"THE FIELD-MARSHAL"

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 750, 24 February 1910, Page 5

"THE FIELD-MARSHAL"

♦ p: ~"v : '"":7 :v.. r : IBRD. KITCHENER'S BATTLES GLANCED AT. OMDURMAN AND PAARDEBERQ. COMMEMORATIVE MONTH OF BOTHASBERO.

ISOME PHASES OF « K OF K.' 1

4 * A2J AUSTRALIAN IMPRESSION. j , Kitchener,v after his -remarkable ■ :^_,BrfdoV6Dientfi.'A where he reor--: :Ar toy-, and '*• broke - y . tho.'power of /the ». Dervishes* .went to South Africa as Lord Roberts's Chief-of- i . 7 •., He succeeded .Lordßoberts.'.in' | the South African command m- 1900, finally defeating the Boers and securing v.-, : p©ace. vln 1902 he. was - ' appointed l ;Com-. mander-in-Chief of {he Indian Army, thongh-.-at;..the-:time : the'-question-' was- •.• laised vwhether it:-was wise.-to send "Her-: cuks to the Himalayas" when there was ; bo,.;much work < demanding the efforts* of j . a -Hercules at- home.-/ -In' l l9o7''his .com-, -j. . maad >.was >prolonged -for; another; : years.,r ; .lnvl9o9-10: he; is -telling the;Aus-' tmlasian Dominions how to reorganise v y tbeir • defenoes. v :Next -will :be doing— . whai?v>Some people -say reorganising the. •-Mediterraneanforces.- '-Others.-sayithat . • Kitchener, as;.Viceroy,^will•. be -stamping:rat, Indian-anarchy. again .that : he . will be installed in.'London to remodel fche'Anny itself. But no one knows.

THE MAN. ' 'STILL DIFFEEENCES OF OPINION i ;', j ' ..hasgone (writes v'the' y "Syd? 4 ?;iMoraing'>Herard");'there;:are. ei-, Uhe'.same of ; opinion:, as ! V;;' iJ; to' theVsort (of ■ man-he > is'tMfe there . we're' 'i;J . before : he caine: I/ord' Kitchener - : Vv•: : •i■;.. , :' l i^,V6oUTl>e -: 'eristiligVat.^tlie. : ' , '^ay, ; 'of■'.llis , ; ' death. ; lj PrObably ;'ho ' does- iiot ;care l--very- :' .muob.Th'e^^?;opir(ip'ns,^> right'; ; .pr'Vwrdrigj ; will '•die-with-him:.- v-The- centuries :will . judg6( Lord''Kitchener.'.byj;his ) 'work:( : .' r . . ..• .*"G., W. .Steovens "said. .Lord Kitchener. ■. : was a man who I had' cut outi his human •.. heart and made,;himself 'ihtb : <a. : ,machine :■ for 'the'Tetaking-of tho Sudan, .flhjbne sketch'G. W. Steevens made:the ;--^v': : ;;.i)opnlirj'! cbnception' ;l bf';;;Lord- : Kitcheher,' and i: , 'li^efiptidß''irW, i ,'«Si^V-^bba9lyf' . whole it iWM.'a' feue . sketch.'v jeven . fr6m'.: : the little ' that' 'Australians' have . teen of Lord Kitchener.it 'can be added Lord Kitchener's Sentiment. day' before 'for: ;: Bathurst was. leaving 'Bowenfels'ihe. called ri --Mj:irJJcilillet,:;the; : mbiiiber., : for:ihe^dis-. trict,; aside, and'showe'd ' '{OBQeiits Bathurst ' i^by : wTubhi b'e was !the.soldiers'i'mbinorinl;.); .:. .. ".'1 .don't like that/:,' he .said. ./I ;am ;a ! :'l:have : 'Come;ljereias..a ( kldier.-to Vunveil va'-memOrial 'to .soldiers.' v-V: 'h

