The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-02-19
TREMENDOUS PREPARATIONS.
More About the Coming War in
Europe.
From the Posen Co1lrier.

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 gem
eral mobilization according to the new
method which the German staff has re-
Gently adopted. On the German side that
mobilization will be effected in a very
short time. In less than seven days little
over l, 400, 600 will be concentrated 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
100000 men will form the second line
Finally there will be the landstrum with
about l, 100, 900 on the first call All these
troops are thoroughly drilled and armed
with the repeating rifle. The artillery and
cavalry have all that is necessary for un-
dertaking campaign. One can imagine
therefore, what the next war will be, 1t
will De frightful and merciless. 1t is quite
possible that the victors will be lust as
much exhausted and decimated as the con-
quered. Certainly the Franco-Germau war
Of 1870 will look like child's play compared
with the coming struggle, which every body
is talking about, but which nobody but a
madman would desire.
We do not believe that there is sensible
a long peace, b cause the next war, even
if it should result in a victory for Germany,
must make more widows and orphans than
all the wars of Europe during the last hun
dred years.
Under the title of "How shall We At
tack in the Coming War" a pamphlet has
recently appeared in Berlin, supposed to be
the work of a staff officer. 1t treats of the
present conditions of attack by infantry.
| in view Of all the changes of tactics made
| necessary by the repeating rifle and the
smokeless powder. I'VE eau no LONGER
count" says thus writer, upon our sun
eriority in numbers and in armament
Therei is only one superiority that we must
endeavor to assure, and that is the SUPERIOR
| ity of tactics, and 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 infantry which is not completely
hors de combat is invunerable in front.
The success of an attack according to the
old principles of warfare must prove an ex
! ception and a repulse the rule. This does
not mean that position cannot in future
be carried; every position can be carried,
but not in front
'In the next war the German infantry
cannot count, as in '70.'71, upon the support
of the artillery, for the enemy has made as
much progress in artillery as Germany, if
not more; and, considering the range of the
present rifles. the artillery must keep itself
at greater distance than it did in years
past, and leave the battle to be decided by
the infantry. The advantage of tue sup
eriority of Individual firing also tends to
decline at long range, aud above all, with
weapons so easily handled as the modern
small bores.n
The pamphlet concludes with the asser-
ton that while the offensive is still the best
form of combat, aud the one TO be recon-
mended, 1t must fail entirely il the enemy
is not enveloped by turning movements by
which he can be placed under converging
] fires.