JOFFRE, MARSHAL OF FRANCE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 1678, 24 February 1917, Page 1

JOFFRE, MARSHAL OF FRANCE.

By the l appointment announced on December 20th, General Jol'lTe became (he 325th in the line of the famous “Marechaux de France.” Xo similar appointment has been made since IS7O, though the honour was offered after that, date to General C’han/.y, whose reply has become the accepted definition of the necessary qualification. “The high dignity of marochal,” he said, “should be reserved Tor a victorious general who has had the honour to command in a war of revenge.” The post of marochal dates back to 1185, when the function of (he olficer holding it was to look after the horses of his prince. At the outset there was only one holder of the office, but the number gradually changed, and at the time of the Revolution there were 15 or,ld marshals. They were suppressed by the Convention of 1793, but re-estab-lished by Napoleon in 1804, when, to be awarded the title, it was necessary to have won two pitched battles or to have captured two fortresses. The title was then Marechal de I'Empire, but this was changed by the Restoration to that of Alarechal de France. In 1893 the statutory number of marshals was six, with (he possibility of their number being doubled in time of war, and this regulation is theoretically still in force. The appointment is for life. In a report addressed to President Poincare previous to the issue of the decree raising General Joffre to the Marshalate, General Lyautcy, Minister for War, said: —- “The dignity of Marshal of France, which is provided by law, and which the long period of peace has suspended, could not be belter revived than in favour of the general who twice, on (he Marne and the Yser, arrested victoriously the overwhelming march of the enemy armies at (lie moment when they thought they were attaining lh(‘ir object."