The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-07-27

the country, Their health and efficiency are
o Uodd due 70 he
effectiveness and regularity OF modern taxation.
Railroads and maca damized roads enable them,
on the outbreak of hostihties, to be hurled over
distances, in one week, which it would have
taken them, in Napoleon's time, six weeks to
traverse, and they are thus brought face to face
With the enemy in the best condition while the
telegraph enables immense combinations to be
effected, which, when communication was
altogether dependent on mounted oouriers,
would have been utterly impossible. The i'm
provements in modern firearms, also, enables
the amount OF destruction necessary to win a
battle 10 be accomplished in half the time, as we
see in the case of the Prussian needleguD so that
there is little difficulty now deciding quarrel
by one great battle aud few ''combats,"if if the
territory of the bellgerents is not too tar apart,
as in the case of the allies and Russians in 1854,
when the conditions OF warfare we're very much
what they were one hundred years ago.
Our own war may seem to furni an excep-
tion to this rule, but II is only in appearance.
That war was not from the outset carried on on
military principles. During the first year at
least the raising of armies and their movements
In the held were governed by political rather
than by military considerations. and the whole
strength OF the North was not then called out.
Moreover, until very late period in the struggle
no attempt was made to induce the South to
concentrate its forces for decisive trial OF skill
| and strength. The anaconda" policy, and the
marching up and down, in remote corners, of
such heroes as General Banks, produced much
the SAINT eueCJ, III Splle Oi the Unparalleled
efficiency OF our commssariat and ordnance
and quartermaser's departments as were pro-
duced IN byeoDe days in Europe by bad roads,
and scanty supplies, and difficult recruiting
The struggle was thus prolonged, engage
ments multiplied, and the circle of suffer-
ing and devastation dreadfully widened.
Had it been possible to put the whole mill
tary strength of the North and South
face to lace IN Virginia, in the very first year,
and have them pound away at each other week
after week, as they did under Grant and Lee. in
the Wilderness, the slaughter would have been
friRhttul and all the old ladies would have cried
shame, but there is no question that humanity
and civilization would have gained immensely
by the rapidity with which cnal de csion would
thus have been reached. Dreadful as are the
scenes that are witnessed on great battle field,
and awful as are the rows of figures which it
furnishes to the newspapers, the real misery of
war must be sought elsewhere. 1t is the sick
who perish by inches in the hospitals month
after month, the farmer who broods in despair
spring after spring over his wasted fields, the
women and children who lay their heads in
terror nleht after night ON their pillo VS. who
drink the cup to the dregs. 1t is In the WIDE
spread sense OF insecurity which long wars
dltiuse, the familiarity with violence and dis
order which they breed, and the air OF hopeless
ness with which they surround the pursuits of
peaceful and steady industry, that their real
mischief is to be found.