y'-'SB -at ipnce;; ;■?-;*tanding iovgr^Mr^'MiU^rWHilst-iheVwas i ;'i : :; ti) shbw.veveijy. respect! he i could to the soldiers .'whom, the ?and he insisted ■ to- : -unveil'..the memorial;he 'would' use/for : ceremony, >and^;,that.)albpe. ; ' It ;'ha'd been '•,arrangedi , ;tbat;,tbe'^.^sai4j : I 'MaiK.,'r. cuj^.should,bei'pres6nted;.';ftomi-'the• same position.' Lord ;KitcHener.;w6uld nqt'have. ■V it;' Tba'. . ; ; memorial ,to vthe''men :hb. had -'coni.m'ande'd --. >- Kadr.to vtak«. place ;--by; itself ■-'at'.tho'begihV. ;< ■'4 iiing. of ■fs '■.;Mk^>th'at:..'after,.-the^;;unyeilihg"'.;..t^ be. absolute'?.silence,;;and-;the- first. ;.':. ; hisystaff-Vstbod at'ithe". .V ~ Then"hejinspected. cadets-and. : : :. veterans:; -Afterwards .at; a' : different; part ;fifle : 'cupSi: .;; ;:Tritn;-a.speecK^ I :if^wluoh'i3athntistiTWl,^j'e' 1 ;. |prpud ; ;very.;lpng":tim6"j.fo;^o& Two Speeches. Kitchener, seems a -inaii!'.wholly' wrapped • f; • and-' fluently : on'.th'e subject' of bis .avork i vßut he'ii.nbtVgood.'at; sweet speeches, "and; r%lsalmost;'neryous; of v them;i. vHe ' lias/: two, v ->V C 'stock;' speechesfo'r : 'irelcoming ;> : ; : . thank .; you . .v.ery. .much,'. Mr." Mayor;' fOrv '■"•i: ; your' cbrdialfwelcomei' ;isith"e longer.-The »hort«r' is: ';T : 'thank-ybu."'V; '>.-VA' : -a , IGtchenbri ;bas f.pUt . : 'mbrei- "plain, : .'.i';'; Junyarnish'ed./wbvfc'intbr.a^fortmgh most.- inspecting .ofEcerg .would :put V into: /a v ''yeaY>' ,:; The does i'oi'yet.' ;.'realise .that; Lord Kitchener .and. his ; staff;

are-taknig.this visit'mord-seriously-tliaiil J ' .probably of ithe;.military : authorities; ia : Australia.--The fact- Kitchener' does not seem 'to realise that; a visit <'of ; ; inspection made.iof

Nothing -Interferes With Work. v , ' ' ,'?iVhonji Lord .-Kitchenor'{isi-'at -work: he; does iiot 'go out ; of 'his way to cdnveni-; e'n'ce : either : . himself ;or others... Ho .goes: ' sfraight-":toi;Hhfi\'point, ; Jrio"-tmatterV how; njiricli lie may have to offend in doing v'so.; ; On£ .occamons,.-'wlieii v; gramme.of hishostsortbepaceof his', .mptor'tm]',; Lord; it .ffHe has gone; ont^'of):his;sW.aj Sl : •Sfo7SnbVr< . :But.; •ie-does'-'liotflet; His' work;' suffer.-Where • Kb; .canho{*get;,to:iG^ quiet.corncr-'to'write'.up Wilis', obsecvatipnsi 1 immediately -"'after ' he iim'akes../them'.Vhe gets to'work, v .yritli(his.'staff >invtheir s shirt jltlmt<^.='^ie : .;]ie^f^plt£ce.'./; Oiisvwr6ry.- : -bc-' •casion 'where^'an'arrangement;,ihas:: .not kept .up to' timo Lord ■ Kitchener has'been fitno ; troubleto'h'id6 his iinpatienceV: Hi!.' is :no ladies' man. Probably he : does not' So ;'ont''of'"histoV'beS'sociable^'Like. Ir'.-i'A. J; Balfouri,he; has.;: a' reputation; for, nbt;reading- : tho .^newspapers; and like.' Mr. A. J. Balfour ho does read 1 them/ He.'does .anything.; that -is''useful 'to his? ; workin the: way s,which is i. most. direct;; i He.: has - an;.extraordinary.' memory; • i

