"KHARTOUM AT LAST."

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 11202, 24 October 1899, Page 5

"KHARTOUM AT LAST."

LECTURE BY MR. "FREDERIC YILLIERS. After an absence of four years, Mr. Fredorii A illiers, tho famous war correspondent and artist, has returned to Auckland, and last night at the Opera House ho lectured to a most appreciative audience on Khartoum at Last," being a graphic account of Kitchener's victorious campaign against tho fanatical Khalifa. Mr. Villiers appeared in his campaigning dress, and on tho stage lie Had several trophies of tho war. Thoro were half-a-dozen of tho " shovel-headed spears" , peculiar to the fuzzy-wuzzy, one of tlio • Khalifa's standards, a couple of uni- ' forms (ono having belonged to an emir), a sword, and last, but most interesting of all, tho metal top of the lamp which hung in tho Mnhdi's tomb. The lecturer in his happy stylo gave a capital account of the advance of tho troops up the' Nilo and over tho desert from Cairo to tho ! Sirdar's objective, and supplied some in- \ teresting particulars of the marvellous ra. pidity with which tho railway (part of Cecil Rhodes Cape to Cairo line) was carried over ■ the Nubian sands. Tho journey was not. without its light sido at times, and tho little' mishaps and humorous incidents wero treated At length tho white cupola ol the Maluli's tomb at Omdurman shone in the ardent African sun, and the first warning noto of the presenco of tho enemy was sounded. Tho attack of the dervish hordes upon the soldiers behind the slight zareba was graphi- 1 cally narrated by Mr. Yilliers, and tho gal- '' lant charge of the 21st Lancers, the reckless 1 onslaught of the Baggara horse, and tho brave stand of Goneral Macdonald's men wero - vividly portrayed. Tho ghastliness of war was very forcibly brought homo to tho audience by a unique snapshot of the battlefield. The slain of tho Khalifa'' army lay thick on 1 tho sands, and where tl." deadly hail of the Maxims had passed tho lines of corpses were as regular as though they had been purposely laid there. The Sirdar's entry into Omdur- • ' man, the flight of the Khalifa, and knocking off the chains of the captives wero well described, and then camo a most pathetic account of Gordon's funeral at Khartoum. Tho lecture was brought to a conclusion with ail appreciative description of Lord Kitchener. "Khartoum at Last" was profusely illustrated with limelight views, most of which were from sketches and snapshots taken by Mr. Villiers himself, and theso excellent pictures enabled ono to form a splendid idea of tho vicissitudes the troops encountered, the difficulties they overcame, and the glorious success they achieved under their remarkable leader. Several of tho photos, showed the effect of lyddite shells (similar to those being used in mid tho results, on , the masonry and walls of Khartoum and Omdurman wero truly appalling. Mr. Villiers 1 remarked that the audience would be pleased to know that tho Imperial forces in tho Transvaal had these deadly shells, and that the Boers had not got them. Incidentally pictures of-General Sir Redvers Buller ana tho chief of his staff wero thrown on the screen, and were greatly applauded, Tho lecturer referred to the results of » certain English statesman's clemency to tho Boers in withdrawing the troops from the Transvaal, but said that with such a man as Sii Redvers Buller in command, and tho Hon. J. Chamberlain at his elbow, the honour of Great Britain would not again bo tarnished ■