Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1890-10-16

more numerous. The conditions of future
wars with repeating rifles of small cali
Der, improved artillery and smokeless
powder are entirely changed. Armies
must approach one another cautiously,
seeking every possible advantage, while
endeavoring not to expose themselves to
the deadly fire of the enemy. The initia-
tive is of the greatest importance. Each
will seek to bring the greatest number of
guns to bear upon the opposing force, to
place the greatest number of men in line,
to annihilate the enemy before it is in a
condition to reply effectively. The chances
would seem to be with those generals who
can mobiles their forces most rapidly. As
to matters of detail the smokeess powder
offers many advantages. Sharpshooters
can do deadly work without having their
position detected The decorations being
feeble and there being no smoke. batteries
will enjoy similar immunity. The
French claim that their artillery is beyond
comparison the best in Europe, a fact
which the Germans do not deny, either as
regards number of guns or their efficiency.
In the coming war with Germany it will
be in the interest of the French to make
this superiority felt by being the first in
the field. The French also claim that the
Lebel gun, with which their infantry is
furnished is not equaled by any foreign
army, and, no matter what other conti
mental power is superior to all others. As
to mobilization, their three lines of forti-
tications which command their eastern
frontier from the British Channel to the
Mediterl anean, are joined by strategic
lines of railroad which permit the mobili-
zation of their forces IN the least possible
time and their movement eastward to cover
threatened points or to attack the enemy
on his own ground.
The smokeless powder renders more i'm
portant the role of artillery in the future.
That of the cavalry will, for the same rea-
sons, be more conspicuous, for though this
army cannot operate at hazard for fear of
being annihilated it can by watching its
chances render its charges more effective
What spectacle a field of battle will
present in the future! Every part of it
barring those masked by woods or in
capabilities of the ground, will be visible
like the stare of theatre to the specta-
tors or to the generals commanding. Each
commander will ve able to move his forces
like the men upon a chess-board. The
thunder of artillery and the rattles of
musketry will be greatly diminished in
volume II the day is not decided by the
artillery, and the infantry come to close
quarters, the slaughter will be such as few
will conceive, even to those who have seen
many bloody battle fields The moving
down will be no longer fgurative, but
horribly literal, OF regiments placed face
to face will quickly disappear, killed to a
man, possibly both, to be replaced by
others distined to the same fate. Charges
against breastworks will be hopeless. The
retreat of a shattered brigade or army
corps in the face of the enemy will not
save it, for those whom the musketry has
spared will be overtaken and annihilated
by the artillery. Battles and perhaps the
fate Of nations, quickly decided unless the
generals of both sides persue Fabian
policy, and fearing the destruction of a
combat, try to accomplish
their purposes by maneuvering for the
best positions and artillery duels at long
range. Although the prospect is not
cheerful, the only hope of the advocates
of peace rests on the spark of humanity
in the breasts of leading states
men and warriors, which even now makes
them hesitate to trust their countries to
the arbitrament OF arms on account of the
slaughter that is sure to follow, and which
it is hoped, may lead to general dis