The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1895-10-17

MEN WHO WOULD LEAD EUROPEAN
ARMIES IN CASE OF WAR.

An Englishmsn Who Thinks 1t Would BE
Profitable to Make Technical Compar-
ison Between Viseount wolseIey and u
Russian and French General.
| do not know the new commander
in chief of the English land forces. |
saw him once or twice in my life, but
this is many years ago, and in military
matters of the magnitude involved III
the supreme command of a great army
| am afraid | should prove an incompe-
tent critic. But believe to u great ex-
tent in physiognomy, and if Yiscount
Wolseley be not very clever man he
ought to bring an action for libel against
his face, for he looks decidedly clever.
about his ability, it would be set at rest
by the not very enthusiastic remarks in
connection with his appointment l read
in one or two French newspapers. You
are an irritable people, envious, jealous
and proud to Il degree, said Bismarck
to General de Wmpffen on Sept. l.
1870. You are an irritable people, en-
vious, jealous and proud to a degree, "
be repeated. "You We're 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 We're uttered made a
difference in that respect in the French
people: l should not like TO say.
1t may not be altogether unintolest-
ing to look at the two men against
whom the English commander in chief
will be ptted if quarrel should ever
unhapply break forth i'll Europe. | am
allud'ne 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 a consensus
Of opinion that, in the event of War,
with 10 matter Whom the supreme
command would virtually dcyolye upon
General Obreutchetf, to the exclusion
even Of General kouroihtkine. | say
virtual command. for, nminally, young
Nicholas would be at the head of his
legious.
Having declared myself at the outset
incapable of Judging the English com
mander in chief tram Il military point
Of viea. | am not going In stultifY my
self bv eudeaY0rHg to do this in the
ease Of OmaHtchei1 l only repeat what
| have heard Until very recently the
chief Of NannoWski's staff and Abide
camp General Ohrautchelf was, In spite
of his recognized talents, looked askanee
at in Russian military circles. The
epthet red was invariably tackled to
his name as late as 10 years ago and
the third section Of the imperial chan
cellerle, without troubling to inquire
into the matter, placed him on the list
of dangerous men Ito be watched
very closely. A note like that from the
Russian police becomes practically
indelible, and, aidde-camp general
though he was, not the slightest attempt
was made to eiface his name from the
list. After his exploits ON the Danube
Loris Melikoff 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 well meaning.
Obroutchef has married a French
woman, and is a 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 OF no doubt. After the
first checks i'll the Turko Russian cam
paign he was sent i'll 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 HIS 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,
is 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
IA 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 an equal
value as supreme commander, but it
is fair to state that in the battles around
Metz, quarter of 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
Use not to escape, consequently he was
transported to a small town on the Wis
tula (Grandenz, | believe), and abso-
lutely uestrated-without effect, for
he made his escape after all
He allowed Gambetta to remain ig
norant of all this, as well as of his re
publican origin, and the great trib.
une, whose infallible instinct has
been vaunted SO much, only looked upon
Saussier as colonel Of the empire and
treated him as such. After that Saus-
sier went once more to Algeria. Saus-
sier, | should say, has had more fight
ing than any general in the French ar
nv hut il won Id he rash IN say that