Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1877-06-09

to younger hands, in aspeech whicl
he made before he sailed for Gibral
tar. Besides, none of ofthese-and ther,
is no other general that could b,
thought of-has followed the marci
of modern military science. Lore
/ Napier even is still a believer in the
tactics that won Waterloo. None
of these men has a following
in the young party of progress in the
army. When we pass to the next
grade-the lieutenant-generals-we
dO find some younger men; but not
one to whom the nation would look
with thorough confidence, not one
whom the British people knows and
trusts. The names which have been
spoken Of are of those of Sir Thomas
Steele, Sir Alfred Horsford, Sir
/ Charles Ellice, and Sir LintOrn Sim
mons.
But what does the country know
of them? Sir Thomas Steele was
military secretary to Lord Raglan
and General Simpson. He never
commanded troops in action, and
has seen no service since the Crimea.
Sir Alfred has seen much more SER
! self scarelv seek. an active cu1i1-
mand; while Sir Charles EIlice has
seen scarcely any active service.
| There remains Sir LintOrn Sim
mOrs, whom the newspapers have
been writing up as the future COM
mander; but Sir LintOrn Simmons
has never commanded a hundred
British troops in action. The only
active service he has seen was with
the Turkish army; and with the
single exception Of the Crimean
War, his life has been passed in civ
IL duties. In turn professor at the
cadet college, an official of the rail-
way department of the Board of
Trade, a cOnsul-general in Russia,
cOmmandant of a school lofengineer-
ing, governor of a cadet college, in
nSpectOr-generalO of Notifications, he
has been altogether removed from
commanding soldiers and we can
scarcely believe that the Cabinet
would make the experiment of in
trusting him with the command of
army, however able and vigorous he
may be in body and in mind.
Two names among the majOr-gen-
erals have been mentioned. The
first is that of General Lysons. He
is an active and an able mana
thorough gsOldier; and he did good
service in the Canadian rebellion
and the Crimea, since which he has
nOtseen any service before an enemy.
Butif once it is permitted to descend
to the majOr-generals for COM
mander, Sir Garnet WOlseley's name
stands out so prominently above all
Others, both from his experience of
war, his remarkable talents, and the
popularity which he enjoys in the
country at large, that he must in
falliably be chosen. There is no
man in the whole army who would
so thoroughly command the con-
fidence of the soldiers of modern
ideas, or who would be so acceptable
to the country at large. He has
seen more campaigns than any other
officer in the army, and on two Oc-
caSiOnS has commanded most diff
cult expeditions with signal sue
cess.
All those who have come directly
in contact with him swear by him,
and would follow him blindfOld to
thedeath. But he has cloven his way
through his contemporaries by his
energy and skill, and professional
jealousy is aroused against him. 1t
remains to be seen whether the Cab
met, if it should have to undertake
this greatand solemn task, will have
the courage to put aside the law of
seniority in order to choose the most
competent man. If the selection
were left to the Horse Guards, no
body under seventy would have
Sir silclrse Garnet M tt WnlseIaT CIV wboDY ! ON we
judge to be just theage that Welling-
ton was at Salamanca, would of
course be out of the question; but as
q suggestion for the Cabinet, we
would remark that the average of
Wellington's generals in the PENN
sula was only trifie over forty.
There is a custom in Germany
and they fight well thereof giving |
the command of the national armies |
to the princes of the blood royal, |
with the most able soldiers of the |
day at their right hand. The pres
ence of the prince animates the 10y
al breasts of the troops, and in his |
name orders are issued, but the con-
duct of the campaign rests with the +
general who is chief of the staff.
Thus Blumenthal acted with the
Crown Prince of Prussia. The
Duke of Cambridge is not to be |
thought of; his health makes his
going on active service out of the |
question. The Duke of COnnaught |
is but colonel of a few years SER
vice; but we have a field marshal
who has shown, not merely in the
hunting-feld, but in the most ardu-
Gus and severe work in India, mar |
vellous powers of endurance-a
Prince whom thenatiOn adOres; and |
the heart of the British people would |
throb with one huge beat of Joy if it |
knew that, if we must go to war,
the Prince of Vale would take COM
mand of the army, with WOlseley
as chief of the staff.