Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-04-22
sMoksLsss POWDER IN WAR.
IL Gives Many Advantages to tho Side
Making the Attack.
Iron Age.l

The introduction of smokeless powders
has had considerable to do with change
of tactics on the field Of battle. In the
absence of the smoke screen on both SIDES
the company officers not only find 1t easier
to work together, but can control their
men and Judge the effect OF their fire on
the enemy TO o far greater degree than was
formerly possible. From their point OF
view this increased power OF control more
than compensates the attack for the in
creased facility of concealment smoke
less powder confers on the defence.
1t is true that tho latter also profits
by the same increased power OF control.
but they argue that from the nature OF
things the defence. striving only to pre-
vent being beaten, whereas the attack
| fights with the determination to win, tue
latter is in position to make tar better
use of this new powder than the former.
Put in another form. it comes to this;
| The heavier and more accurate the hre
wbistling over trench the harder it is to
mako men raise their heads over it to take
ann. Smokeless powder makes IL easier
| for the attack TO deliver such q fire !; hence
| the difficulties of the defence vii be In
creased.
Further, in the absence of smoke, men
stationary on the defence cannot escape
| the depressing influence OF the dead and
| tack leaves all these evidences of the fight
| behind 1t. so here again the advantage is
| on its side.
| With reference to the question of the
| use of smokeless powders 10y the artillery,
| the general idea seems to be that IL was all
| a gain to the side which thought more OF
| killing It's enemy than of avoiding being
| killed itself. IL enormously facilitates the
maintenance Of FIRE discipline within the
L 6 fra nj
| the most rapid rate, for no smoke inter-
| feres with the laying of the guns, and,
| above all things, cheers the hearts of the
| men by enabling them to see the results of
| their fire.
| Asa means of concealment, il Is of no
| use at all, for even at extreme ranges OF
| 5000 yards and upward the flash OF dis
| charge is always distinctly visible, and at
| fighting ranges the fash enables one TO
| note exactly the position of the enemy 5
| guns. This was not always possible with
| the old powders, for the smoke obscured
| tho object and prevented ones picking up
| an exact point to aim OF.
The artillery will be tar from regretting
| the loss of the two clouds which hung,
| the one III front of their own and the
other in front of the enemy's guns. Smoke
| is cover added TO that furnished by the
ground, and no one has ever been ANXIOUS
i IOT MS ODpOutut NO'Cio WhANA Atr
| himself could not turn to advantage. II
both are deprived OF this cover victory
| will belong to him who. all else being
| equal. can most skilfully supply the deh-
cheney.
Maneuyres will hereafter probably take
place over larger areas before actual fight
| ing begins, and something OF an Indians
craft aud natural keenness Will be needed
on the part of staff officers. Smoke has
| been so good cover on many occasions
| that It's absence will impose new condi-
lions, and natural cover will nave TO
| be much moro extensively utilized. With
the vanishing poetry of the smoke bat
| tie the prose of d new era will begin IN
| which combat will be more like game OF
chess in view of the pieces as whole. and
new dispositions of old qualities and VIZ
| tues will be wanted. Caution viii pay IN
a smokeless combat, enterprise and vigor
will win as before. but blunders will re-
ceiye q terrible punishment, fatal TO
armies and ruinous TO nations dependent
| upon them.