Longevity Of Celebrities

Moltke dirl not quite reach the years of Wrangel, wlio Aied in 1877 at the age of over 93, nor did he quite cqual Emperor William L, who lacked but thirteen davs of completinghis ninety-flrstyear. Two years ago the St. James Gazette, notinp that "the majority of Prussian field-marshals have been old men," found plenty of ex ampies also of aged English soldiers of celebrity, present and past, including Sir Patrick Grant, who at that time was about 85 years old, with seventy years' service; Lord Napier, then 79; Wellington, who died at 83, aft er sixty-flvo years of service; Lord Gough, who lived to 90, with seventy-five years of service; Sir John Burgoyne, who entered the army at 16 and reached the age of 89. Of the French veterans it cited McMahon, at that time 81 years old; Canrobert, at that time 80; Soult, who died at 82, af ter sixty-six years of service; Grouchy, who died at 81, and so on. To these examples may be added that of the longest-lived of our more distinguished revolutionary soldiers, Stark, who died at the age of nearly 94. Admiral Wallis of the British navy celebrated recently his hundredth birthday. But of course the Interest on this point in Moltke's career is, says the New York Sun, that the great work of his life was done after he had reached the age of 66; and, indeed, until 60 he was little known outside oí Prussia. His supreme achievements were efïected at the age of 70 and 71; but no one ever questioncd that he was in his full vigor as a strategist at 80, or that Gerniany's chief reliance would have been on him, for planning and directing her campaigns, up to a very few years ago. Indeed he gave evidence of his ability until his resignation of his office of chief of the general staíl in August, 1888, to do its routine work, in supervisión and criticism, with hia wonted vigor and precisión.