SIRDAR AND THE STUDENTS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 11323, 17 January 1899, Page 6

SIRDAR AND THE STUDENTS.

LORD KITCHENER'S LIVELY OAT AT

CAMBRIDGE.

' • Among the many enthusiastic.■ivslconias". accorded Lord Kitchener-of Khartoum smoe' his return from tl.o Soudan, that .which he .received at C^unbiidge will be numbered in the front rank. Town and govm between them gave him a very busy time, for he was no sooner'well away from one function than he found another airaitiiitr him. He arrived at Christ's' College about half-past 10, and proceeded'to. the Guildhall, where he was presented with" the freedom of the borough. In acknowledging the address, ho expressed .his sincere thanks for the .honour done him, and said his family had been so 10-tig associated with Cambridge—with the colleges and eisov/here—that he felt it an additional honour to come. Afterwards the Sirdar lunched with the"' Yice-Cha-ncqllor of the University /at DoWhing College Lodge, the council of the university beir.g :alsb -'present. At 2 o'clock, the", scene was changed to the Senate House, which .was, filled by undorgraauaies, -,vho,'£B-.thfi Sirdar made his appearance, dangled a-'life-sized effigy of the Khalifa.'from"the -bjilcohy, and alternately cheered and sang such ditties as ";Tommy Atkins." ".Soldiers of. the Queen," and "A Little British Army goes a, — long way."

: Dr Sandy's, the Public Orator, in presenting Lord Kitchener; said Ireland and East Ariglia had.vied.in claiming him, and Great Britain at largo might be proud of him. The incidents of "the: Nile campaign were alluded to. and -reference' was made to the' dignity and modesty-of the Sirdar in claiming "no-credit' for himself, assigning .it. all to his comrades and;.;li,is soldiers. -"•'..' ■•!■•"."■

By.-.the aid of such 'brave warriors as. these,, a ne/sr.fulfilment...had'.b_een. given. .to the an-cieiiforeclc-'.oY Jupiter Ammon 'declaring.that ail'/theJ.ancl. watered ...by, the.' Nile was Egypt, ami !}>'■'the--unanimous voice of England the work! h.tti once more realised that the "Valley of the' Nils was syhonymous with Egypt, and ought, n0t..t0., be; exposed' to the,incursions of-foreign:-niitione...;!..:.• ;:•:.!.', -■■'■'' ■ i '•'" Needless to say-,-, the.orator's task was not accomplished;, without ..considerable interrup--tion.'.'The lnossrgrown : "Read the funny parts' slo'v/er, sir! " was. heard again, and in addition ther-e were: .' .. . "The" sands of timr : are speeding! "NOW GIVE DR KITCHENER A CHANCE!" '■ }■'■■

and the appeal to -trie Sirdar: ■ "Why...(Jon!t you tickle Sandys up. with those spurs? ■' . : '■.-..'. At the conclusion of the oration the 'Vioe^ Chancellor conferred'the honorary LL.D. de-gi-ee upon the- Sirdar, and'the students sang lustily " For he's a jolly good' fellow." The next-function was iii the debating hall of the Cambridge "Union Society.: the gaiierits of. which wore filled with " siveet girl, graduates " from Girton and Newnham. Here the Sirdar was elected aii honorary member of the .society, and in returning thanks said, among;, other.-things:; .-.. . . _.- " This very warm and enthusiastic welcome shows" "that soldierly spirit 'and enthusiastic, patriotism exist |n the' • geuera-tion that is up to hold the old country together. (Loud cheers.)- I oniy wish I had had some of you with -me in the Soudan."—(Tremendous chesring.) , - ■ . . This brought the public lunotions to a niose, and Lord Kitchener drove off to get a little v/cli-6arned i-enose at Christ's College, the members of which he met at an * At home" after'dinner. ' At night a. large --'pai'tj of students kinfiled on the market hill a huge bonfire, which •(Jieyfreple;oi&hfid-with all. sorts of _ things, mclud='hg garden fencsa. 'tradesmen's shutters,, and a bandstand; erected by the" corporation three years.ago.—London Daily.Mail.