which will bo greatly increased. He will bo given a'seat on the Committee of Imperial Defence. THE MIDDLE SEA. POSSIBLE IMPERIAL STRATEGY. (Rec. August 10, 0.10 a.m.) London,' August 9. Referring to the proposed appointment of Lord Kitchener to the Mediterranean command, the milita'ry correspondent : of "The Times" foreshadows the gradual formation by Lord Kitchener of an efficient and'mobile military force in the Mediterranean; also the reorganisation of the heterogeneous AngloAfrican, forces for, defensive purposes.. The correspondent adds:-. i "It is conceivable that the Mediterranean will be the theatre wherein, in certain eventualities, the forces of. the British oversea dominions would effect their initial concentration. The Commander-in-Chief, having a perfect knowledge of Indian, Egyptian, and African problems, and- being id close touch with the military, ideasand- aspirations of Australasia, would be in a specially favourable position to direct the forces which might .gravitate to the Middle Sea." .

THE FIELD.MARSHAL LIST, n A vacancy in the ranks of the Field Marshals was caused by the death of Sir F. P. Haines. The two senior generals are Prince Christian and the Duke of Cumberland,, but they were not regarded as seriously in the running. Then comes Lord Kitchener of Khartum, with seniority of . Juno 1, 1902. He is followed by the Prince of Wales, whose rank dates from June 26, 1902.. ; The/issue, was between Lord Kitchener and tho Prince. It may be added that the present King became a Field-Marshal on May 2V1875,, wheii lie was thirty-three.

. The. list of the Field-Marshals of-.tho British Army, exclusive ,of the. King, with their seniority stands at present as follows:—lord' Wolseley, 1894; Lord Roberts, 1895; the Kaiser r 1901; Duke of Counaught, 1902; Sir Evelyn Wood, 1903; Sir George White,'l9o3; the Austrian Emperor, 1903; Lord Grenfell, 1908; Sir C. H. Brownloiv, 1908. • The post held by the Duke of'Connaught is tcclinieally termed; Field-Marshall, Command-ing-in-Chief, and High Commissioner of ,the Mediterranean. Yet the Duke of Connauglif found it a sinecure, and relinquished it' asbeing, an unnecessary expense' to tho nation.', The post is now temporarily held by Sir F, W. Forestior-iValker. . . •