Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-10-24
SMOkELESS BATTLES.
Changes and Training Necessary With
the Use of the New Powder.

From Broad Arrow
The air will be full Of noise-sharp, crisp,
rafting. believing detonatiors, coming from
many quarters, deceiving the judgment. shak-
ing the nerves of the timid and possibly inter-
fering with the condition necessary to catch
quickly and clearly the words of command.
Smoke volumes break and shut up sound, and
IN their absence there will be need of greater
calmness, the strain on the mind will be more
severe, tho discipline required will have to be
more rigid, the attention will have to be more
concentrated, lest the far-distant should attract
and disturb. All this will come with training,
OF which thera will have to be a considerable
amount, involving much waste OF powder. be-
fore orr troops will be fit to fight with an enemy
using smokeless gunpowder. Indeed it will be
for some time necessary TO train the British
soldier to engage in the old well as the new
battle with an enemy making great smoke,
as well as with an enemy making none at
ALL Accordingly the new powder will
not be all gain, and it will impose
good deal OF extra work and anxiety. Ii is by
no means clear what the issue would be if two
bodies of soldiers equal in other respects. were
using different forms of gunpowder. The ad-
vantages OF quick firing and clear sight might
not long be with the smokeless weapons, aud
in the thick OF the melees troops trained in the
smokeless system might be somewhat bewiid-
a.
tillery, massed or in detachments, and of fairly
long range the use OF smokeless powder would
undoubtedly be an advantage, not only as re-
CARDS rapid and accurate firing, but offering
less aim to an enemy, obseured by his own
smoke and with nothing but sound to guido
him. With armies using smokeless powder, 1t
may be that one of its early effects will be to
affect the color of the soldiers dress. subduing
it in tone, and SO depriving a battlefield of
another OF its picturesque elements. Judging
ff1Sfa hxy H.
por:ant feature in military training, and
more attention will be needed to per-
feet sight at such ranges as the diff
ferent arms in use will carry. How
this may affect q people afflicted with short
sight will become a very grave question in
deed, not wholly to be settled by the employ
mcnt OF artificial aids. Msneuvers will take place
over larger areas before actual fighting begins.
and something of an Indians craft and natural
keenness will be needed on the part of staff
officers. The impact of solid troops will be
rarer probably and surprises much more fire.
quent than they have been in recent warfare,
unless a freer handling OF mounted troops is
| resorted to or surveys from fixed balloons can
be made to play an important part. Smoke
has been SO good a cover on many occasions
that its absence will impose new conditions
and natural cover will have to be much
more extensively utilized. These are
general suggestions not intended to do
more than excite preliminary SURVEYS and
ideas as to what the smokeless battles OF the
future may be like. The strictly practical is
for more elaborate examination. in the light
OF the best information obtainable interpreted
by tho common sense which ought to be
brough. to bear upon the whole question.
With the vanishing poetry of the smoke battle,
the prose OF new era will begin, in which
combat will be more like game of chess, in
view of the pieces as whole, and new DISPOSE
lions Of old qualities and virtues will be wanted
Caution Will pay in a smokeless combat, enter
prise and vigor will win before, but blum
ders will receive terrible punishment. fatal
to armies and ruinons to nations dependent On
them