LORD KITCHENER'S TOUR

Otago Witness, Issue 2913, 12 January 1910, Page 27

LORD KITCHENER'S TOUR

BANQUET IN SYDNEY

HARBOUR DEFENCES

HIGH PRAISE FOR NEW SOUTH

WALES TROOPS

INSPECTION OF HARBOUR Dli

FENCES

SEARCHLIGHTS FAIL TO WORK

BRISBANE. January 4, During yesterday's operations the infantry covered 20 miles, and the light ; horse 40 miles. The troops took great interest in their work, and finished lit and , well. The operations, whether Lord Kitchener was aware of the fact or not, I were not over country that the forces , were well acquainted with. ! The Field-mar?hal returned to Brisbane during the afternoon, inspected the • cadets, and again hurried out to Lytton. 'i He was keenly observant cf the finishing | stages in the day's work. ] In the evening he was entertained by I the Government at dinner in Parliament

House. i In the course of a speech he praised the J work of the Queensland troops in the Boer ■ war. They did honour to themselves, ', credit to the State, and had rendered valuable assistance to Empire and to their comrades of the regular army. He ex- ' presoed his admiration of the general pros- ; perity and development of Queensland. | Lord Kitchener has departed for the south.

SYDNEY, January 5. Over 7000 troops will participate in Lord Kitchener's camp.

Lord Kitchener arrives here to-day

! Crowds assembled at the railway sta- ' tion and watched Lord Kitchener's train

pass. The Mayor of the city welcomed Lord Kitchener at Newcastle, where he in-

spected the defences. ' A big gathering, including the Admiral, the military heads, the Minister of Defence, and members of the Federal and State Parliaments, welcomed Lord Kitchener on his arrival at Sydney. He quietly acknowledged the ostentatious greetings. He was entertained at a civic banquet in the Town Hall to-night.

January 6

The Town Hall banquet to Lord Kitchener was a brilliant function. The principal speakers wane the Minister of Defence (Mr Cook) a;nd Sir G. H. Reid. The former said that the object of Lord Kitchener's visit was to formulate a scheme of defence to enable them to hold the Australian continent' for themselves and for the Empire. He paid a compliment to Lord Kitchener's diplomacy, which had been as successful in preventing war as it had been in his undertaking of the defence of the Empire. Lord Kitchener, in the course of a brief reply, said be had been struck with their magnificent harbour and its value as a naval base. In time of war they must rely on the navy in the first instance to frustrate the designs of an enemy on isolated portions of their territory, and to keep open the communications with other parts of the world. Whatever changes might occur Sydney would always remain a naval base of the first importance. But it was essential that it must be rendered safe from attack, and complete security was only obtainable by efficient, fixed defences, supported by a mobile and an efficient land force. It was entirely fortunate that the natural features of the country around Sydney would greatly facilitate the steps that would have to be taken for the effective defence of the harbour. To-day Lord Kitchener visited the Liverpool camp, where nearly 5000 men of the various arms are under canvas. He spent the day on horseback, making a comprehensive inspection of the troops and watching the manoeuvres of the attacking and' defending columns. Lord Kitchener expects to finish his tour of New Zealand in March, and will then proceeed, via Honolulu, to Tahiti. While at Newcastle Lord Kitchener informed the Consul for Chili that he would like to visit that country, and see the Trans-Andine railway. He wished to know if the Chilian Government would send a warship to Tahiti to meet him. The Consul undertook to ascertain if the request could be complied with. January 7.

Lord Kitchener upset the preparations that had been made for the elaborate manoeuvres at Liverpool to-day, issuing new orders at 2 o'clock this morning.

