We take this occasion to thank the Field Marshal, Lord Roberts, for the trust he reposed in us, and to express the hope that we did not disappoint him.
We also wish to thank those who have assisted us, both among our fellow correspondents and the talented men of the army. Poets we find the latter to be, for the most part. We hope all these will continue to give the helpful right hand to the enterprise under its new managers.
And so we say "adieu" to The Friend, and good luck to its new conductors.
OUR PORTRAIT GALLERY
No. 4.
LIEUT.-GENERAL POLE-CAREW, C.B.
We feel that we owe an apology to our readers for presenting the portrait of one of our first fighting generals in civilian costume, but our artist left his colours at home and refused to paint at all unless with plain black. The artist in question is Captain Cecil Lowther, of the Scots Guards, and this is his first effort in art. For General Pole-Carew, the subject of this masterpiece, what is there to say except that his promotion has gratified the entire army and evoked the heartiest congratulations from The Friend?
THE WAR ARTIST OF TO-DAY
BY H. C. SHELLEY.
Editors, The Friend,—Sirs,—Can you inform me whether there has been a sudden exodus from Bloemfontein of war correspondents armed with cameras? There ought to have been, and yet I have inquired in vain whether such an event has taken place. For, look you, the judgment has gone forth from the pen of Mr. Wollen that the "war artist"—meaning the man with a pencil as opposed to the men with a camera—"will come out on top." Truly, this is most disheartening. No one likes to be thrust to a bottom position, and if that is to be the fate of the man with a camera, why should he any longer endure the hardships of campaigning and the sorrows of separation from the comforts and companionships of home?