A Hard School. .' "Prom the. time he .first-saw .war—' , :-'iri , §thb'*Kench v ..Army-''inV:lß7(hrfroni' ; -thie ; .'tirae < he'worked as ;'a : ybnhg." engineer ;o'ffi-' . .. cbr! in • Cyprus. and; Palestine, during.-the-officer:. '■ „ death ! ;to,'enter;- hut- which -he.-'did! enter,. : V disguised,- during ".the! .-time,-: .when; he; .wprkfcd ;f6t/',the irilief/of-'Gordon; indfre--' ~ vcei vbd ■ Gordon's."'sarcasm'; in;'return, until' the.i'ti.mc. out and: 'finished -a. work -in the I'S.udan which no-' • '.body' else - had made;:any useful. attempt 1 . fo'hwWie. had; devofed .'himself 'with.'- a; whole heart; to ".the-unvaraished. task-tbf- '-' v l^ V' i n B. ne nCo ; .behind: liith,' . ? . P.W of influential; people- woilld' some, more distinguished -' PPJSO]i, .who'; had hot 'done the - work,Vstep . .. in: and : command/, in the J campaign," and -; '■ ; g6t:.the' 'glory> oyefi'.his f-head; But .Kitchener had managed, to win the confidence ; of. the; authorities,-. . He /had. won ; his : ' chance, as, he.. had;;dpne his .great, work, yith influence, 1 if anything, against'him -v.by/a ; singlemmded ; dovbtibn- to his -pro- ; -iession.;' Tho.probability Vis "that:-those .. years half<:.a lifetmie-rspent in that way .'■go, further -towards 'explaining.' the Lord . Kitchener;r ; whqm ;have . watched ' with", such - intense. interest' diiriagS the; past - fortnight' than i mostple ;dream_;of. ' WhateTer. m'ay'.be'-'said of I Lord.Kitchener, whatever enemies he- has "(-■ made,-, he -'hasVd6neTan.'immense' great ; : ;;work. criticised lord Kitchener wete 'the' men Mo had done as much he .would probably' nbthave ; a'"cHtiO''in;;the, world, V/y ; ■ The Fight: Against • a' Tiorf« lcan . :;'aci:ojiiplisii«.t it,,really. is- ■ to ;, i influence -. from *■'the

lowest .rang / of, the. ladder, in. a ,British f ; service .to the top. i It is not. so .much', : that -Lord--Kitchener ■ has % against influence; 'but! that j almost: every .inch of'.his .great: work -has been/stubbornly, fought by. the influence and shams . and uselessnesses. that-, he was- overthrowing. In India ;and Africa,.- too, it ,was.j almost the main part ,of his work :to: overthrow,'them.'/- ■ > v • -• - ■

' ' IN INDIA. . REORGANISATION. OP. THE ARMY. r ■* — : The.services .which Lord Kitchener. has rendered m India: have been of' transcendent value' to the Empire. They have: been;summedup as follows:— ; Organisation, .training,:and distnbu- ... .tion-of-ihe Army, improved.;:.-.; . Divisional' system.introduced... -.■■.■ ! 'A>.!Ability- to mobilise nine: infantry«di- .... . .visions.-and-eight cavalry brigades attained ■ ...Artillery rearmed inth 'quick-firers.- v .. n /Pay. of the -native, ranks increased. ....

iself neither .owns: at present nor is likely. to' possess l , for many years to come. ' A :source of, strength -for the British Empire is being created which' will make for peace in'the counsels,of the world." .-

