6 NOVEMBER 1909, Page 32

ITO THE EDITOR OP THE " STECTATOR."1

Siu,—The following is from Cooper King's "Story of the British Army" :—" Private Mope of the Buffs was, with some Indian troops, taken prisoner near Sinho, and led before the Tartar General. Here the prisoners were ordered to kow- tow, the usual salutation from the lower classes in China to the upper, and which consists of kneeling down and touching the ground several times with the forehead. The native soldiers obeyed. Private Moyse refused, and was at one* killed. The

story has been touchingly poetised by Sir F. H. Doyle, under the title of 'The Private of the Buffs ' :— ' Last night amongst his fellow roughs,

He jested, quaffed, and swore, A drunken private of the Buffs Who never looked before.

To-day, beneath the foeman's frown, He stands in Elgin's place Ambassador from Britain's crown, And type of all her rac3."

Surely there is room for this man in your list of heroes.—