The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-12-12
men kept BUSY.
Rapidly Changing Problems in War
fare Allow Them Little Time
for Idling.
New Guns, New Powder and Now
Projectiles Not Nasily Mas
tered.

New Gums, Nav Powder and New
Projectiles Not Masily Mas
tered. q
gtudyiug Probable Results Of tho Next
War In Europe-The Now System
or Tactics.
In theae days of ehanRe in military meth
DDS, Of progress in tbs art OF war, Of new
guns, new powder In now gums, md new
projectilss in front OF new powder, army
officers are a busy rot. It is not now 40
knuoh 1 question Of drawing their salaries
Regularly on Ill . last day OF each month for
bhs month following al it ia Of keeping
ABREAST of the advance movement. Tbs
army has suddenly become q poor place for
an idler; study and experiment and deduc-
lion are ON every hand, says the New York
Times.
There il war in the air; not the air that
encompasses these United States Of Amer
ca necsSsarily, or even probably, but waited
aoross the ocean from the other side. It
Qh8 DABA lOAk A0AOlAOAS "a ktVA9 IVA
should be; but the Difference has been, not
from ! sense Of the evil Of the thing, but
from . sense Of ineompleteness, of.unrsad-
mess for an awful struggle.
The next war in Europe will beyond all
doubt fully Justify that appellation. But
The interest does not lie in that. A few
thousands more or less killed or MANNED do
not ont much OF d figure when kings are
E%quabbling for snch others crowns and ter
ritory. II is the applications OF new en-
Rines, new armamsnts, new explosives, new
kaotics. II il old, familiar war, but war in
Rn unfamiliar dress. And what to do and
how to do ii is the all-abaorbing question Of
to-day with military men. United States
army officers are not idle when preparations
for such m event are making.
Military men Of to-day can very easily
imagine what an upturning Of principles
and overturning of tactics there was when
%gunpowder hrst came into use. Before that
there was a hand-to-hand struggle. Forces
mRnauvered within sight of each other,
within arrow distance even. Gunpowder
brought with it a neutral space between the
Forces, whore any unluoky wight was likely
10 be struck by q bullet from either side
quite impartially, and the smoke of burn
ing powder was a screen for operations.
One general could no longer see what his
opponent was doing, but had to guess at it,
and this developed strategy.
With the years the space between the
forces has come on increasing. Charges
and hand-to-hand fights there have been,
but the battle has not depended upon til csc
Z - :tns- - %3 1m- 1n-nh a~-
and calibres lessened until the space might
.ba sufficient for a brief morning walk.
and still this curtain of gunpowder smoke
has hung over the scene and been q cover
for which many a weak inferior force has
had occasion. to be thankful.
Now the cloud ID rernoved-swept away
BY tho introduction Of smokeless powder.
TO do? Lucky for them, the greater range
IF the guns Of to-day renders it imperative
that they maneuver at still greater dis
tanoas apart. This will enable them to
lake advantage OF a greater number Of sur
face accidents-hills and valleys, trees,
from their opponent. tt ID safe to say no
good general will allow himself to be nap
bling on an extended level and open terri
fory.
Sc much for getting the force into posi-
zion. But the matter liz still further COM
i4lcAt6Q. lhoFa lS Ills uduRof q SURPRISE
TO avoid. A surprise is much easier to
effeot, in a wooded, broken country thar in
open territory. and the circumstance of
kmokeleBs powder la another element in it's
favor. This would seem to call for a highly
developed system of scattered advance
forces, the main body to be completely sur
rounded by a cloud of light e~kirmisherg,
who can be reinforced promptly at any
point where opposition may develop.
What to do when the combat thickens is
khe problem that United States army
officers have attempted to solve ia tho new
system Of %tnctics. That these tactics com
mend Themselves for simplicity is in their
Favor. The actual test comes with the
bullets.
Another point ia engaging the attention
|pf the qunrtermasters' department Of tho
United States army. and it shows to civilian
comprehension q high developments Of tho
military science, when details Of no doscrip-
httention. Not alone is the weapon and
ammunition matter for consideration,
along with tho supplying Of ammunition
ind all tactical points. but the comfort Of
khe soldier is looked after in many ways
that would have seemed wonderful to men
should suffsr nothing except a possible
wound. His bedding and clothing and
food are all matters of ANXIOUS considera-
Zion, even to tho number Of pounds that ho
|enn carry on the march and still be in fight
ing trim.
Clothing is the question just now-not a.
DO quality or quantity, but as TO color. The
disposition 10 to strip the soldier of all the
Pomp and glory Of war, and it seems quite
likely that future battles may be fought by
individuals no more attractively clothed
than are the mon who periodically dig up
he city's streets. This is being done az q
measure of safety.
Mankind nrnaara p1ua ya To In va hnAn I'm. |