Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 13.djvu/774

* MOLTING. 696 MOLUCCAS. die hislologiscluii y<jii'juiiyc hci der UHutung von Aslacus tluviulilis (Semi)cr's Arbeitin aus dcm soologischen Institut in Wiirzhiiiy, vol. ii., 1875), ■with the writings of Trouvelot, Riley, Newport, Bugnion, Goiiin, and Tower. MOLTKE. nuMt'kc. Helmuth Karl Bern- hard. Count von (ISOO-'Jl). A famous Prussian general. He was born at Tarchim, ilecklenburg- Sehwerin, October 20, 1800. In 1811 he was sent to the Jlilitary Academy at Copenhagen, and in 181!) became an officer in the Danish service, but in 1822 entered the Prussian Army as second lieutenant. From 1823 to 1820 he 'studied at the military college at Berlin. In 1832 he served on the general stall', anil was several times pro- moted, attaining the rank of captain in 183.i. In the same year he went to the Orient, and, with the sanction of the Prussian authorities, took a prominent part in the reorganization of the Turkish Army initiated by Mahmud II. In 1839 Moltke returned to Prussia. His promotion was fairly rapid: in IS.it! he was created major-gen- ei-al, and in 18.58 he became chief of the general stair. In 1859 he was appointed lieutenant-gen- eral. While on the general staff Jloltke con- tinued that remarkable development of the Prus- sian Army which had been Ix'gun by Scharnhorst in 1807. ' Stair schools were established, and Moltke, who was himself a lucid lecturer, succeeded in inspiring his officers with an en- thnsiastic interest in their work. A constant interchange of line and stall' duties kept the staff in touch with the actual discipline, drill, and handling of troops, and the business ad- ministration of each corps and division. More- over, plans for possible campaigns and topo- graphical surveys of neighboring countries were made in the minutest details. The first test of the system came in 1864, with the war of Prussia and Austria against Den- mark. The full revelation of the Prussian effi- ciency was brought about by the Seven Weeks' War' between Prussia and Austria in lSt!(i. Europe was surprised to see a campaign so rapid and successful directed, so to say, from the seat of government, for Moltke had not gone to the front nntil shortly before the end of the war. the great strategist received from his King, William 1.. the Order of the Black Eagle, and from the Prussian Parliament fifty thousand marks. The Franco-ticrman War of 1870-71 was the crowning triumph of Moltke's career. The war had been long expected, and the marvelous readiness of the Prussian Army was in striking contrast to the disorder existing in French mili- tary affairs. Jloltke ilid not himself enter France until the war had already been strategically de- cided, but it was his plan that ha<l been carried out with an astoinding certainty and precision. He was rewarilc<l in Sepd-nibir. 1871. by promo- tion to the rank of lieldinarshal ami a large grant of money: the title of Count bad Ix'cn conferred iipon him in 1870. Other European State.? also showered honors upon him. On Angnst 9, 1888, Moltke retired from active service, but Temaine<I cliairman of the National Defense Commission. He died April 24, 1891. In 1841 he ha<l married a stepdaughter of his sister. Marv von Burl, who died as early as 1808. ^loltke's writin;;s on military matters, which include vnbiiilile essays on Turkish affairs, have all been published in various editions, the best be- ing Oesammeltc Schriften und Denkioiirdigkcitcn (8 vols., Berlin, 1892). Some of his letters have been translated into English by Napier (London, 1878) ; and by Bell and Fischer, Letters of Moltke to His Mother and lirotlicrs (London, 1891). Consult, also: Militiirische }yerke Moltkes, edited by the general staff' (Berlin, 1892 et seq.) : Morris. liioiiruiiliicitl und Critical tStiidi/ (if Moltke (London. 1894) : Herms. Von Moltke, IJis Life and Cliiiracter (ib., 1892); Buchner, Feldmarschtill (Jraf Hclmnth ron Moltke (Lahr, 1805) : Jahns, Feldmarsrhall Moltke (Berlin, 1900) ; Miiller, Moltke (.3d ed., Stutt- gart, 1889) ; Fircks, Feldmarseliall Graf Moltke and der prenssisehe Generalstab (2d ed., Berlin, 1887). MOLUCCAS, or Spice Islands. An archi- pelago constituting part of the Dutch posses- sions in the East Indies, and comprising most of the islands situated between t'elebes and New Guinea, and between the Philippines and the Timor Archipelago (ilap: Australasia, E 2). The archijielago lies on both sides of the equator. Its aggregate area i-; 21.510 square miles. It is divided into the Northern and South- ern Mohiccas. The former comprise the islands of Gilolo, the Obi group. Ternate. Tidore, and iloro- tai, with the ad.jacent islets, while the latter take in the islands of Cerani, Burn, and the Kei. Aru, and Banda groups with their surrounding islands. In geological structure the Moluccas resemble the island of Celebes, being mostly composed of .Xrcha'an or Paleozoic rocks. The highest point is Mount Nusa Heli in Ceram, 10.000 feet high. The Moluccas lie in the line of volcanic activity which extends from the Sunda Islands northward through the Philippines and .lapan. Many of the smaller islands arc of volcanic formation Ihrougliout. and on Ternate. as well as in Gilolo, Morotai, Banda, and Tidore. there are active cones. The climate is hot, but as a rule not unhealthful. The Moluccas are not so well watered or rich in vegetation as the more west- erly islands in the Dutch East Indies, but the liroduction of spices, from which they derive their name, is veiy large. The betelnut. nutmeg trees, and various other spice-producing plants are here indigenous. Coffee, cacao, tobacco, in- digo, and rice are cultivated with suci'ess, and the sago palm yields the staple fruit for native consumption. In regard to the fauna, the islands resemble the other parts of the .uslralasian region. Besides species of marsupials, there are wild hogs, civet cats, and an indigenous species of goats. Birds of bright plumage abound in the forests. Among the insects, the butterffies are remarkable for their size and the brilliancy of their colors. Sulphur is the most important mineral of the islands, but petroleum, jiorcelain clav. tin. and coal are also found. Industry is ehieffy confined to the raising of spices and food produ<'ts. While the elove-tree and the nutmeg occur in all the islands, clove- culture is carried on cspeciall.v in .mboyna and the riiassers. and the cultivation of the nut- meg in the Banda Islands. This is due mainly to the fact that the Dutch, in their desire to retain their supremacv in the spice market, re- stricted the cultivation of these spices to the aliovenientioncd islands until 180.3. when the restriction was taken off. The trade of the group is centred ehieffy around Ambovna and Ternate. The exports consist niostlv of cloves and other spices, sago, and eocoanuts. Admin-