Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1891-07-03
Future Warfare

The death uf Field Marshal Won
M"ltkc has inspired Colonel Theodore
n"dgc to write for the Forum u fore
cast "i what. ~ his opinion, will hc the
features Of warfare IN the future. DE
strucli,c -ricncc has IN recent years
undoubtedly outstrippcd defensive
science. aud the Development has revo-
lutionlfcd the IDEAS of warfare.
The present status of military science
- les" understood than any other
branch Of knowlcdgc The next war
will bc more striking IN its surprises
than ~ lts effects. however important
they may be. The struggle for mum.
her of years was to render the defensive
machinery as strong ~ possible
Ia the construction Of war vessels the
size has been steadily increased, that
the larger aud heavier guns might tc
carried and the rccoil from their dis
charge sustained.
The armor has been increased in
Thickness "a withstand the shot of the
enemy. The inevitable result has been
the construction of large, unwicldy YES
sells that with their weight of machinery
and armament have been unable to
carry sufficient coal TO carry them
across the ocean. The struggle for ef-
hcicncy has therefore resulted in incf-
iiciency.
The essential element OF modern war.
fare Is celebrity Of motion. Whether on
land or sea. quickness OF movement
rather than the force oi the blow is to
decide the combat. Therefore the light,
last stcaming cruiser, that can strike a
blow and get beyond range before re
turn blow Is struck. is 10y far the most
efficient vessel Of war.
The advantage of this rapidity Of
movement can scarcely be appreciated
4
heavy ordnance. AZ the long distances
made necessary hy the range of guns,
accuracy of aim depends Us much upon
the elevation or depression Of the gun
as upon the correctness Of sighting.
The distance heing once ascertained,
the correct elevation may easily be
given. but with the instruments now in
u-e this distance can only be learned
by experiment When the shot falls
short u greater elevation is required.
and thus the object fired at may he ap-
preached more closely until the exact
range is asccrtaincd.
Hut with the rapidly moving cruiser,
continually increasing and decreasing
the distance intervening between her
and the onemy's guns. the experiment.
tation becomes extremely difficult.
Despite these difficulties. Colonel
Dodge expresses the opinion that the
vessel found aiioat after having been
engaged in n naval battle in the present
stage Of development will be phcnom-
enon.
On land. rapid mobilization will lie
the key to success. The army that
reaches The field Of battle before the
enemy IL ready will be the winner.
Both Ly land and sea battles will be-
come immensely destructive Of life. A
we'll contested battle will mean practi-
cal annihilation on both sides. But
while future warfare will be more in.
tense. the struggles will I've Of shorter
duration. and the total loss Of life will
be less
There ls also the advantage that the
destructive character of future warfare
will act NJ restraining influence, and
arbitration will lie more generally in
dulged in. Thus war becomes less de-
structivc from the very perfection to
which it's destructive forces have been
carried.