s, congratulated many of the officers by name, spoke
of the opportunity they had been given of taking part in "a great and
important war and of maintaining the honour of the British flag," and
referred in pathetic terms to the death of Prince Christian Victor--who
had been through five campaigns and was under thirty-four years of age.

When the Composite Regiment of the Household Cavalry went to war in
November 1899 they had been inspected by the Heir Apparent. Upon their
return, December 3rd 1900, he paid them the same compliment, accompanied
by various members of the Royal family and leading officers of the Army.
He expressed pride at being Colonel-in-Chief of a corps which had so
greatly distinguished itself--in the distant past as well as the near
present. Following them came the Royal Canadian Regiment, commanded by
Colonel W. D. Otter. To them the Prince made a neat and patriotic
speech. "I am well aware of what you have gone through and the splendid
way in which you have served in South Africa and I deeply regret and
mourn with you the loss of so many brave men." Ever anxious, like the
Queen and her own husband, to promote the well-being of the soldiers and
sailors the Princess of Wales had acted since the beginning of the war
as President of the Soldiers and Sailors' Families Association and, on
December 31st, 1900, reported through the press that L500,000 had been
directly subscribed to their purposes, L190,000 given through the
Mansion House subscription, and L50,000 through a special Lord Mayor's
Fund. The whole of this sum had now been expended in caring for the
wives and families of those at the front and distributed through the
voluntary services of eleven hundred ladies and gentlemen throughout the
United Kingdom. At least L50,000 was still being expended monthly and
Her Royal Highness made and personally signed an earnest appeal for the
further funds required.

When Lord Roberts left to take command in South Africa, the Prince of
Wales personally saw him off at the station--accompanied by the Duke of
Connaught, who had been again praying the Military authorities to allow
him to go to the front in the new crisis which had arisen and who had
even obtained Lord Roberts' approval to his taking a place upon his
Staff. But the War Office would only say that with so many general
officers out of the country His Royal Highness could do better service
by remaining with the Army at home.

There were many reasons