Notes and Comments.

Feilding Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2320, 26 March 1914, Page 2

Notes and Comments.

The Man of the Hour.

The Gough family "cuts some ice," to use an expressive Americanism, in Ireland and England, and down through the ages has produced prominent warriors. That member of it who came suddenly into the limelight through refusing to serve against his fellow countrymen, Brigadier-General Gough, commanding the Third Cavalry Brigade, is the eldest son of the late Sir Charles John Stanley Gough. He was born in 1870, educated at Eton and Sandhurst, and joined the 16th Lanc-ers in 1889. Ho served In tho Tinih'expedition in 1897-08, and in the South African war, 1899-1902. From 1907-11 he was in command of the 16' th Lancers. Something of a soldier, even for a Gough.

The Historical Parallel.'

The Ulster crisis and the resignation oi" officers from the British' Army, rather than serve against the Ulstermen, led the London Observer to recall John Churchill's action in 1688, and that of 'British officers in 1777 during the war of American Independence. Tho action by John Churchill occurred in connection with tlie arrival of William of Orange in England. Churchill—Baron Churchill he then was, afterwards to become Duke of Marlborough—had received most distinguished favour at the hands of James 11., but he had already declared .at the French Court that if the King of England should change the religion of tho Stale he would at once leave his service. It was not long before the intentions of James became apparent to the woild. Churchill was one of the lirst to send overtures to William. Although he continued in a high position under James and drew the emoluments of his places, tlie Baron promised ihe Prince of Orange to use every effort to bring over troops to his side. King James had been warned against putting any trust in the loyalty of the man upon whom he had showered so many favours, but the warnings were in vain, and when William landed at Brixham, Churchill was promoted to be lieutenant-general, and was sent against him with 5000 men. When the royal army had advanced to the

Downs, and a battle seemed imminent, James was dismayed it finding that in the dead of night his general liad stolen away into tho opposite camp. .

To-day's History. Captain Cook's second visit to New Zealand, 1773. . Linnajan Society incorporated, lelM. Beethoven died, 1827. . Duke of Parma assassinated at Turin, 1854. Outrages by moonlighters in County Clare, 1882. " Cecil Rhodes died, 1902. Matabele revolted, 1896. Taking advantage of the confusion in affairs which followed the Jameson raid, the Matabcles rose m revolt. The main provocation of the rising appears to have been from severe measures that were adopted tor stamping out rinderpest in the.country. Many whites were killed in the regions of scattered settlement, and Bulawayo and Gwelo, where considerable numbers had taken were in much danger for a time. Troops were sent to the assistance of the colonists, from Natal, Cape Colony, and England, and Major-General "Sir Frederick Carrington was ordered from Gibraltar to take command. Cecil Rhodes hastened to Salisbury on the first news of the outbreak, and organised a force of volunteers for the relief of the beleaguered towns. By June,'lß96, when General Carrington arrived, the insurgent natives had been put on the defensive, and had nearly ceased their attacks. They were driven into the Matoppo Hills, where their position was formidably strong. At length, in August, Mr Rhodes onened negotiations with some of the .chiefs, and went, with three companions, unarmed, into thenstronghold. He .made an agreement with them, which the British military authorities and many of the Matabele warriors refused to be bound by, but the revolt had been practically broken, and soon came to an end.