■ ' IN AFRICA. ' A ' "TIMES" WKITER'S • ESTIMATE. i : Ina'characfer skotch of 'Lbrd Kitchener ;appea'ririg in''' 'The' Times' Hisfoir'of the. iWai-'in South "Africa;" 'Mv. ErSkine Child.ers writes:— '"* v "■■ ' ' Kitchener !had; the, rare''; gift; of' egiiahimity.: Under a; burden'which .would have crushed 'small-' ,er..men he : pr'e6erved. a;serene and 'confident, spirit, ahdhe transmitted this confidence to the army, the Government, and the nation. All' recognised in him a great and. commanding personality, not indeed .above criticism, . but compelling, trust. •Kitchener,was inclined to think too much .of vpropellmg, and- too little i of edncating ihis army,..to: look-rather to the quantity than , to the quality of the work done, satisfied ■ if, tho" machine ..was humming ■at..' high : pressure and grinding, out its quotum of captured men aud material, but not sufficiently observant' of the deeprooted defects which made tKe end so long in coming. . "Hence there was agreat waste of force. .There prevailed among Kitchener's subordinates a lack of initiative and-a lack'of ■ aptitude, for, guerilla ,waT. But it is not. to be.inferred thnt Kitchener did nothing :to -elicit initiative. Many men, had. freedom; offered -,them- who persistently : de'cline'd to ljse-it.. Some- few. accepted, but •as a general, rule it'is fair to say that iKitchener.'s natural instinct-for firm and .continuous: control was met half-way ,by officers whose .trust in .themselves ' was weaker than their trust-'in ihnn."

"Besides ; Lyttelton; ; W&uchope, ; Maxwell, Macd'onald, ' and : Lewis 5) in. line; I ' facing th6. : plain',-'and -both. ; 'flanks. on; the,river. The ' position of AH 1' .. WadjHplu(C) wa3 iiot suspected. Collinson's-brigade,. (N0."6) in' reserve.

: :thereorganisation - s of .'-.the Indian Army' when' it r.was; in Mr.■ i Everard , iCotGs- wrote:' ■■ ■.

;; ',/ft>-,day.the. ontire; forces of. Indi ai are ,in nine:self-' tcontained' -divisions; .'-eachr!cb'mpletejimdt:i iself. , trained,'..as"af>iinit-! in- one .areajas.faras possible under ■the . officers!' who - will v.bommandf'it ' in. time', of -war.' 1 '- -The -total-armed- forces'of India;' reserves and.'voluiiteeW,''amount! \250;030' vßri-' ;tiaH . troops, l ' 158,000 'Indian . :20;000 'Imperial -'Service troops and ' trans-, .port: - ; J-;■■ J.. : vv s-;? 's'opz Each' Division Independent. 1

