NOTABLE PEOPLE

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XI, Issue 33, 19 August 1893, Page 104

NOTABLE PEOPLE

THE British public have long been sated with Mr Stead, his insupportable egotism and self-sufticency,

his overweening conceit, and his never-ending sensational charges against those in high places—scandal which usually ends in mares’ nests. If there were another lieview of Reviews, it is safe to say the present one would soon die a natural death, for the whole thing reeks of the goodness and greatness of Stead. But, unfortunately, the man

is without question the finest sub editor in the world, and can extract the interest of an article and gauge the public’s taste in literature in a manner truly marvellous. But none of Mr Stead’s ‘ fads ’ (always excepting the Maiden Tribute) have cost him more friends than his latest, the attack on Lord Frederick Roberts, whom he accuses on the testimony of a couple of travelling female lecturers of conniving at mutiny in the British army in India. Lord Roberts has, of course, denied the charge. Those who know ‘Bobs,’ as he is usually called, will take the denial as final, despite the frenzied ciies of Stead for an enquiry —an enquiry which, like that into the Mattei cure, would end in his utter discomfiture. He received his first commission as second lieutenant in the Bengal Artillery in 1851, and, after passing through the various other grades, was promoted to lieutenantgeneral in 1883. He served with distinction throughout the Indian Mutiny campaign, and received the Victoria Cross for personal bravery in the field in 1858. ‘ Lieutenant Roberts’ gallantry has on every occasion been most marked. On following up the retreating enemy on January 2nd, 1858, at Khodagnnge, he saw in the distance two sepoys going away with a standard. Lieutenant Roberts put spurs to his horse, and overtook them just as they were about to enter a village. They immediately turned round and presented their muskets at him, and one of the men pulled the trigger, but fortunately the cap snapped, and the standardbearer was cut down by the gallant yonng officer, and the standard taken possession of by him. He also, on the same day, cut down another sepoy who was standing at bay, with muskets and bayonet, keeping off a sowar. Lieutenant Roberts rode to the assistance of the horseman, and rushing at the sepoy, with one blow of his sword cut him across the face, killing him on the spot.’ Throughout the Abyssinian campaign of 1868 he held the office of Assistant - Quartermaster - General ; he superintended the re-embarkation of the whole army, and was selected by Sir Robert Napier as the bearer of his final despatches. He also acted as Assistant Quartermaster-General with the Cachar column in the Looshai Expeditionary Force (1871-72). At the beginning of the Afghan campaign he was appointed Commander of the Kuram Field Force, and subsequently he had the chief command of the army in Afghanistan, where he achieved the most brilliant triumphs. After the massacre of our embassy. Sir Frederick Roberts re-occupied Cabul at the close of 1879. Towards the end of July, 1880, a terrible defeat was inflicted by the troops of Ayoob Khan, at Maiwand, on General Burrows, the remnant of whose force with difficulty joined General Primrose’s garrison at Candahar. An attack on that city seemed imminent, but Ayoob hesitated, and lost his opportunity. Meanwhile, a bold resolution was taken at Cabul, Sir Fred Roberts gathering a force of over 9,000 picked men, marched to the relief of Candahar, allowing Abdurrahman Khan to occupy Cabul, and leaving to General Stewart the duty of leading back the rest of the British troops by the Khyber to the Punjab. Sir E’rederick Roberts, cut oft' from direct communication with his countrymen, disappeared, as it were, from human ken for three weeks, during which time the national anxiety was extreme. At last he emerged victorious from the trackless region between Cabul and Candahar. Immediately, he grappled with Ayoob Khan, and inflicted on that pretender a crushing defeat. On the return of Sir Frederick Roberts to England he was loaded with honours ; he was presented with the freedom of the city of London, received the thanks of Parliament, and was created a baronet. Tn February, 1881, he was appointed to succeed Sir George Colley in the command of the troops in Natal and the Transvaal, but peace was concluded with the Boers before his arrival in the colony. He was afterwards appointed a member of the Council of Madras, and commanded the troops in that Presidency from 1881-85, and since then has been Commander-in-Chief in India.