Page:Dictionary of National Biography, Second Supplement, volume 2.djvu/116

 linked battalions being welded into territorial regiments in spite of the duke's efforts to unlink them.

On 24 Nov. 1882 he was made personal aide-de-camp to Queen Victoria, to commemorate the campaign in Egypt; and on 26 Nov. 1887, when he had completed fifty years' service in the army, he was made commander-in-chief by patent. At the end of that year his functions were much enlarged, the whole business of supply being handed over to him. Cardwell had assigned it to a surveyor-general of the ordnance, who was meant to be an experienced soldier; but the office had become political, and the complaints about stores during the Nile campaign led to its abolition. Everything except finance now came under the control of the commander-in-chief, with the adjutant-general as his deputy. During the next few years much was done to fit the army for war: supply and transport were organised and barracks improved; but the secretary of state found that the military hierarchy hindered his personal consultation of experts.

In June 1888 a very strong commission was appointed, with Lord Hartington (afterwards duke of Devonshire) [q. v. Suppl. II] as chairman, to inquire into naval and military administration; and in May 1890 they recommended that the office of commander-in-chief should be abolished when the duke ceased to hold it, and that there should be a chief of the staff. Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman [q. v. Suppl. II], who became war minister in 1892, dissented from this recommendation; but he thought the powers of the commander-in-chief ought to be diminished, and the duke's retirement was a necessary preliminary. The call for this step grew louder, and in the spring of 1895 the duke consulted the Queen. Though 76 years of age, he felt himself physically and mentally fit for his office. The Queen replied, reluctantly, that he had better resign (, ii. 395), and on 31 October he issued his farewell order, handing over the command of the army to Lord Wolseley. To soften the blow, the Queen appointed him her chief personal aide-de-camp and colonel-in-chief to the forces, with the right of holding the parade on her birthday.

In announcing to the House of Commons the duke's approaching retirement, on the eve of his own fall (21 June) Campbell-Bannerman touched on his attractive personality, his industry and activity, his devotion to the interests of the army, and his familiarity with its traditions and requirements; but dwelt especially on his common sense and knowledge of the world, his respect for constitutional proprieties and for public opinion. The army was attached to him because of his fairness. He bore no ill-will to officers who differed from him, but could discuss points of difference with good temper (, ii. 272, seq.). Though in the training of the troops, as in other things, he was conservative, his thorough knowledge of close-order drill, and his outspoken, not to say emphatic, comments made him a formidable inspecting officer and kept up a high standard.

Devoted as the duke was to the army, it by no means absorbed all his energies. He undertook with alacrity the duties that fell to him as a member of the royal family, which were especially heavy after the death of the Prince Consort. For instance, in 1862 he was called upon to open the international exhibition, to entertain the foreign commissioners, and distribute the prizes. He was connected with a large number of charitable institutions, and took real interest in them; but two were pre-eminent—the London Hospital and Christ's Hospital—over both of which he presided for fifty years. He was elected president of Christ's Hospital on 23 March 1854, and was the first president who was not an alderman of the City. From that time onward he worked unsparingly for it, though latterly his efforts were mainly in opposition to the removal of the school to Horsham, ‘the most wanton thing that ever was undertaken’ (, ii. 322). He was in great request as a chairman at dinners and meetings for benevolent purposes, for though not eloquent he was fluent, and had the art of getting on good terms with his audience.

In private life he was the most affectionate of men. His mother lived long enough to send her blessing to ‘the best son that ever lived,’ while he was being entertained at the United Service Club to celebrate his military jubilee. She died on 6 April 1889, and within a year he had another heavy blow in the death of his wife. Disregarding the Royal Marriage Act, he had married morganatically on 8 Jan. 1840 Miss Louisa Fairbrother, an actress, then 24 years of age. She lived in Queen Street, Mayfair, as Mrs. Fitzgeorge till her death on 12 Jan. 1890. She was buried at Kensal Green, the duke being chief mourner.