Anyhow, the result of the expedition fully justified the choice of its commander. The Afridis acknowledged themselves to be thoroughly beaten; and Sir William Lockhart's tact in dealing with them after they had submitted has led to the re-establishment of friendly relations between them and ourselves on a firmer basis than before. What their present attitude is may be judged from the fact that Yar Mahomed, the head of the Malikdin Khels, recently petitioned the Government of India to be allowed to raise 1,500 tribesmen for service in South Africa.
On the conclusion of the Tirah campaign Sir William Lockhart took leave to England, and came out again as Commander-in-Chief in India in November, 1898. He died on the 18th of March, 1900. In him, as Lord Roberts has remarked in his Army Order of the 20th inst., "the soldiers in India have lost a friend, and the Indian Empire a trusted counsellor who cannot soon or easily be replaced."
The late Commander-in-Chief was one of the few remaining representatives of the Quartermaster-General's Department in India, and to the admirable training which that department afforded much of his success as a soldier must be ascribed. No better school of practical instruction in Staff duties could be desired. Among its pupils may be mentioned Lord Roberts himself, Sir Charles MacGregor, Sir Herbert Stewart, Sir William Lockhart, and Sir Alfred Gaselee. Now, alas! it has been abolished, or, at least, incorporated in the Adjutant-General's Department.
DEAR MR. EDITOR,--The following lines were written by me on board the mail steamer, about two young soldiers now serving with the army:--
'Twas on the deck, that around our ship, from the mast to the taffrail ran, I saw alone, in a chair (not their own), a tall young girl and a man. Her hair was light and fluffy and swarthy and dark was he, And I saw the coon, one afternoon, a-spooning that girl quite free.
So I spotted a Quartermaster bold as he went from the wheel to tea, And I asked that Jack, if upon that tack, the passengers went to sea. "Lord love yer honour, we often sees that, the stewards and the likes of us; There's always couples a-spooning there, but we never makes no fuss.
"If you look around, you'll see, I'll be bound, each day at a quarter to three, A tall young fellow with curly hair and a girl in black, quite young and fair, That's another couple," says he. "And every night, I assure you it's right, straight up on this deck they'll come And spoon around, till it's time to go down. One night 'twas a quarter to one."