[English] COLONEL BADEN-POWELL.

COLONEL BADEN-POWELL.

(By Ian M'Allan, in the London Daily Mail.)

For the moment the chief interest of the military situation in South Africa centres in the border garrison towns which are supposed to be threatened, beleaguered, and in imminent danger of disaster. The chief of these is Mafeking; and if we were to swallow too readily the adverse reports that freely circulate, we might imagine that that particular place of arms, if it deserves so proud a title, cannot hold out for ever. This, the pessimistic view, is supported by the credit given to the Boer leaders of a Napoleonic, heaven-born strategy that might, if successfully executed, reduce not only Mafeking, but Kimberley also, and jeopardise even the whole Cape Colony. It has been said, a little too confidently, let us hope, that the Boer game is to fortify the passes through the Drakensberg, and while White's considerable force is thus held in check by a fraction, to concentrate every other commando on the western frontier. A bold programme, hardly possible for a perfectly equipped, fully module army, and surely not with the military means of the Boers. Yet the fact remains that Mafeking is far from absolutely safe. We may have had good news these last two days, and more, let us pray, may shortly arrive, confirming our hopes that Baden-Powell can still hold his own, as he has done already, that he can not only repel attacks, but retaliate with successful sorties and counter-strokes. It all depends upon him, however. Mafeking is bound up with Baden-Powell, and not strangely the public will like to know what manner of man he is, and how far he may be expected to maintain the prestige of the British flag. What are his character, his reputation, and his record? What earnest has he given of his fitness for command, his powers to deal with a most momentous military crisis? A young man, with the light foxy hair and the naturally sanguine complexion (when not sun-browned, as it is in his case, by tropical and South African climates) that takes off years, he does not look his age, which is but a few months more than 42. He has the spare, sinewy frame that is deemed essential in a cavalry officer; he is barely above the middle height; he can hardly be called handsome; but he has a keen, bright face, which is pleasing if not finely featured. Strength of purpose is seen in his firm mouth, calm resolution in his pale, quiet eyes. While he can on occasion do and dare to the utmost, striking out with knock-down effect if he sees an advantage, he can wait for it, and this quality of patience, of unshaken self-reliance in arduous affairs, is just that on which we may place our hopes just now. Baden-Powell has himself given us an insight into his character in the words he once penned: "Don't flurry; patience gains the day." It was his motto when his value was first tested as a leader of local levies on the West Coast of Africa under Sir Francis Scott in the campaign against Prempeh, King of Ashanti. "Softly, softly, catches monkey" was the native saying he laughingly adopted then, and he buoyed himself up with the philosophical reflection, as he put it, that "a smile and a stick will carry you through any difficulty to the world." His influence was in consequence soon established over his followers, and he got more work than most of our officers who have led natives with "frames of iron and hearts of mice." He has much finer material to his hand in this his present peril, and if there were more men in Colonel Hore's command (a body of mounted infantry locally recruited, which forms the bulk of the Mafeking garrison) we might have little doubts of its successful resistance. They are one and all salted, tested, hard-bitten specimens of that great class of British adventurers so numerous on the South African frontier. If Baden-Powell has only had the foresight to prepare for the siege he must have long expected, as well as the patient constancy to withstand attack, we need have no very lively fears for the fate of Mafeking. The place will probably resist capture by sheer force. It may be more hardly tried by prolonged investment, and its commandant must be finally judged by the care he has shown in filling up his garrison with food and war material. As to the first, there cannot be much doubt, for the investment is not reported to be complete, and rations may still be gathered in. For powder and shot he must, however, depend upon his stock in hand; for the present his magazine cannot be replenished. A prudent soldier will hardly have neglected these first essentials in defence. Baden-Powell's most marked characteristic is probably his versatility. This has been shown in many lines besides soldiering; but even in his own profession he has had a varied experience. A Hussar and then a Heavy Dragoon (he is at this moment colonel of the 5th Dragon Guards, which forms part of the South African Army), a Staff officer of the social, ornamental kind, aide-de-camp and military secretary, an officer of the General Staff, and Sir Frederick Carrington's right-hand man as deputy-adjutant-general in the Matabele war, all these in the regular legitimate business; but also, as has been said, he was the organiser and leader of local levies on the West Coast of Africa. This is a fine record for a cavalry officer; but the day has long passed since the "plunger" was something of a featherbed soldier, except, of course, when brought face to face with his foe, and he now stands in the first rank with the most intelligent and highly-trained of his brethren in artillery, engineers, or line. Colonel Baden-Powell has many acomplishments based on natural gifts. He can wield the brush and pen as well as the sword. He is a first-rate artist, chiefly in black and white, but has no mean knowledge of colour, and he is ambidextrous: can draw with either hand - a rare power. His fluency as a writer of good, vigorous English is well known from his books, of which he has written several - technical, sporting, and professional. His notes on "Pig-sticking," his manual of cavalry instruction, and works on scouting and reconnaissance are both useful and interesting, while in the last Ashanti and Matabele campaigns he acted as war correspondent for an illustrated paper. Yet more, he is an amateur actor of the first order, and when there is no more serious work afoot has done much to enliven garrison life by his taking part in amateur theatricals. All who served with him at Malta will remember him as the life and soul of the place, a leader of the revels at the palace, and yet given to more serious pursuits, and especially in his researches into the ancient history of their knights. A good man all round, Baden-Powell has also lived so far under a lucky star, and that goes for much in the dread business in which he is engaged.

Source:

1. Page 6, "Hongkong Telegraph", 12th Day, 12th Month, Year 25 of Guang-xu

   • 12th Day, 12th Lunar Month, Ji-hai Year

   • Friday, 12th January, 1900 Common Era