NEWS OF THE WEEK.
THE event of the week which has most occupied public attention has been the return of Lord Roberts, and rightly, for England never had a worthier soldier hero to honour. We want to make no foolish military comparisons with this or that commander of former ages, for generals can no more than poets be ranked in an exact order. It is enough to know that Lord Roberts has had tasks to perform as hard as ever fell to the lot of a soldier, and has executed them supremely well. Lord Roberts also has commanded the largest army of Englishmen that has ever taken the field. As to his personal qualities, we do not want to indulge in the language of tasteless adulation. We cannot refrain, however. from noting that his men, and the country as a whole, have found in him a sincerity of word and deed, a righteousness of intention, and a kindliness and courtesy, never failing, and yet never degenerating into weakness, of which the history of war and of great generals affords no parallel. Many great men have successfully repressed their egotism. Lord Roberts really seems to be without that infirmity of ruling minds. It remains to be said that Lord Roberts becomes an Earl with a special remainder securing descent in the female line, and a Knight of the Garter. It is said that Parliament will be asked to grant him £50,000. We trust that this is a mistake, and that the stun will be at the very least £100,000,—in our opinion, it should be more. There is nothing mean or pinchbeck in Lord Roberts, and there must be nothing mean or pinchbeck in his reward. True, Lord Roberts cannot really be paid or honoured in money, but that is no reason why the nation should not make its grant appropriate to, and in some way commensurate with, the services rendered.
