MARSHAL VON MOLTKE.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3904, 24 January 1884, Page 4

MARSHAL YON MOLTKE.

Field Marshal Count yon Moltke, who is in excellent health of body and mind, celebrated his eighty-fourth birthday on the 2 6th October. Ho is staying (says an English paper) at his estate at Kreisau, near Schweidnitz, in Silesia, and goes to visit his neighbour Count Bethusy, in order to avoid congratulations, which, in common with all kinds of pomp and pageants, he dislikes. Before the autumn mancevres, from the middle of August to the middle.of September, ho disappears every year from pnblic view, and even his friends and families do not know where he is. This time is devoted to travelling, and especially to mountain climbing, in which exorcise ho usually excels his young companions. Although ho has a substitute iv the Quartermaster-General, Count Waldersee, he likes .to deaido all important matters himself. Essays by officers of the general staff and opinions of the heads of the departments are constantly sent to him for criticism, and he writes on tho broad margins, in a small clear hand, observations remarkable not only for professional acuteness, but for beauty of style and precision of thought. Ho rises early, takes a walk inhis own grounds at Kreisau, or sometimes, when in Berlin, in the Thurgarten, and then works generally till tlic hour of his simple dinner. Ho seldom smokes after that meal, snuff being the form in which he, like Frederick the Great, enjoys tobacco. When he works lie always haK his snuilbox near him. In the afternoon he receives or pays visits. In the evening he likes to play whist with his nephew, Oaptuin Yon Moltke, and other friends. Evening during tho French war ho was accustomed to play whist when possible, and his adjutant, Colonel doCluer, had to provide" suitable players. The jffioors of the general utarf would report the news to him as he sat playing ; and when Mb turn came to go out of the game lie would follow the reported movements of the enemy on a map spread out in the next room, and plan with mathematical precision the required counter-movements. Thus, on the 25th August, 1870, the reports of MucMuhon's march to the Mouse found Field-Marshal yon Moltke at whist. Report after report made the enemy's intention clearer to him; and late in the evening he wont to the king and told him that the army inunt march—not to Paris, as had been intended, but to the Mouse. This important resolution, wo swiftly taken, led to the colossal victory of Sedan. Count yon Moltke is a widowor, and has no children. He was happily married for twentysix years to. a- lucly . whoso maiden name was Burt, who died in 1868. Being very wimple in his tastes he spends little on himself, but is over ready to help his relations.