GALLIENI, gal-le-ane, Joseph Simon, French general and colonial administrator: b. Saint-Beat, Department of Haute-Garonne, 24 April 1849; d. Versailles, 27 May 1916. The son of an officer, he was educated at the mili tary college of Saint Cyr and served as lieu tenant in the Franco-German War. From 1877 to 1:41 he served in West Africa in military, scientific and administrative capacities. With General Faidherbe, his chief, he was mainly in strumental in founding French Equatorial Africa. Being sent on a mission to a savage chief, Ahmadou, in the interior, he was held prisoner for ten months and informed every morning that he was to die that day. Gallieni finally succeeded in concluding a treaty with his captor. He next served three years in Martinique and in 1886 became governor of Upper Senegal. He was sent to Indo-China (Tonquin) in 1893 and fought for two years against the Black Hand pirates. In 1896, when Madagascar (q.v.) became a French colony, he was appointed governor and commander-in chief. His vigorous and determined policy made a great improvement in the condition of the island. He first crushed rebellion and brigandage, and then pursued a policy of en lightened pacification. His efforts were so suc cessful that the young women of Tananarivo were soon wearing Paris fashions and learning French dancing. When Gallieni laid down his
office in 1905 he left a peaceful and prosperous colony. On his return to France he became military governor of Lyons, and in 1908 a mem ber of the Supreme War Council. In the dark days of August 1914, when the German armies were pouring in like an irresistible avalanche upon Paris, that city was not in a position to defend itself. On the 26th Gallieni was placed in command of the entrenched camp of Paris. A new spirit of courage and energy entered with him. Great gangs of laborers left the city every morning in. 'sight-seeing" cars to throw up hasty trench defenses; the arrival of naval guns and numerous other indications showed that Gallieni was preparing to defend Paris inch by inch if necessary. But the de cisive battle of the Marne saved the city. On 29th Oct. 1915 Gallieni became Minister for War in the newly-formed Briand Cabinet. In March 1916 his health broke down and he re tired. He was replaced by Gen. Pierre Rogues. An accomplished scholar and linguist, Gallieni was a member of various learned societies and published several volumes on the Sudan and Madagascar. See MADAGASCAR.