Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-02-11
TREMENDOUS PREPARATIONS.
More About the Coming War in Europe
Everything Ready.

From the Posen Courier.
On the day that war is declared between
France and Germany, what will happen? At
first there will be, Of course, the general mo-
bilization according to the new method which
the German staff has recently adopted. On
the German side that mobilization will be
effected in q very short time. In less than
| seven days little over 1, 400, 900 will be con-
centrated on the frontier at the points fixed
by the general staff. The cars are ready, and
the coal for the railroads was laid in long ago.
Four or five days after the first advance,
800, 600 men will form the second line. Finally,
there will be the landstrum, with about 1, l00,-
600 on the first call. All these troops are
thoroughly drilled and armed with the repeat
ing rifle. The artillery and cavalry have all
| that Is necessary for undertaking q campaign.
One can imagine therefore, what the next war
will be. 1t will be frightful and merciess. It
Is quite possible that the victors will be just
much exhausted and decimated as the con-
quered. Certainly the Franco-German war Of
1870 will look like child's play compared with
ing about, but which nobody but q mailman
| would desire.
We do not believe that there is asensible man in
all Germany who does not pray for q long peace,
because the next war. even II it should result
In victory for Germany, must make more
widows and orphans than all the wars Of Europe
| during the last hundred years.
Under the title OF "how shall we attack in
the coming war;" pamphlet has recently APP
peared in Berlin, supposed to be the work Of
staff officer. 1t treats Of the present condi-
ton OF attack by infantry, in view of all the
changes of tactics made necessary by the re-
peating rifle and the smokeless powder. ''We
can no longer count" says this writer, ''upon
our superiority in numbers and in armament"
''There is only one superiority that we must
endeavor to assure, and that is the superiority
OF tactics and our tactics must be adapted to
the conditions OF modern arms. Now, these
conditions have changed with the enemy and
we must soon do like him. 1t is high time to
study the effects which the new arms must
have upon the tactics OF battle; upon the way
to lead troops into action. In future all in
fantry which is not completely hors de combat
10 invulnerable in front. The success of an at
tack, according to the old principles of war;
fare, must prove an exception and q repulse
the rule. This does not mean that a position
cannot in future be carried; every position can
be carried, but not in front.
SIN the next war the German infantry can
| not count, as in '70-'71 upon the support of the
artillery, for the enemy has made as much
progress in artillery Germany if not more;
| and, considering the range of the present rifles
the artillery must keep itself at greater dis
| lance than it did in years past, and leave the
battle to be decided by the infantry. The adj
vantage OF the superiority of individual firing
also tends to decline at long range, and, above
| all, with weapons so easily handled as the mod
| ern small bores.
| The pamphlet concludes with the assertion
that while the offensive is still the best form of
combat, and the one to be recommended. it
must fail entirely if the enemy is not enveloped
by turning movements by which he can be
placed under converging fires.