.'"The whole' jvili' have places in .the iiew; arrangement, ,and when' a idivision ' moves'bff' upon'; active ■ service- a ' :sqfficient;garj[;Mn: willf'replacbvit. to ! fflain-," : tain-; order. UocallyJ.'ai'ded.-'by '.tbb , voliiiii teers,'- J EaeK *: division. will .bo i independent j of ";the '-,o.thers;: : and; each , : will, be ,prepared i to' advance'' into tbe line; as,required.' ! ' : '.transport has 'already', been'or;ga'nised.'to'','supplj;':four';:divisions; , :'The ; balMcb • in skeleton' cadres :that' can fe;filled.:u'p';.by'recniitm'ent;up6n:m'obili6a-i i.tioii regiiitered-'aninials :be-". ■ longing- to - owner's. '.The;. rearma- ! ,ment;.'of .the?ho'r'se-,and 'field'batteries"with 1 ..quick-firing ?giiiis : ,of" the'' ■ most i modern !;ty^':is!w«l'-advanced:' ' I ''.' : ;,.v!Factpfies-for ..inaking'igunsj'j rifles,''am-' Imunftioni ■ ,'ipEditf,, ! ;:'gun : c'arHages/.' "and 1 clothinf .'already 'exist'^in-India; and 1 are !;being,;imjirbved:tp bpcome independent'of' 'help;'-from • -Woblwicb 'and ;.-Pimlic6;'»■ -A L\statt .'brganisatioh'ilsis :beeri 1 formed :i afe ; headquarters'to ;,be";, the,brain : ..of ;;thb: Army?;' 'An' Indian; Staff.. College has .'been; hstarted, *{ where: officers; are ;'receivingi .'the' special training No nessential for 'intelligence 'duties and ithe''handling'; of troops: "The' ;abolition' ;'ot' : ',the : &Id .commands;', •wlucb, the'introductibn .of. the.ninerdivi-. ' system'-' has ' .postulated; ;tJioughJ 'an :ecbnbmy} in ,'ilself;;;bas. iricrpaied,: instead, of p diminishing'; , motion,'; feince; it, Has, .enabled .' two army iiew brigadiers 'to ;be ; brought: into,' existenpe. -, .Better- value . for the'twehtj-'.millionsVsterlingi'whicli.Haltbo' - Indian ' taxpayer's'iMntributibn . ,to the de- ■ fence of ; tlio. £iihpiro, ; ,hajs : never;previously been obtained..- .. .... ..'. '-.- ;

'A,New.Enthusiasm. . "A D€w spirit "of enthusiasm is :g2;owingnp :inS" '.'Anglo-Indian officers are) beginning .-.to realise that' to • briild iup

CHOOSING BATTLE GROUND.

; ' THE- TERAIN' AT, OMDTOMAN. : -[Br Gybo.] . -o-h.v''. ■; :> r , ' ', . , . ■<■;' .■' ; ;Certainly. 'also'is Eftchenermad. But ! i sure.vtbing^l'-knbw-T...'i ;If 'he- whoi broke .'you .h'e.iminded ;t<>•teach' ;i- .;you, ' to. hisVMadrissa 'gO !!, '■ : '*' ;y Go.Hubshee,carry ■ youryshoes ;in ' your' i . hand > turn ;• bow ! <ybiir „' head f on' your. • -breast, ..... . 'For he .'who did 'not, jin. sport, he will'nbt teach' yiu' in; jest. '~ —"The Five Nations." . \,Ot taking ;up a' bit .of'.'ground—a thing ;.which ,-,oui 'colonial ;volun.teei's',,are; supposed 'to. be marvels at:d9ing, but,regarding ,which ■ £uiy 'enlightened sceptic'who jhas ''both .marched.-'with them". and: fol-. •lowed' them'. ; forf years:',bias;.'doubts and >is - inclined..W'.stjbkhis tongue ; in '■ his. toheekpr, give,- vent. to' the.loud' "Ha!' Ha —there .are.no end'-of theories. .'But; too' are, like George' ;Borrow's elderly'gnd'eccefltrib'chteftainer ;they|'can .'understfiiid Chinese;' but'.; can-', mot; tell whafs'o'clock."'These; arethV ispecialists, of the' OldLands.From'them . colonies - recoil. holding' that Ufe is - too jslioi't; f6r; : plants ■which''are, usually.'of, tangled ''growth l ' '.with;''tendrils', of ;T 'mathe- : :matics' ;'an(l other''Horrific : '.formulae winding as ' m&zily; about them 'as' the' iwire .'abbatis':ab'out''a blockhouse. "■;,- i ;"We said the rifle clulj men m Icamp somewhere - uplabo.ut :Palmcrston.'" last.-Easter,- and "the (statement .was" duly-telegraphed over the' pominion.; : Work, not frills! "'You 'some-' dimes' see,; these;men,;'or' 'men .very'"likb :tuem, "taking; lip' a':'.ppsiti6ii" ; ' , at;'man-' !oeuyres. vlt:is,'wonderful., to 'see 1 how the nature : of .the ;very; weapons' are inisunder-' stood.' • The; rifles,; are ;us'ually perched -.on a hill-crest. with half , a .mile or more of'''dead ground"—so 'steep is the' Chosen'' , twaato*-generally—tucked, .'as it were :• like ;a. servietteri^bt. under 1 ' the' fatuous ! .chihs' ■of Bill. and Jnn. . On tho other'hand'the' arfaUe'i-y . which'■ should;, "soar . with' ' the ; eagles" may now' and :then be'seen saunteriing along the .villages with' an> intelligence ;not vastly different from; .that.,'of- tho ,cows which ; graze gipe ' on either

