The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-08-16
d BI II u A X Y.
Marshal Neil.


Adoph Neil, Marshal of France and Minister Of
War, died on Saturday. He was born at Muret, in
the department of the Haute-Garonne, the 4th OF
October 1902, was admitted to the POyteChnque in
1921 and entered the EGOe dApplicatiOn of Metz in
1928. He obtained his commission as lieutenant of
engineers in 1921 and became a captain in the corps
in 1881 In the year 1892 he sailed for Algeria where
he served actively and with distinction, being spe-
ciay congratulated by the then Minister of War for
his conduct at the capture of Constantine. He was
also rewarded by promotion to command as chefde
battalion The young officer rose rapidly, being lieu
tenant colonel in 1872 colonel in 1916, and chief of
the stan engineers attached to the expedition to
Rome in 1S49 Here he attracted notice from the
Pope, and being hOnored by Napoleon with the COM
mission of general ofsbrgade was despatched in the
duty of carrying the keys Of the city to his Holiness
at Gaeta. Returning to France, he placed
in direction of the Department of Engl-
neers under the Minister OF War; and
here earned the rank OF general of DIVISION which
he was promoted April 80, 1858. In 1854 he marched
with an eXpeditiOnary corps to the Baltic, taking
command Of the engineers at the siege of BOmar-
sund. He was appointed an ad-de-camp to NapO-
leon his return. In January, 1855, General Neil
went to the Crimea, charged to investigate the con-
dition OF the imperial army and report on the pro-
gress OF the siege In this he decided that complete
investment OF SebastOpol was necessary and that its
vulnerable point was the MalakOh. He was right,
and proved it, few days after the fall of the Rus
sian stronghold he received the Grand Cross of the
Legion of Honor. He was created a Senator of
France, June Z, 1851. In 1855 he went to Italy to
demand from Victor Emanuel the hand OF the Prn-
cess ClOtde in marriage for Prince Napoleon.
During the war in Italy, in 1859, he commanded the
Fourth corps of the Army of the Alps, and was par
cularly distinguished at SolferinO After the peace
he was created Marshal OF France. He was an
eminent debater in the Senate Marshal Neil wrote
a history of the siege of Sebastopo
In 1861 he was appointed Minister OF War, to which
position he was reconhrmed just previous to his
death. His administration of his ONCE was charac-
terzed by his usual vigor and energy, and at the
time of the contest between Austria and Prussia he
set to work to raise the standard of efficiency in the
French army and in a very short time he made it
superior to that of any force in Europe. He was
devoted adherent of the Emperor, and one OF the
men upon whom Napoleon most implicitly relied to
sustain him in case of difficulty. He was bitterly
hostile to Prussian ascendancy in Europe, and was
anxious to bring about contest for the superiority
between that country and France. He however ac-
quiesced in the EmperOrs decision against war,
and devoted himself to the task OF keeping the
French army up to the highest state Of efficiency
lie was considered as of the most able officers
in the service of the Emperor and he is almost the
last OF those who assisted Napoleon III to overthrow
the republic and re-estabsh the empire. For some
time past he was seriously i'll, and his death was
hourly expected. The same cable despatch that an
nounces his decease states that the Emperor was
much affected by the event: that he obliged TO
hastily leave the ChalOns bamp while the military
! 1eeS were in progress. Like Marshal Mcmahon,
| Marshal Neil was Of Irish extraction.