New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-11-01

renius in such book, aud it was inevltaoie tna'
such a writer should use the higher knowle"ge
he procured of events and opinions OF headquai-
ters But the Marshal has contrived 10 give
this tone of authority 20 his book without III o''c
least realizing his selfefacement, and the result
is that he has not produced what oil the Wof'"
would have given much TO possess.
Marshal Won Moltles personal memories OF the
war are we regret to say, virtually excluded ana
suppressed Once or twice he ventures reference
TO himself. but it is only when he feels 1t duty
to confess that in this or the other movement ne
made mistake, but this Is no d0uDt an admiraoc
trait in him. and shows the sterling nature OF the
man: but il does not fill the place OF those
personal recollectons which it was hoped he wouid
nut on record In fact the impression conveyed
by the book is that it Is to all practical ihteh's
neither more nor less than a judicious and skilful
abridgment Of the official record; an aoridgmeh'
indeed of paramount value from the fact of its
authorship but not less impersonal on the whoiS
than the documents upon which 1t Is based ke-
garded purely as an authority on the Franco-Ger-
man war. it must occupy high place, for 1t puts
within the reach of the whole public most care
full and presumably exact chronicle I'm outline
merely however, of the entire course OF the con-
fict, from the German point OF view, ordo, The
A prominent characteristic Is its candor Inc
Marshal never for o moncnt seeks tc color tne
facts one way or the other. When the frehch
made point he gives them fT c ;Tsr f air
in the least notifying way. Nowhere is there
to be found in his pages the slightest trace Of
prejudice Whatever the readers own infora ,hot
Nlotke has been animated by one single mo,N 1,,
to tell the truth, and nothing but the truth. bIa
he is not called upon to tell everything; anu ne
does not do this There are many matters con
nected with the movements decided upon al neat
quarters which it would have seemed to him al.
most sacrilegious TO disclose; pne ilteIesuiIns
statement he volunteers, manly, that the poPuiil,
notion of n campaign fully prepared beforehand
in every detail is quite wrong. IL was, ne says,
merely the getting together and equipmeII Oh ;ne
and subsistence, that were so completely reauy IN
advance When the war has once begun, ample
margin was necessarily left to the generals COM
handing corps and divisions. A general policy was
adopted so soon as il became clear that the French
advance on the Rhine had failed. but crcnm-
stances alone could decide &c y what hes the s
was plenty Of elasticity in the movements OF me
army, and thus the responsibility oi the diercme
commanders was emphas1ea n tmr sa,ns ,
consequent upon too much interference from
possibly distant headquarters. ,,
This is interesting nut me sane cs aeoa na, ond
skirmishes Yet one is impressed by the ire
mendous fighting, the awful slaughter on DOM
and the memorable discipline and provision whch,
taking instant advantage of every slip OF the
enemy, forced the projected Invasion OF .ne
Rhine into the defence Of French soil, and alter
drawing the nc;s tight at Sedan, proceeded TO
the investment Of the capital, and while carry
ing that on bafficd every effort to relieve the
beleaguered city, from no matter what part OF the
country Had Marshal Moltke felt it possible 10
write his own personal recollectlons, however,, his
book would have been one of the most interesting
and valuable Of the time. Unfortunately, 1t Is
snch record, and we must therefore make the
best Of what has been given. that is to SAY, OF n
perfectly authentic, conscientious, frank and manly
man war. from the hand Of the man who, not
excepting Bismarck. knew more about it than
eny other living soul