LORD KITCHENER.

Mataura Ensign, 25 January 1912, Page 5

LORD KITCHENER.

POPULARITY IN EGYPT. | SEES EVERYONE. i Lord Kitchener's popularity in Egypt has increased since his appointment as British Agent in such a manner as to bring about a remarkable change in the country. The Nationalist movement has for the time being almost died out. The Egyptians go to Lord Kitchener for everything, and he sees all who come. There have been no times like j these since the early days of Lord Cromer. During the early days of the Avar in Tripoli some Bedouin Sheikhs went to see him and explained that they wished to go to the assistance of their friends and relatives in Tripoli. Lord Kitchener listened gravely and answered, "Yes, you may go, and as many of your men as you like to take, and I hope you will have good luck." Then he paused, and said slowly, "Now, you Bedouins are exempt from military service by the favov of Mohamed Ali (the Khedive), but of course if you go to Tripoli and beat the Italians the exemption would be cancelled at once, for it would never do to lose [the services of such good soldiers." The Bedouin chiefs were content and did not go. " Only One Thing." Some Egyptian officers also asked, permission to go to the war and to take a regiment of the Egyptian soldiers with them. "Yes, certainly," said Lordi Kitchener, "you may go, and at once." "But it will take a long time to arrange transport," said the officers, "and there may be objections." "Oh, no," replied Lord Kitchener; "if I say you may go you may go. Pray start to-morrow morning. There is only one thing, though. The standing army of Egypt is small, and at this time I must have trained troops. If you take a regiment with you I must send to England for an English regiment to replace them." Needless to say the matter dropped and the men did not go. In discussing the war with some Arabs and Egyptians (says a correspondent of the 'Daily Mail'), I was staggered by the question, "But why did not we (the Egyptians) annex Tripoli?" The thought of the Egyptians annexing anything by force of arms took my breath away. I pointed out that to have done so would have been to have brought down the wrath of the Turks and they would have made war upon Egypt. "Malesh" (Never mind), was the reply. "Kitchener is here." They do not regard Lord Kitchener as being so much associated with England as was even Lord Cromer. They seem to have annexed him: he belongs to them. Egyptian officers and men who have served under him simply idolise him. "I was with 'K.' in the Soudan" stamps a man with honor at once.