A STORY OF VON MOLTKE.
[TO THE EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR."]
SIR,—In the Spectator of July 22nd you refer to certain falls on the Godavery River, which you describe as being far larger and more magnificent than Niagara. Is there not some mistake here? I have been many years in Southern India, and have never heard of any such remarkable falls on
the Godavery. Your article on " War Correspondents " in the same issue reminds me of a story which might be some assistance to General Otis as a guide to the proper treatment of those unpleasant necessities. A friend of mine is the son of a man who during the Franco-Prussian War was special correspondent with the German army for a big London daily newspaper. On one occasion Von Moltke sent for him and said: " Mr. —, on such and such a day the German army will perform such and such a movement. If that appears in the — [naming the paper], you will be shot." Of course, the news did not appear in the paper. This story was told me long ago, but I think my memory serves me right in attributing the remark to Von Moltke.—I am, Sir, &c., A. B.
[Sir William Hunter says :—" Below the junction of the Godavery with the Saburi the channel begins to contract, the flanking hills close in on either side until the precipitous gorge is reached, only two hundred yards wide, through which the entire volume of water is poured upon the alluvial plain of the delta, sixty miles from the sea."—En. Spectator.]
Previous page
