GENERAL JOFFRE—HEAD OF THE FRENCH ARMY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 89, 10 September 1914, Page 7

GENERAL JOFFRE—HEAD OF THE FRENCH ARMY.

<i. Ward Price, Paris correspondent of the Daily Mail, give,* an il'tuniinating pun-sketch of dcn«'raJ Joll're, the head of the iVench army, "iie has a good head for a watch-dog; calm, yet always ready to bite.' Ttiis description, he says, of General .lull're, Chief ol tho French tPenoral Stall', fiprnislioti in lew words an height in'n 'his cih;uv;.'ier which is Of groat acv'ltrsU'V. f'oir the onerous task of comiiiA7iding lim - vapt army in peace, and for the still greater burden tluit would.! fall on the leader, to whom tho whole stU'tey of the matron would be entrusted in time of war, France needs a strong man. And no one doubts titat in General' Joll're she lias a-man of the right ytaMip. He is sturdy and thick-set in figure. He wears a 'heavy white, soldierly moustache, under which gleam sttoig teeth that Hash: when he ta'l'ke, as il to strengthen his resemblance to a watchdog. Jus nose is short an:l tliiek an docavy. He has a habit of .sharpening the glance of his eyes, always clear and calm, and by contracting them and peering grimly "from under" his heavy eyebrows. In spite <>i hCs stoutness, he never look* anything hut a soldier, even in mufti, though there is a joke against him in the French, army that he has been st> much in uniform all his life that lie ha* never mastered the mysteries of civilian dr<>ss to learn to keep his tie frown climbing up liis collar at tho back.

General Jofrte was born in 18ii2 in | the l*yn;nees, and he saw active service as early as any F-enoh .officer now living, For while lie was stall a cadet of eighteen, tto FrantiO-GeMiian War broke out, and his -military studies wero intdrrupted at once. .Hastily promoted second iku tenant, yo:tng Jtetfre attached to a regiment of artillery, and. took part) iji '■% defence of Fains iihifi siege. it was a-3 a sapper, however, that, hi epenit tllie greater part of hisi career. !In the Tonkin campaign ,in the Far East, he built forts under the direct lire of Chinese troops. Then he was stationed in French Jndo-Utrna, and fought a campaign there. Finally, he saw active service round Timibuct'o, before, returning to a command in Boris. General Joll're was appointed Generalis.sanio of the Frenoh aamy after a Government crisis which ccht one Cabinet its political life. Until' he was appointed, in July, 1911, there Iliad 'been for irony yea,rs mo commund'or-m-chicf ot the French army. The ilonie Oabiriot was attacked for overlooking, this important detail of national defence. General Goiran, the War Minister, explained that it was thought not wise to decide on a Generalissimo before the actual outbreak of war. The:admission led to the fall of the Cabinet, M. Caillaiix succeeded to power, with his War >AlwUter, M. Mossiniy, pledged to fill the gap. It was then tihat, General Jotl're whs chosen.