;• 'Second' -phase, 9.40 a.m. . Attempt :,to advanos ■ on." Ondnrman -in echelon of - brigades from . the. left.. The supposition t apparently' was tHat the main Dervish body (B) had been 'annihilated:' The dangerous proximity .of. Ali : \Yad ; Holu'(C) .was still unsaspeoted;'

an. efficient Imperial, Army is a bigger thing thati .to ; conquer a, frontier.' tribe. The decentralisation of finances, which is .oue of - the.:frature6.'of, thb new arrangement, -has • introduced a steadying sense of- responsibility.: ... ' "For. the: first-time in' .history, military headquarters -at Simla are : against, .'instead of'in-favour. of,:a,forward policy on the'- north-west : border ;• since for. the .first time/in-history the,.faot;has been brought, homo, to', them „ that; money - fri tiered ■ away •upon,petty,expeditions must be deducted-ffom-.tho 'funds-available, for something •better.,. ~ ;.''-A goal, ; hoy;evcr, is: in. sight, such as 'lias, never, before, been there.; .A-- force , is. growiu; ,uji in India'such as England her-

sido. of it. The. present Defence Council —painfully workfiig its, way itowards'efficiency is steadily niending' these things, .but there are: still many sore .'miles, of arid road to cover before the-golden -gates .of. the City, of Understanding are reached. Omdurman is a; study-in ground. And ; a study quite-apart from those of the .German gods of military erudition which ireigh—acknowledged in- a- dim way by > the -world, -but as. far as British people ,are; concerned,, never.,.bowedto—on ..the ihoightsof :'.a . sulphury and very,, 'derous: Olympus'.,lf the - .tired . reader, ;cares..to,glailce,!down the.sketches he will: .sf.e .that: .the distinguished soldier, .now ;visiting.''.Wellington,', Received those' great, 'men—and as far as my poor .understand-1

ing goqs, .every, Dervish who. charged that day was a great' man,' invested .with all that majestic 'fearlessness, which can gaze unmoved into. the . eyes .of ; tho Last Enemy, of:' All.—received : those great' I *aj, 0\ V PLAIN

.in any case. Once the line was broken ,it was merely massacre however the order ; of battle might have: been ; formed. ■■ Why did the Dervishes require" to ;rnsh that ring" of rifles,' circled 'out .in a 'difficult, .line' of assault ,in front of the : river? The'answer'will bo found in a. truly woman's;reason:'."Because they had to." Ever since. 1884 Mahdjeh, had gone "to' battle fortified • by- the 'sure' and : certain hope of -Divine .interposition, in tho ■ultimate—and tho outward symbol of. the 'Divine Wings,of Allah was. a little'tomb in Omdunuan'covering the'bones of Mo'hammed Armed. - This" is the /strongest 'form' nf manoeuvre:—offonsive strategy, .and defensive tactics. • It is not new,'but it is irresistible.' The Cuke of Wellington |set the .model in the Peninsular, '-exactly' a 'hundred years ago.