The operations at the Liverpool camp to-day were a repetition of the methods adopted by Lord Kitchener in Queensland. After the previous day's orders had been cancelled the troops were turned out at 2 o'clock this mornning, and they

[ spent the day in tactical manoeuvring, \ which was keenly watched by Lord I Kitchener. i There was a sensational accident in ! camp at the close of yesterday's operations. A Colt gun, when being cleared, discharged a bullet, which, passing

through a tent, killed a horse, and then struck Mr Soanerville, of the Daily Tele- [ graph, who was standing 100 yards away,

on the leg, and Inflicted a bad flesh wound. Bo was removed to the hospita'. January 9. Lord Kitchener .spent a busy day yesterday, lie inspected the Veterans and Cadets in Government House grounds, the fortress troop camps, and the middle and south camps, where operations in connec-

tion with a combined sea and land attack on Sydney were proceeding. In the evening he was the guest of the State at a banquet in Parliament House. There was a large and brilliant gathering, and Lord Kitchener met with an enthusiastic reception. In replying to the toa-st of his health he r=aid that°dirring the two days he had spent in the Liverpool camp he had been much pleased and interested with the work performed by the citizen soldiers. Be was much struck by the keenness of all ranks in carrying out their duties. The strong desire expressed for an efficient force in this country was evidently felt as much by the troops as by the community at large, and considering the marked natural aptitude for military work and the training that most of the youngAustralians obtained during their bringing up, he could see no insurmountable obstacle in the way of the attainment of the result which they desired. They must, however, remember that a national force could be truly efficient only when the citizen soldiers,'besides being inspired with a spirit of patriotic loyalty, had a thorough knowledge of and devotion to the military profession. This was a vital condition, and demanded the exercise of considerable self-denial by all. The country, on its part, should support the defenders by showing pride in them, by insisting upon the abolition of all that savoured of sham and uselessnesis, by supplying them with the means to study thoroughly and ground themselves in military duties, and by the' provision of care-fully-considered necessities to ensure efficient equipment and training in readiness for war. He referred to the proof that New South Wales had given of her loyalty to the Motherland and her desire to support the Empire. There was not the slightest doubt that whenever the occasion arose they would see the New South Wales lads shoulder to shoulder with the Imperial troops, and there was not the sightest doubt of the warm welcome they would get from the British army.

January 10.

Lord Kitchener's inspection of the defences of Sydney included a trip round the harbour at night to see the working of the electric searchlights at various forts. He was accompanied by his staff and the heads of the Commonwealth forces. Lord Kitchener embarked on a steamer and made the trip, but for seme unexplained reason the lights failed to work. An inquiry will be held.

It is rumoured that when Lord Kitchener was inspecting the harbour defences he asked why there was no fort on North Head. He was informed that it would be so isolated from the rest of the defences that it could easily be cut off and' taken and its guns turned against Sydney. Lord Kitchener is said to have replied: " If the enemy could land and take a fort, it could do so if thesre were no fort, land guns, and turn them on Sydney." Lord Kitchener has departed for Lithgow, where he will inspect the site of the small arms factory. Be will then proceed, via Bathurst, to Melbourne. In saying farewell he expressed himself as highly pleased witli his visit. (From Ocr Own Correspondent.) MELBOURNE, January 5. Immense intercut is being evoked by the visit of* Lord Kitchener, who comes to the Commonwealth to advise the Australian and the Imperial Government on the question of defence. He arrived at Brisbane on New Year's Day, in H.M.S. Encounter, the cruiser having been sent to Port Darwin to bring him down. The Government yacht Lucinda, which was placed at the disposal of the Governor, Sir William Macgregor, went down the river to meet the cruiser. It had on board a, distinguished party, including Mr Joseph Cook, Minister of Defence. The distinguished 'isitor was tak-n off the Lucinda to a motor, and proceeded at once to the Town Hall, where he was welcomed by the Mayor. Lord Kitchener has a reputation for a distaste for speaking, and he is evidently determined to live up to it whilst amongst us. The Mayor made a welcoming speech, which was calculated to " draw" the visitor, but the brevity of his reply was so amusing that it is worth giving in cxtenso: —"Mr Mayor and gentleman," he said, " I am very much obliged to his Worship for the land words he has addressed to rne on my arrival in Brisbane, and I thank you all most sincerely for the reception you have given me here, and for the kind way in which you have drunk my health. I would ask you also to drink the health of his Worship the Mayor, who so worthily presides over the municipal affairs of this important city." At a State banquet yester-

