Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1895-11-13
THREE COMMANDERS.
MEN WHO WOULD LEAD EUROPEAN
ARMIES IN CASE OF WAN.

ARMIES IN CASE OF WAN.
An Englishman Who Thinks It Would Bs
Profitable to Make . Technical Compar-
ison Between visceunt wellesley and .
Russian and French General.
do not know the new commander
in chief Of the English land forces. I
saw him once or twice in my life, but
this is many years ago, and in military
matters Of the magnitude involved in
the supreme command of a great army
am afraid should prove an incompe-
tent critic. But believe to a great ex-
tent in physiognopy, and if viscount
WOlseley be not a very clever man he
ought to bring an action for libel against
his face. for he looks decidedly clever.
II there were any doubt in my mind
about his ability, it would be set at rest
by the not very enthusiastic remarks in
connection with his appointment read
in one or two French newspapers. "You
are an irritable people, envious, Jealous
and proud to degree, said Bismarck
to General de Wimpffen Oh Sept. /,
1870. "You are an irritable people, en-
vious, jealous and proud to degree, +"
he repeated. lyon were under the i'm
preston that victory is an appendage
which was exclusively reserved to you. !"
Has the quarter Of century gone by
since those words were uttered made u
difference in that respect in the French
people: 1 should not like to say.
1t may not be altogether uninterest-
ing to look at the two men against
whom the English commander in chief
will be pitted if quarrel should ever
unhappily break forth in Europe. am
alluding to the commanders in chief of
the Russian and the French forces.
The Russian army contains several
men Of unquestionable capacity; never
theless, there appears to be consensus
of opinion that, i'll the event Of war,
with no matter whom, the supreme
command would virtually devolve upon
General Obroutcheff, to the exclusion
even Of General Kouropatkine. I say
virtual command, for, nominally, young
Nicholas would be at the head of his
legions.
Having declared myself at the outset
incapable Of Judging the English COM
lnander i'll chief from military point
OF view, am not going to stultify my
self by endeavOring to do this in the
case of Obroutcheff. only repeat what
I have heard. Until very recently the
chief of Vannowski's staff and Aid de-
camp General Obroutcheff was, in spite
Of his recognized talents, looked askance
at i'll Russian military circles. The
epithet "red' was invariably tackled to
his name as late as Is years ago, and
the third section Of the imperial chan
cellerie, without troubling to inquire
into the matter, placed him OH the list
Of dangerous men "to be watched
very closely" Anote like that from the
Russian police becomes practically
indelible, and, aid-de-camp general
though he was, not the slightest attempt
was made to efface his name from the
list. After his exploits on the Danube
Loris Melikcff drew the attention of
Alexander II to this apparently fragrant
injustice. to this permanent insult. The
name was maintained OH the list for
all that, but the epithet was changed
from "red" into "welzp ,eaning
Obroutchef has married. French
woman, and is Il declared partisan-or
supposed to be-of an alliance with
France. His views in that respect date
from 1870. when he was an obscure
general. / repeat, about his abilities
there is little or no doubt. After the
fret checks in the Turko Russian cam
paign he was sent in hot haste to the
| Danube. and he is credited with having
saved the Russian army from total de-
structiOn. Before that. though, he had
already become the intimate friend of
the heir to the throne, and the friend
ship underwent no diminution during
Alexander Ills reign.
| Wherever the scene of the next Eu-
ropean campaign of the French may be
laid, General Felix Gustave Saussier,
the present military governor of Paris,
IL beforehand designated as the leader.
Saussier is close upon 20. In spite of
his large size he is very active, but for
that size he would give one the idea of
a mousquetaire Of the Louis XIV period
dressed in modern uniform. There is no
doubt about his value as a soldier,
which does not always mean all equal
value as supreme commander, but it
is fair to state that in the battles around
Metz. quarter Of a century ago, he
distinguished himself most signally.
The famous infantry charge at st. Pri-
vat. which practically barred the prog
ress Of the Germans ON that side, was
led by him.
Saussier was one of the officers who
signed the protest against the surrender
OF Metz. Having refused to pledge him.
self not to serve again during the cam
paign, he was sent as prisoner OF war to
Cologne. Nor would he give his PROM
ise not to escape, consequently he was
transported TO small town ON the Wis
tula tGrandenz. believer, and abso-
lutely sequestrated-without effect, for
he made his escape after all
! He allowed Gambetta to remain is-
norsnt Of all this, as we'll as Of his re-
publican origin, and the great trib-