New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-01-30
GEN. LAMONT IN COMMAND.
NEW COMMANDER IN CHIEF OF THE
FRENCH ARMY.
, TRIED VETERAN OF MANY WARS WITH Az EX-
TRAoRD1NARY GIFT OF MILITARY
STRATEGY AND ORGANIZATIONS.

Paris January 10
To-day not only the French Army nut the
entire lighting strength Of the nation. on lahd
as we'll as on sea is placed under the orders or
new Commander-in-Chief. As already an
nounced nv cable General Sausser who for
fourteen wears has occupied the position of
'Vice-President Of the Superior Council Of
War" besides being Military Governor Of Paris
completed yesterday his SEVENTEEN year OF age
tho extreme limit that can be legally accord
ed for retaining an officer on the active list OF
the army General Saussier during the last
fourteen years had combined two distinct ana
vitality important functions. The "Nioe-fresi-
dent az the Superior Council Of Wal Is the
modest and misleading title that republican
France confers upon the commander designated
in case OF war to assume absolute control of all
the French armies and fleets. and direct their
operations with the autocratic supremacy or
Car or Emperor. II we except Russia ana
the military rnonarchies ~ Germany. Austria
Hungary and Turkey there is no other country
but France where such vast power is concen-
trated in the hands Of any one man. and even
in those countries Just mentioned this supreme
command Is the prerogative Of the sovereign
onlv and as such IL theoretical rather than
practical
General Saussier. besides being Vice-President
Of the Superior Council-the President OF which
is the Minister Of War-was also Military Gov
ernor of Paris. and in this capacity had under
his immediate orders the thirty thousand troops
COMPOSING the garrison Of Paris. thereby hold
Ing the security Of the capital in his control
a fact that during the Boulanger fever IN
doubtedly saved the nation from military dc
tatorship. the only logical outcome Of which
would have been the outbreak Of 2 general
European war The vast reach ~ the COM
bined powers intrusted 10 General Saussier
has seldom been appreciated at It's true
value At the veteran generals own SUGGESTION
the Government has decided 90 divide this mill
tarv Inheritance between two most eminent gen
erals Consequently. General Edouard fernand
lamont is selected to succeed General saussier
As the Commander IN Chief in time Of war Of
The entire military and naval forces Of France
and General Emile Auguste Zurlinlen has been
appointed Military Governor Of Paris
General lamont the "generalissilEo' ~ the
French armies and fleets vas born at saint
Philibert- dc Grandeur, I'm the Department OF the
Lower Loire in Brittany, on July Il" ls3l He
e consequently in the sixty seventh year Of his
aza In 1872 n was graduated at tie Poly
technic School. and sub-lieutenant of arih-
lerv completed his professional studies al the
Artillery School of Application at Metz. Lieu
tenant lamont was shortly afterward attached
- CAPTAIN Lafaille's battery Of Horse Aruliery
If the Tnop4rjal Guard and accompanied his bat
terry TO the Crmea, where ne received his 'bap-
,isn, Of fire" at the brisk little engagement Of
Traktr During the battle If the Tohernaya
,bre. o,,t If .he four officers Of the battery We're
placed hors De combat. Captain Lafallle was
dangerously wounded in the chest. Lieutenant
iV a
genaran was wounded IN the ann, and Lieuten-
am lamont had his leg torn open by Russian
she'll Lieutenant lamont. for his bravery ana
coolress on This occasion. especially Ipr MS
sound Judgment when the command OF the bat
terry during a critical phase OF the acuon de-
,olved uuon him. received the Cross Of the Le-
eion 90 Honor. He was at this time only
twenty four years old. go
After the Crimean War he returned with his
hatterv 10 France and soon aftcrWard accom-
paniod IL to Italy and was present at most OF
N. IMPORTANT engagements during the cam,
paien of 1859 For his services at the pattl' "i
Magenta he was promoted to me Iank o. .r xxi
tain. ana was specially mentioned in the "ihciaI
disuatches Tn, following year he was sent 10
china. and the brilliant manner in which ne
handled his battery at the engasemeht near
paltIao contributed largely to the success or
The French commander. General de Montauuah'
af,crward created by the EMPEROR Napoleon
Cont. de Pankao. and opened the ROAD 10
PcRinE for the allied French and English forces
For MS services IN this campaign. whch eh'rd
i'm the CAPTURE If the Emperor of emma SUM
rner palace Of Muen-mcn-uen. captain Ja"'""
r...i[ci tho officers cross Of the Legion 'i
Honor Three years later H. returned TO frthcr'
and WAS soon afterN ard sent To Mexico W"'re
nc greatly distinguished himself. hsins '"I'e
riteq I'm the official dispatches, and was pro-
rnotoi - tn" rank ~ major
During the Franco-Cierman War Major lamont
,.l,s attached I, the artillery STAFF OF the Third
Army CORPS and took part IN the severe hghtIhg
about Met with the army Of Marshal Bazaine
H. was kept prisoner ia Germany during the
res of the war In 1876 he became colonel ana
i'm 1850 he attained the grade OF brgadler gen
cal In 1N~l after the French repulse At Lang
son ne was dispatched 70 Tonquin IN command
- m. artillery u the expcdiiiOnary force Dur
luz the Tonquin campaign he was naned gen
sraI az division Oeutcnant- general. and on
October "a 1S>1. he was appointed 10 the com
rnaud - the frs, division Of the army operating
IN that country against the Black fiags ana the
Clirega regulars. 4 few weeks later the com
r1ani Of ali the forces IN Tonqun was lntrusted
70 him. ara IN a brilliant series OF offensive OPP
1ratiors he captured Laokav. the enemy
.,r.,phold and the Black Flags and their
chinese allies were decisvely defeated ana
driven out Il the country. General lamont re-
NAMED in TOndun ard organized the deithcrS
a. the new French colony.
Tron his return 70 France he applied for the
command II an infantry division In order to be-
ON more familiar with that arm OF the service
L.. ,-ae auu-inied 10 The Twenty first Infantry
Di,iei0n az Nantes. and was soon atter"ard
placed AZ the head of the FIRST Army Corps, az
TIile where he gave proof OF such remarkanle
-maii,ias Of organization and conducted the
rr~end roanoeuvres with such marked skill that
N him was intrusted the command OF the "a
~ - cixth Army Corps. which has twice the
.trength ~ any other French army corps and
oocnries the territory Immediately ADJOINING the
German frontier During the grend inanHu'Fes
49, tock Mace fn the Noszes In the autumn OF
ioG- General lamont greatly distinguished MIN
self bv his kahle strategic dispositions aho
,bs unoxpected swftness and precision OF his
,ac,ical onerai!ons From that date General
lamont was considered In military circles 70 be
the foremost strategist In the french Army