San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1892-04-08
SMOKELESS POWDER In WAR
1t Gives, Many Advantages to the
side Making the Attack.

side Making the Attack.
From the Iron Age.
The introduction of smokeless pow
ders has had considerable to co with
q change OF tactics on the field OF
battle. In the absence of the smoke
screen on both sides the Company
officers not only find it easier TO work
together, but can control their men
and Judge the effect of their fire on
the enemy to far greater degree
than was formerly possible. From
their point of view this increased
power of control more than compen.
safes the attack for the increased
facility of coDcealiLel t smOkeless
powder cODfers on the defense. 1t Is
true that the latter also profits by the
same Increased power of control, but
they argue that from the nature of
things the defense, striving only to
prevent being beaten. whereas the
attack flights with the determiL alton
to win, the latter is in a position TO
make far better use of this new pow
der than the former. Put I'm another
form it comes to this the heavier and
more accurate the fire whistliDg over
tlOhCb, tho HdIoCt ~ 10 W uIdhC
men raise their heads over 1t to take
aim. Smokeless powder mskes 1t
easier for the attack to deliver such q
fire; hence the difficulties of the de-
tense will be increased. .'~ 3.''-
Further, in the absence Of smoke,
men stationary on the defense can
not escape the depressing iuflnence
of the dead and wounded lying around
them, but the attack leaves all these
evidences of the fight behind IT, Sc
here again the advantage Is on its
side.
With reference to the question o.
the use of smok eless powder by the
artillery the general idea seems t.
be that twas all again TO the side
which thought more Of killing it.
enemy than of avoiding being killed
itself 1t enormously facilitates the
maintenance of fire discipline within
the battery permits Of con tinuous fir'
even At the most rapid rate, for NJ
smoke interferes with the laying o
the guns, and above all things cheer:
The hearts of the men by enablin.
them to zee the results of their fire.
AS means of concealment 1t is o
no use at all, for even at extreme
ranges Of 5 900 yards and upward the
fash OF discharge Is always
distinctly visible, and a.
fighting ranges the fissh enables on,
to note exactly the position of tn
enemy's guns. This was not Away
possible with the old powders, 70
the smoke obscured the object ant
prevented ones picking up an exac
point to aim at. \...
The artillery will be far from re
GREETING the loss of the two cloud
which hung, the one in front of thei
own and the other in front of tn
enemy's guns. Smoke is q cove
added to that furnished by tn
ground, and no one has ever bee
anxious for his opponent to hav
covers which he himself could nc
turn to advantage. II both are d.
prived Of this cover victory will bs
long to him who, all else being equa
can most skillfully supply the def
cheney.
Maneuvers will hereafter probabi
take place over larger areas befoI
actual fighting begins, and somethin
Of an Indians craft and natural keel
ness will be needed on the part
staff officers. Smoke has been
good q cover Oh many occasio ions tn,
It's absence will impose new cond
tions aud natural cover will have
be much more extensively al
Iized. With the vanishing poetl
of the smoke battle the pro
of new era will begin,
which combat will be more like
game of chess in view of the pieces
q whole, and new dispositions of o
qualities and virtues will be wsnte
Caution will pay in q smokeless cor
bat, enterprise and yigor will win