MOLTKE THE COLD AND CALM.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7680, 15 April 1903, Page 2

MOLTKE THE COLD AND CALM.

MEMOIRS OF A FAMOUS GER-

MAN FIELD-MARSHAL.

"The Journals of Field-Marshal Count von Blumenthal for 1866 and 1870," recently published, give the memoirs of a very able and uprigit German soldier, who, ais Chief of the Staff to the Crown Prince of Prussia, played a great part in the two struggles which wen for Germany her unity.

Apart from its military interest, which is very great, the importance- of tbe volume lies in the light which it sheds upon the character of Bismarck and the Crown Prince. Blumenthal had an English wife, and for that reason was an object of suspicion to Bismarck, who disliked the Crown Prince in the samft degree and for the same reason, pretending that the."s ladies were influenced by the Queen of England, and that they brought -pro fine to bear upon' their husbands to prevent the bombardment of Paris. The real truth wa». that the German generals knew a bombardment would produce little or no effect. But years afterwards Bismarck used this slander to embitter the life of the Empress Frederick, and even at the time he inserted cruel articles against her in the Berlin Press.

To Blumentiial Bismarck recounted tiis grievances at this date: — ■

"He complained bitterly of tbe treatment he was receiving at the bands of the King (of Prussia) and Moltke, who had left Inn. for some time without any information regarding the course of events ; m fact, they had both been quite discourteous, even,rude, to him. /

" One sign will show how excited le was. Among other things, he raid to me that he entered the war as a Royalist, but fhat he came out of it far from being so. After the war was over he would.no longer remain Minister." . /""

In the earlier period of the -war aill did not go quite perfectly on the German side. The King "cbmplained bitterly that the officers of the higher grades appeared to have forgotten all that had been taught them so carefully at manoeuvres, and had apparently aill lost their heads. Among these great soldiers Moltke stands out a figure of colossal greatness, 'cold an? calm and not troubled. with cares,' even on the day after the frig-htful struggle of Gravelotte. On tlie day before Sedan he came in rubbing his hands with a sardonic smile on his face, and said* 'Now We have them in a mous- : t.a.p ' "

Blum-enthal watched that "great- tragedy from the hill above Donehery, and saw the ring of fire and smoke close in remorselessly Upon the last large French army and upon the last Napoleon.