B.P. COMES HOME.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7203, 14 September 1901, Page 4

B.P. COMES HOME.

TANNED BUT THIN. ! [From Ovr Cobbbspondenx.) LONDON, August 2. 8.-P. is the latest home-coming hero. Wben he set foot at Southampton, last Friday he looked tanned, but somewhat thin and drawn, which he attributed to sleeplessness and overwork, following influenza, rather iiiam, to malaria. Ab Southampton he received a civic welcome as he landed from the Saxon, in reply I to which h© declared that it was owing to doctor's orders that he was in England, when his work in South Africa was only two-thirdis finished, and ithaib as for Mafeking, he just had the luck to be 'the senior officer present. ; To the Pressmen who swarmed round him like wasps, 8.-P. saiijL that he had six months' leave of absence, and that, he wanted to get undfcr a tree and go to sleep. He didn't want any fuss tos.de over him. He prophesied the end of the war within three or four months. When ho arrived at Waking, the Fire Brigade drew his carriage to tne residence of his host, Captain Maclaren. On Saturday 13.-I*. paid a visit to iliis old school, Charterhouse, at tiodalming, and at their breaking-up concert bad a delirious reception, to Munich he responded by a humorous speech, in the course of which he suggested that the present which the Carthusians proposed to give him should be a challenge cup to be competed for at football by his new force, so that the public school tradition of playing 'the game "for your side might be perpetuated in South Africa." Festivitives threatened to accumulate, and so the doctors have ordered 8.-P. to lie low, far from the madding crowd, and 8.-P. the hero has intim id't«<t to the Mafeking 8.-P. that " owing to the effects of receptions on arrival and the present heavy correspondance, the doctor orders me away for complete rest and forbids letters following me." Seme amusement, by the way, was created in the Commons yesterday, by Mr Dillon's query whether 8.-P. sailed before he obtained leave, and Mr Chamberlains reply that 8.-P. appHed for leave on July 1 and sailed on July 5, and that Mr Chamberlain wired to Lord Kitchener on July 4 authorising the grant of leave.