, 1859-02-07
THE USE OF HE GUN.


British nd American Ma
1PEom lhe London TIme2l
England may certainly learn something
from the Administration Of The United State;
though the Lesson happens to he forthcoming
exactly OIL that tepic which Air Bright would
be most unwilling 10 select. The Americans
hare excellent judgment in military ard na-
val matters, with they handle in j spirit al
why's liberal and generally sagacious TWAS
80 from the very beginning Of their history.
They never passed through ! period OF infan.
cy or routine, but took the field, when
they did take it, il fashion as once superior
to that Of old-faslioncd bellicercnts. They
have the merit Of anticipating even tue French
OF tho Republic in discardius everything like
precedent and going straight by til shortest
cut to the ma1k before them. They were tue
first 10 make the rifle tell in war aud in the
struggles lor independence picked off our
0t1cers like birds from u tree. They were
the first to see what We have only lately dis
covered-that q lnusket ought to be fired
With Us much pains as fo~ ~ling-picce, aud ut
Eunker's iill they caused us l7ightful losses
by this simple observance. They were The
FIRST to mount infantry Oh horseback, rs we
are nov duiDy in India and ut New Orleans
their mounted ritl4,nen left our advancing
force without a moments repose, In every
campaign in which We encountered them
they resorted for some expcdient or other
generally Of great simplicity, which told
against us with severity quite unexpected.
1t was exactly the eame 1T sea. They bad
got no great fleets, but they hethought tbem~
selves that they could turn out single ships,
md that by adopting models OF tleir own
they could make those ships stronger than
any Others atloat. Accordingly they built
frigates and corgestes Of size and armament
without parallel, took pains with their gun.
merry, and turned tue tide of naval victory
against US, until Broke put tAe Sh4nnu's crew
iutu trimming and beat them at their oHn wca-
pons. Their modern policy has been precise.
y similar. They have got the new Lahlgrcn
gun aud the new steam irjgate Of the Me1ri-
| mac class.
Whether these Inventions are to be cousll-
cred successful nc cannot yet say, lt1t inycn.
tious they are, nor are they tue Iast or The
most. astounding Of their kind. They have
been quietly At work upon monster steam
ran, aud now VIC arc Introduced to submar.
inc bvats, which are to bo navigatcd at the
bottom Of the sea. " In the con -tructiou OF q
war vessel" says The American Secretary
crcry thing connected with it has ultimate
reference TO single point, the use Of tut
gun, hy which alone, as the means or instrsl
1acnt Of po1cr, impottan results are to be Qc
complished. To place it In the presence 0
tho euemy or hey yond his reach in tbe shortes
possible time, and to use it with the creates
possible effect, is the great object to bc sou.h
for in the construction Of @ uayy for the main
tenance Of its auxiliary establishments Th,
simple principles are susceptible Of mucl
wider application than has been given here
They lie at tue bottom Of the whole seienc'
| and sheory OF var, whether by land or eea
Every battle aud every campaign must dc
pend mainly upon '8tle use Of the gun" III
gun is the instrument by which the soldie
acts, and all the professional training Of
soldier tend. to the one point, OF plucirg tbl
instrument in a position with the creates
rapidity and employing it With the grcates
elect. This is the in1entical phase int
which the latest Incidents Of OUT latest wa
arc passing ut the r1c.cot moment. We hav
armed our Infantry with Eufcld rifles, m
| are placing them on canlels backs Neitbc
in military NOT In naval management hav
We ever taken ibis course. Ia the army ever
single improvement connected with i" til
I use Of tue gun" aud the efficiency Of the In
| divfduhl soldier has been forced upon til
| authorities by public opinion in despite (
themselves. II 1t had not been for the Pre-:
| our soldiers would have been armed with th
old firelock at this very moment. Never VS.
there realized st the Horse Guards the fu1
dameata1 proposition that tho ultimate objee
Of all drill and all equipment was to NIL
the soldier move as rapidly as possible, au
send bullet as truly aa possible to its mari
The very last thing thousht Of in militar
instruction was 1.-THE use Of the gun," in 1at
it was not thought Of at all. 1t was quiz