THE LATE SIR HECTOR MACDONALD.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XL, Issue 12238, 6 April 1903, Page 5

THE LATE SIR HECTOR MACDONALD.

A NATIONAL MEMORIAL. By Telegraph.—Press Association.—Copyright London, April 3.. The Scottish societies in London have formed a committee to erect a national memorial to the late . Sir Hector Macclonald. Subscriptions to the Edinburgh memorial fund are pouring into the banks of Scotland from all parts of the country. (Received April 5, 5.13 p.m.) Ottawa, April 4. Scotchmen in Canada are promoting a memorial to the' late Sir Hector Macdonald. AN INTERVIEW AT CEYLON. We have received information from our Nuwara Eliya correspondent (says the Ceylon Observer of Thursday, February 19) that Major-General Sir Hector Macdonald, commanding the forces in Ceylon, had received urgent summons from the War Office by cable to proceed home at once. Sir Hector Macdonald, who went tip to Nuwara Eliya only on Monday with bis staff for the annual season there, received the intelligence with surprise himself, and, as he told an Observer representative this morning in Colombo, thought he might as well take advantage of the presence now in harbour of the homeward-bound mail steamer Opnir, and proceed Home at once by her. in view of the urgency of the summons. Sir Hector, therefore, bade a hasty good-bye to His Excellency the Governor" at Nuwara Eliya, and travelled into Colombo yesterday by train, as the steamer Qnhir might-have left at any time to-da>. Asked by our representative as to the suddenness of his departure. Sir Hector preferred to offer no opinion, remarking, " Well, having got the telegram to return Home at once, I took advantage of the Ophir's departure to leave immediately, you see." Sir Hector was reticent as to whether he was summoned for any special - duty, and when our representative hazarded a question as to Aden or Somaliland he laughed it off with " You want to know that, do you?" Sir Hector, replying to a question, said, that the command forthwith devolves on Lieutenant-Colonel J. C. Campbell, and when reminded of the latter's approaching departure,, he remarked: "Weil, that would not be till April." "Will anyone come out to take your place?" asked our reporter after several ineffectual attempts to know what were the definite arrangements; but Sir Hector laughingly responded: *' Well, I should not care to speculate about that." The interview was terminated with: "Well, I am very sorry to go, you know; but I may come back again soon, eh?" The news of Sir Hector Macdonald having left Ceylon'reached London on February 20. An evening paper of that date has the follow-"Major-General Sir Hector Macdonald, commanding the forces in Ceylon, left Colombo in the s.s. Ophir last night for England in response to a sudden gammons from the military authorities. The unexpected order lias excited much speculation in service quarters as to the real intent of ' Fighting Mac's' return. What is his mission? is the question that has atreadv been asked by many people." A correspondent in the Morning Advertiser supplies a possible answer. He suggests that " affairs in Somaliland have not been proceeding to the satisfaction of the Home authorities, and that a strong man is wanted at Obbia for the expedition acainst the Mullah. Sir Hector Macdonald will, of course, have to pass close to the scene of operations, and it may be that he will land at Aden and proceed to the base. His great experience on the Upper Nile would be of distinct advantage at this time, and it may be that the authorities are despatching him thither."