PEN-NOTES AND PENCILLINGS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1514, 7 March 1901, Page 56

PEN-NOTES AND PENCILLINGS.

De Wet is indeed the Fiving Dutch- ' man. He is repeatedly 1 being surrounded, but ust as often breaks “ through the “cordon,” and gains a fresh 5 lease of life. There was never such a slippery customer, and next to the desire to capture him, which all Britishers share, is admiration for his undoubted dexterity in eluding his pursuers. For the reason that he - appears to be the very Old Gentleman himself •v" in cutting and coming again, the a-c----coimpanying cartoon pictures him, as “Some One” who shall be nameless, riding a -horse that looks lightning and' breathes sulphur, and which is always somewhere ahead of our. wearied British bayonets. ONE OF “BOBS’S” NEWEST DECORATIONS. Lord Roberts has been awarded many honours of late. Many ox these appreciations of his merit are very costly in nature, but the Commander-in-Chief will value none of these gifts mote than “Temperance V.C.” —which has just , been conferred on the Field-Marshal, although its intrinsic value is small. When the Army Temperance Associa.v . tion in England was formed, Lord Rob- ■ : <erts was the prime mover. He had tivr/.’been the friend of a similar organisaLU tion that has existed many years in •’h India, and consequently had much to do with the formation of the constitution ■• of the society. “Bobs” still hold's the ’ SISSS*^’

: position a-a president of the council, and when at home attends all commit- ,, tee meetings. Among the many rules • 7 .and orders instituted, it was decided 7; to* issue every year a number of medals, : to be known, as the award of merit, and , , it is this medal which is looked upon as the V.O. of the temper anoe world. ; ; i Each company of soldiers which; has a ! ‘society is asked once a year to propose some person for this honour among their i number, detailing his works and his jiV claim’s fflor they medal. Hundreds of medals are applied! for, but only a *■ very limited number are issued! annu- • "'vi &Uy. In view of the splendid temper- ’ ance work accomplished by lord Huberts in India, in the United Kingdom, and in South Africa, the council of the

Army Temperance Association recently decided to give their president the “Award of Merit.” The news was cabled to the Cape, and Lord Roberts expressed his willingness to receive the honour, shared as it is by all ranks in the Army. TO HONOUR LORD ROBERTS. When it was known that a Cathedral at Waterford, Ireland, was about to be restored in honour of Lord Roberts, many people knowing tlie place wondered which edifice was to. be thus dealt with. Most cities are content with one Cathedral, but Waterford has three — the Protestant Cathedral, the Roman Catholic Cathedral, and the Cathedral in which the Huguenots used to worship, more commonly known a® the French Church. It is the latter structure that is to be ,restored in honour of Lord Roberts’s achievements in South

Africa. f ‘Bobs” is looked upon as a Waterford man. For piore than two; centuries back the Roberts family can be traced. Sir Thomas Drew recently stated that “from all parts of the British Empire come interested inquiries about! the antecedent origin of the Roberta family, from which has sprung a Lord Roberts of Kandahar, whose biography has to be written for future generations. It is found with no difficulty in the record of a purely citizen family of Waterford, though more than two centuries, a pedigree well kept and remembered in their city for the true and upright citizenship of its many members. Their last record is inscribed on the tombstones which lie under the tower of the French Church, to which so many now turn with interest.” It is anticipated that nearly £3OOO will be required. To restore the tower alone will cost some £650, and those responsible for the scheme are anxious that this work .should be proceeded with as soon as possible, for under it lie all the Roberts’ interments and records. The fall of the tower, which must come if neglected, would thus obliterate the Roberts’ family burying,place. Although the Church is to be restored, it is not proposed to use it again as a place of worship. It will be used in a religious sense only in connection with funerals. Some suggest that the restoration should make the church partake of something of the character of a museum, and others her 6 that a clock and carillon will adorn the tower and discourse patriotic music in permanent reminiscence of Lord Roberts. All the money has not yet been raised, but doubtless the return of Lord Roberts to England will soon ensure this being done.

THE DOWAGER GERMAN EMPRESS. The King: has made the announcement that as soon as lie has opened Parliament lie will visit his sister, the Dowager German Empress. Also, he will pay a State visit to her son, the Emperor, when, of course, the latter’s subjects will have a chance of demonstrating that warm British feeling which a mistaken cable correspondent describes as Anglophobia. The Dowager German Empress is, as everyone knows, the

Princess Royal of England, and the eldest child ?£ Tier .late Majesty Queen Victoria. She married the Emperor Frederick of Germany when the latter was Crown Prince, and the historian has it that it was a love match in every sense of the word, the interest of the State having, no consideration. As will be seen from the accompanying portrait-, her latest one, the Dowager is now quite an elderly woman, a® indeed she must he, when we estimate the age of her eldest son, the present German Emperor. Some time ago she developed a serious internal disorder, and recently she was so ill, as a result of it, that her doctors despaired of her life. As the disease is stated to be incurable, it is only a question of time when the Royal sufferer will succumb to it. THE “SEAT OF WAR.” The “Seat of War” for all time is that shown in the accompanying sketch. It is situated at the Horse Guards, and! the gentleman who fills it during the. working hours of the day is now Lord Roberts. From this position the hero of Kandahar is going to direct those mighty war reforms which were -promised when he was elected to the office. It is worthy of note that many predecessors have fallen into' the same chair and made the same good resolu-

tions. Those who are not above seeing things is a clear, unbiassed light are sometimes afraid that the War Office is often made the scapegoat of errors due to outside causes. If the War Office says that our officers don’t fight well, it is believed because of a papular prejudice. If it says that the men are not as good as their fathers before them, it is not believed for the same reason. Whenever anyone says anything against the office itself the statement is accepted without question, and the best reason why it shouldn’t be is that the public knows absolutely nothing about the matter. It is an unfair judgment, which springs from ignorance on the subject, and yet it is from this soil that nearly all popular judgments do spring.