.' Wad - ej!Jfcjjinii; the best' lja'ttlo Emir of Mahdioh, had died at ;Toski,. twelve years before'Omdurmoiv. As ilio', man who led tho 'hosls .:whiiih • took- Geiioral- Gordon's/head, oil', .Lord..Kitchener: will..llo' idoubt, .'remember him: : Zeki . Tummel, .rathw',a siicceKsful .tactician in. the liey'day' of J.tahdisrii, had.' Wen.built'..into;, a cave", of .and;left to ; smother ■—it look 'thirteen dayS"to kill 'him. ; 'And 'then .there was: Abu Ansa. i. . Nobody•knows exa.ctly, what became of him, exccpf ,that had been, dead, many' years . be-

'fore- the .morning on .which the Guards 1 picked ■-lip: the, range at Omdurman..with section volleys at■; 2000' yards. AVad-el-,Nejumi, -Zeki\Tummel, arid Abu' Anga ;had.beeii successful farmers in, Kordofan, ; but ;the, Government of their, day did not :like" .them, :not' for, ariyi' personal -hatred (indeed,' the 'Khalifa's propensities were all the other way), but the Taaiishi sec- ■ tioh of political; roarers were almost as ,;loud in'Omdurinanin 1896 as;they "are in the Dominion to-day. And : so ! the execu:tioners built . Zeki. Tummel' in, and,: as ■ we said before, it was thirteen days': b'e>fbre the: last expiring noises came through the stucco tomb. . : ,'Omdurman, shut f in between two ranges .ol low hillsi'is flat desert; and':h'ere Lord 'Kitchener'planted his back' to' the Nile, [and invited Jlahdieh to/bear ;him- down, lit was a'ffreat;field for..rifles of ,lo)v trajectory. Planting:one's' back to a' river to all. the canons of war, as laid.down .by :the nioustached and. ter-.ribly'tight-waisted officers'who' constitute

And now . Hector Slacdonald. In., .that .beautiful, book — ; Kingsley's "Hypatia".l do riot' think, that"any, chapter is finer than that where Hypatia. tells Philammon of the - beauty of line and form. . Thus": to the • Greeks '.the '.circle -was the symbol of perfection, while' the'equilateral' triangle signified the inipregnagability of regulariiy'.an'd rectitude-"formed up"' (as; the: military books would say), against - the' world! • But even;Hypatia. .'did not divine ithe fine qualities of' echelon of brigades from ' a flank. \0 At . least, if she did, she said?nothing,about -it .to'Philammon,'but. if/.She hadj.looked "on- .at Omdurmah , she might—indeed, ~I think sho -would—have ■- aimended-j .her, :'geometry: so as to, square-it with the- widerphilosophy of Thales. a ; ; The , efforts of Lord ■ Kitchener's 5 'force to jform line 'ofbattle - towards - the iwest . iii 'that thrilling. qua,T.te>: oi-an hour-the third' sketch will' ! speak i ';as , -w'ell' , as.jany-' thing!- ..Concerning the 'perfect; drill, of .Macdonald's brigade,' first;formed facing

• i ■ ; ■■■ Third phase, 10.10' a.m.' Hurrie d endeavour, Wfom line, of-tattle j ; .',when Ali Wad/ Helu 1 ' (C)' charged, on the rear of the.echelon.' TKe ;danger ,; ;., .to that'he w;as''engage with'. Dervishes,'coming from- '• ', the direotton; ,o£,. A;, while Ali .'Wad Helu' wae.; seen'.emerging, : ; from.'. C.; i •. j. The brigade of 24 comjpanies'had;thus ; to., change front ; In- a'.trying." ; position. . ' '

the: bfr-all aid end-all- of . war/'in'Berlin, 7 which, as everybody';_knows;.;i6;the 'haute eoole of • military : thought throughout; .llie" 'world;' But" tlie9e-,. great- people. are J riot altogethep'everybody.' -' ■ . -. , -Vr. r-

