THE GAZETTE, JULY 29, 1902. 4835

War Office, those who have been mentioned. This, however, 29th July, 1902. is the fortune of war, and will, I am sure, be well understood by the Army I have been so - The following Despatch has been received proud to command. from Lord Kitchener, G.C.B., &c., Coramanding- In the first place, I wish to convey to his * in-Chief, South Africa :— Excellency the High Commissioner my cordial : From Lord Kitchener to the Secretary of State thanks for the past, and my best wishes for the i for War. future. In the many difficult situations in which. , I have had to co-operate with Lord Milner, it; - Cape Town, has been the greatest relief to me to feel that I o r SIR, 23rd , 1902. could always rely upon his unfailing sympathy 1. have the honour to submit a final despatch and ungrudging assistance. ' which covers the period between the signature I find it difficult in the short space at my dis- "* of the terms of peace at Pretoria and my depar- posal to acknowledge the deep obligation of the ture from Cape Town. In this I have endeav- Army in South Africa to the Governments of '. oured to acknowledge some small portion of the , New Zealand, , Cape , • kind assistance or loyal service rendered me by and Natal. I will only say here that no" request-., civilians and soldiers during my command in of mine was ever refused by any of these Govern- South Africa. ments, and that their consideration and generositj' - 2. In my last despatch, dated 1st June, I had were only equalled by .the character and quality the pleasure of reporting the conclusion of peace. of the troops they sent to South Africa, or raised Directly the terms were signed I appointed tho in that country. • • '*• " • following three Peace Commissioners to receive I am greatly indebted to Admiral Moore, the ;' the surrenders in the territories of the new Commander of His Majesty's Naval Forces in ^ :— South African waters, for the kind manner in • General Bruce Hamilton, for the Eastern which he has always endeavoured to meet the Transvaal. requirements of the Army in the "field. General W.' Kitchener, for the Western Trafis- vaal. I have already, in a farewell order, expressed . to Major-General Baden- Powell my deep appre- General Elliot, for the . ciation of the services rendered by the South I also directed General French to make the African Constabulary, but Lam glad to have this ' necessary arrangements for the same purpose in oppoftunity to again testify to the good work r the Cape Colony. rendered by this tine body of men. 3. The reports of General French and the Sir Kichard Solomon, K.C.M.G.., K.C., Legal three Peace Commissioners are herewith sub- Adviser, has been much more than a legal adviser , mitted, and it will, I think, be evident from their to me. His quickness and his ability, joined to '. perusal that the Boer leaders concerned played his intimate knowledge of South Africa and' its ' their part with loyalty and in a thoroughly people, have always been fully and loyally-placed straightforward manner, whilst the burghers and at my disposal. rebels on commando also accepted the situa- tion in a manly spirit which augurs well for the I beg to take this opportunity of acknowledging future of South Africa. So strongly did I feel with gratitude the obligations under which the this that I sent the following telegram to Gen- Army in South Africa has been placed by .the - erals Louis Botha, De la Re}r, and Christian de ungrudging assistance given me by Mr. T. R. • Wet:— Price, C.M.G., and the staff of the Cape Govern- '•'Now that the surrender of the arms in ment Railway, as well as by Sir David Hunter, . the hands of the burghers in the Transvaal K.C.M.G., and the staff of the Natal Government and Orange River Colony has been com- Railway. pleted, I desire to place on record my Major-General (local Lieutenant-General) Sir I. . high appreciation of the unflagging energy S. M. Hamilton, K.C.B., D.S.O. At much personal and unfailing ta'ct with which you have inconvenience, Lord Roberts lent me his Military . facilitated the work of my Commissioners. I Secretary, Sir Ian Hamilton, as my Chief of Staff. . recognize hew much it is due to your exertions His high soldierly qualities are already well that the burghers have displayed everywhere known, and h'is reputation does not require to be such a loyal spirit in accepting the change of established -now. I am much indebted to him Government that has taken place, and I can in- for his able and constant support .to me .as Chief form you that the manner in which the burghers of Staff, also for the marked skill and self-reliance have come in has greatly pleased His Majesty he showed later, when directing operations in the the King, and deeply impressed the British peo- Western Transvaal. ple, who are heartily anxious to welcome them as fellow citizens. I feel confident that a new era Brevet Colonel H. I. W. Hamilton, A.D.C., of complete reconciliation between all races has D.S.O., Military Secretary, has displayed most now dawned in South Africa." untiring zeal in the performance of his duties. His reliability, accuracj', and unfailing attention The total numbers of the surrenders of armed to business are deserving of my special..recog- \ burghers in the Transvaal were 11,166, in the nition. Orange River Colony 6,455, and in the Cape : Colony 3,635. Total, 21,256. Brevet Lieutenant-Colonel W. N.. Congreve, V.C., Rifle Brigade, has been my private secre- • 4. I well understand that the accompanying tary since I took over the chief command; during - list, which is in continuation of the other lists that period he has dealt with many troublesome submitted periodically by me, of Departmental, matters to my complete satisfaction. Staff, and Regimental Officers, who have in my opinion rendered exceptionally good service __jor-General W. P. Kelly, K.C.B., has an during the campaign, is incomplete, and that, unrivalled knowledge of regulation and precedent, notwithstanding all my care, there must n^ces- whereby his advice has been of great value to sarily be a proportion of officers omitted, who me in a time when my mind was perforce occu- have rendered equal, or even better, service than pied with important operations. A 2