Born 1840; entered the army in 1857; conducted excavations in Palestine, 1867-70; Commissioner for delimiting Griqualand West, 1876-7; commanded the Diamond Fields Horse in the Kaffir war of 1877-8; served also in Griqualand, 1878; commanded an expedition into Arabia Petræa for the punishment of the murderers of Professor Palmer, 1882, and the Bechuanaland Expedition in 1884-5; Commissioner of Metropolitan Police, 1886-8; commanded Straits Settlements, 1889-94, and Thames District, 1895-8; appointed to the command of the Fifth Division of the South Africa Field Force, November 13, 1899.] [Sidenote: Change of Generals.] But even more important than these additions to the material strength of our forces in South Africa was the change in generals. Sir Redvers Buller himself is believed to have suggested to the Home Government after his Colenso defeat that it would be well to place Lord Roberts in supreme command, and this step was now taken by the Committee of Defence. If such advice were given, it was a fine, magnanimous and disinterested action to General Buller's credit, and one for which the nation may well honour him. As Lord Roberts' chief of the staff, the ablest and the greatest of our younger generals was selected, the Sirdar, Lord Kitchener of Khartoum. He was in the Sudan, but, when asked by telegraph whether he would take this anxious and difficult post under the new commander-in-chief, he replied, with alacrity: "Delighted to serve in any capacity under Lord Roberts." [Illustration: [_Photo by Art Repro. Co._ A BUGLER OF THE CITY OF LONDON IMPERIAL VOLUNTEERS.] [Illustration: [_Photo by Gregory._ A SERGEANT OF THE IMPERIAL YEOMANRY.] [Sidenote: Lord Roberts' military career.] [Sidenote: [DEC. 16-23, 1899.]