Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1890-10-09
WAR IN THE FUTURE.
Railroads VIII Play an Unprecedeuted
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Railroads VIII Play an Unprecedentetay
Important Part
In future wars railways, the number
OF which in Europe is daily increasing.
will play an unprecedentedly important
part not only strategically. but also
tactically. For mobilization and con-
centration at the outset of war their
value was shown in 1870; with armies OF
increased size they viii be still more
essential After the commencement of
operations they will still occasionally
especially in the case of the army which
assumes the defensive-be nsed for the
rapid conveyance of troops, but as rule
they will chiefly be employed for the
transport of food and stores It has been
calculated that an army of hundred
thousand men working hundred miles
from its base would require-setting
aside the requirem ents of sieges-an
immense quantity Of rolling stock
As to the movements of troops by
rail, experience on the ointment shows
that time is not gained when the pro-
portion of bayonets and sabers to
mile of double line is greater than four
hundred and thirty-ive Apart. there
fore, from the fact that once the army
in the field the railroad resources viii
be absorbed in bringing ,up stores and
taking back sick and wounded. the rail-
way transport Of troops will seldom be
profitable for an army on the offensive
The strain on the railways needed for
the conveyance of food and stores viii
be largely Augmented. seeing that in
all probability the size of armies viii be
much increased. The limit to their
size will, in fact be practically deter
mined by the carrying capacity of the
railways
Hence, two things ara obvious: First
| that for strategical operations railways
will, after the commencement of a cam
paign, be used comparatively little; sec
ond. that even If only employed for the
transportation of stores. their capacity
will have to be largely increased by the
addition of sidingS the construction OF
platforms, and the doubling of lines
For this reason all armies are daily pay
ing increased attention to the forma-
ton. augmentation, and training of
military battalions, we, perhaps, least
of all
For operations which lie in the Dor
der land between tactics and strategy,
occasional use with great effect Will
probably be made of railways for the
Had Bazaine turned his railway facili-
ties to full account at Forbach, the re-
| suit of that battle might have been diff
ferent- 1t can easily be understood
that though there would be no saving
of time in transporting an army corps,
with all its impedimenta, distance of
thirty miles by railway, it would be
feasible and desirable to convey a bril-
gade of four battalions. with field
battery attached, distance of fifteen
miles
In the former case 1S5 trains would
be required, and the operation. under
the most favorable circumstances. would
occupy four days In the latter case
the troops, moving with nothing but
men, officers, chargers, and what the
French call train de conf bat, the whole
force could be transported to its destin-
alton in two hours from the time the
first man entered to the time the last
man quilted the train. As to armor-
clad trains, they.wil on exceptional oc-
casions be used and be of great value,
as was shown in the case of Sir Archi-
bald Allison's operations at Alexandra
in the first Egyptian war.-Colonel