day Sir William Macgregor descanted on' the great work of Lord Kitchener in the Soudan, South Africa, and India, but the visitor, in reply, .snid he wars sure they would not at that early stage expect anything from him on the main subject of lih visit, and he contented himself with som« very general remarks on the work of the men. that day in camp, and en the conduct of the Australian soldiers who served under him in the South African campaign. If, however, the pressmen who approached the distinguished soldier on the Lucinda could net get him to unbosom himself very freely, they had been able to give their readers personal impressions, and the public seems prepared to take a good deal of that. Much has been written of the man personally, but even that has in no way dulled the impression which the soldierly figure produced. His great stature makes him a commanding form. His staff are mostly tail men, but on the deck of the Lucinda Lord Kitchener's figure dwarfed the others. He is not so slender as when in Egypt —for he is now 59 years of age — but he has still a perfect soldierly erectness. His hair shows scarcely a tinge of grey, and whether in uniform or evening dress he is described as the most striking figure of whatever company he was in. The hard steely eye and the generally forbiddingmien which are supposed to be his charac-, teristics must have been dropped now that his role is one of peace, for his man-, ner is sa.id to be particularly attractive. The eyes are grey, but they are courteous and smiling- a* those of a diplomat. Ho is voted by Brisbane society the pleasaiitesfc of men, in spite of the abruptness of his Town Hall speech Girls ran serious risks on the pier to be near him when he came ashore, and their brief acquaintance with him during the few days he has been, there has caused them to wonder why a hero so gently smiling and so far from terrible has remained a bachelor.

Lord Kitchener will arrive in Sydney today, and will be in Melbourne next week! When he returns it will be to assume th< office of High Commissioner and Coraman/ der of the Mediterranean, with ters at Malta. The new command will in< valve the control of the regular troops a( Mediterranean stations and in Egypt. _ It. will probably extend to the whole of Africa, and may include the inspection of citizen troops in South Africa, Australia, and New Zeajand. (From Ottb Own Correspondent.) I' AUCKLAND, January The decision of Lord Kitchener to dis' pense with ceremonial parades of welcome, and inspect district troops during field manoeuvres, stated a prominent Volunteer officer to an Auckland interviewer, is certainly something new, and yet quite in keeping with the character of the man, who, on his appointment to the charge of the forces in South Africa during the late war cleared the hotels and clubs of Capetown, of' indolent officers, and drove them to the front. His idea of field inspection is eminently practical, and will give him a surer indication of ths value of colonial arms. Local officers have discussed the matter freely, and 1 there seems to be a certain amount of elation at the proposal to drop show foi l something of a more practical nature. The plan to be followed locally will, of course, be made known in general orders, but it is generally understood that the New Zealand military authorities are already in communication with Lord Kitchener, and that his approval of, or criticism and suggested amendment to, the scheme, will be cabled across. Tha advice of Lord Kitchener after he ha« viewed our corps at field work should b< of the greatest value. CHRISTCHURCH, January 10.

At a meeting of citizens to-day it wa! decided to cable to Lord Kitchener inquiring what he would -prefer in the way of entertainment while in, Chrktchurch—a garden party, banquet, or presentation o' an address.

GOVERNOR'S MOVEMENTS AFFECTED.

PALMERSTON N., January U

Owing to Lord Kitchener's arrival in the middle of February, Lord Plunket has been obliged to postpone his trip to th-8 West Coa.st of the South Island until March. Lord Kitchener is to arrive at Bluff on Felruary 17, and will be atr Wellington on February 24.