ISomo'of /the' foregoing is; partly .to. say, that the, best battle; aristbc; -racy' of ,'Mahdiehas'it' were—had .fallen 'before the loudest -but least 'discerning -section''; of.'' the' Baggara .townsmen ',of jbmdurman : before'.the. day >'of . battle and,, jfor the.'re'st 'of tte'story, let us hasten, !to .'thte' terain 1 , itself lest 'our. poor • little; 'narrative, abounding with a thicket of /plans, explanation's; footnotes, and quali-, should eventually becomo - like one- of; thoPrime -Minister's -.interminable. sentenoes " in . the. House—ending, -after greSt r length;' and-'many,:-,subordinate clauses in a Wilderness of. Nothingness.- , i ; The Dervishes,' as had been hinted, were jreceived witlr the rifle.' 1 on -~a . PLAIN which always is the. proper -place fori rifles..:vThe hills. which,/bounded , the plain would have been awkward .topography had the Khalifa had any artillery.' But that contingency /had; not;been, .left'to guesswork ; so, good had been the, ■Intelligence,, and .-reconnaissance of. the; month«.bcl'ore.,. Also; '.the great. teachcr, Experience." had; .'shown " that whatover ' might. -be, done'.with / Dervishes it was (more so than with'any other -conceivable; enemy) .unprofitable 'to,, expose .a flank. I ,So the line, of'battle, on the'plaih was.,bent -back and,- both'flanks .tucked' securely, oh the Nile.' 1 :Jt perhaps may .bp -imagined -jby those : llong-headed 'fellows 'who accept nothing • on'; mere assertion—and these doubters,by the' way,. are the "salt, of the earth"— •that'- there ..were ■ other, ways 1 of, securing rthe'flanks'besides.fighting with one's back' :to a river./.A v .square for instance? Tjnfortunately, >a. :squafe ..must have- four sides /and, if . the total . force , constituting ■the'square happens to. be to), 000, • as ■ tho. force, at Omdurman- was, only some.Booo. rifles can fire,, while,. the . other - u4,000, ore so ,nvuch dire waste pro tcm.—unprofitable ghastly, waste.., Also a; square has four disadvantageous > corners—termed "salients" .in the,military books—and, a salient / is; a .thing,.to avoid, if, one possibly, can,. Wo can- perhaps, easily understand, that Lord Kitchener,', being,,by .initial .training ~an, engineer, officer, ..would have !uo particular affection for salients, .'As 'to' the order of battlo being, totally , unprovided with,;any/linei of retreat well- . ' Where'.was..the'..line, of. retreat,', ahvw'ny ? ■ It, is a; whole, world of 'sorrow .a'nTl ciimpensatioris—Hiis'straji'ge, austere, .lovable world' of/,o.urs-r.and if,one. thing ■is' achieved,'something elsei'is' lost. :„At--1 Onjdurmon there xas-na line of retreat' • : 7

south-west ;,with eighteen companiesin /line. and,'six .in reserve,,and, then (by the .same 1 clean obedience to the word, of .command) formed with twenty-fo.ur. compan'.ies' of , the' brigade' in' .line, facing: .-north towards Ali Wad . Helu, with the" flanks ibacked aa-if- on parade, the third sketch is given 'so'that/ he who,:riiris may.'read.'-; . From, a military, point'. of .view. : the ; '®iver War" (as Winston .Churchill cils •it) is a. perfecjiy,. assigned comment, on.'tKe great gospel of righteousness... .'New. Zealand,. as, we..;see/every 1 day,;,is •spo'uting j;warfare . through' headlines sand-" posters jwhich, i.each. morning;, loudly, ; vociferate ,the hurried lie for the occasion,: but .when we. come to .think- of .- righteousness - and -discipline .:and . ; all. that' 1 : makes', for /.the [/successful prosecution-of war,,-.well—our lips' part' in, a. sort of audjbl6 smile which could be heard- from the -Basin • Reserve to bey6nd,,Ngahauraiiga.'.:' ..... 'j. ' ' Anyway,• Omdurman -is a , great study in ground. . , .' , - ■