AN AUSPICIOUS BIRTHDAY

Evening Post, Volume XC, Issue 110, 5 November 1915, Page 7

AN AUSPICIOUS BIRTHDAY

"Tranquille d'esprit" was the phrase used to mo in France of Sir John French, and in its context it was, perhaps, the just word, wrote a correspondent' of the London Daily Telegraph on 28th September last. At least it was intended to pay a serious compliment, for, the moment before, something of much the same meaning had just been applied to General Joffre by one of his greatest admirers. There is no exact translation. The danger is that it should be supposed merely to mean "tranquil." " Sturdy " is a better phrase. The best of all "in-t-erpreiations is that which underlies Drake's large comment at Plymouth in 1588: "Then, gentlemen, we have time to finish our game." There you have a touch of the real Sir John French. And again I caught ■ a true appreciation of him in the words of an Englishman in the trenches who said, with adjectives, that he was a slogger. Sir John French celebrates his sixtythird birthday to-day with something that is of far greater value to him than the pleasant congratulations of his friends. For ten months he has waited. In the long history of human war an eagerness to strike and the ability to wait have probably been the victorious factors. But over all has been that elusive power to ,lead men which no self-control and no acquired experience, can give. In a large measure Sir John French has all three.

The South African War provided an opportunity for his personal dash, and at the same time proved his sage willingness to rely upon the tactical knowledge of his second-in-command, Sir Douglas Hnig. The combination was perfect, ami from those early days in which Sir John tantalised his opponents along the Colesberg position near Nbrval's Pont, his reputation was assured. To-day he celebrates his .birthday, and it is as good an occasion as any on which to remind those at home of the solid and continuous work which has built up out wall of defence in Belgium and in France, against which the Germans have flung away their best troops in useless^ attack. It is no small w.irt of the science of warfare to invite the enemy to waste his best troops in useless attack.

The Grand Duke Nicholas possesses this craft in an extraordinary degree; but it is not only on the Eastern front that this passive destruction of our opponents has been going on. For the last half-year the same, reientless inyit* tion has been offered by Sir John French along our English lines, and it has been foolishly accepted by the Germans, at a cost to them that will only be known after the end of the war. The Field-Marshal's work has been of an especially trying character. Month after month he has had to maintain 4 merely, defensive attitude, which is of till positions the most difficult. But the rr<en under him know his sturdy capacity in retreat, and as little by little the initiative came into our, hands, it was •inly the less informed nivjn who gnimbled at oui inaction. To-day his Ions; patience is justified, and there, will be not one among his countrymen who will not from his heart wish him many happy returns of a day that has risen "so auspiciously.