Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1894-03-10
sMokgLess POWDER IN WAR.


II Gives Many Advantages 60 the Side
Making the Attack.
Tho introduction Of smolzelesa powder
has had considerable TO do with o change
OF tactics ON the field Of battle. In the
abcence OF tho smoke screen on both
sides, the company officers not only find
1t easier to work together, but can con-
troll their men and judge the effect Of
their fire On tho enemy to far greater
degree than was formerly possible. From
their point of view this increased power
Of control more than compensates tho
attack for the increased facility Of con-
eealment smokeless powder confers ON
the defense. II 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 fights with the determination
to win. tho latter Is in q position to mako
far better use Of this new powder than
the former. Put in another form. it
comes to this; The heavier and more ac-
curate the fire whistling over trench,
the harder 1t Is to make men raise their
heads over 1t to take aim. Smokeless
powder makes it easier for tho attack to
deliver such fire; hence the difficulties
Of the defense will be increased.
Further, in the absence Of smoke.
men stationary on the defense cannot
escape the depressing influence of tho
dead and wounded lying around them.
but tho attack leaves all these evidences
Of the fight behind it. So here again
the advantage is on its side.
With reference to the question of the
use Of smokeless powders by tho artil-
icry. the general idea seems to DO that
1t was all gain to the side which
thought more of killing its enemy than
of avoiding being killed itself. It enor-
mously facilitates the maintenance Of
fire discipline within the battery, permits
Of continuous fire even at the most rapid
rate, for no smoke interferes with the
laying OF the guns, and above all things
cheers the hearts Of the men by enabling
them to sec the results of their FIRE.
As u means of concealment 1t IL of nc
use ut all, for even at extreme ranges Of
5000 yards and upward the fash of Gis-
charge Is always distinctly visible. aud
ct fighting ranges the fash enables one
to note exactly the position of the enc.
my's guns. This was not always posi-.
ble with the old powders, for the smoke
ol,scurcd the object and prevented ones
picking mp sn exact point to aim at.
The artillery will be far from regret.
ting tho loss Of the two clouds which
hung, the ono in front Of their own and
tho other in front Of the encmy's guns.
Smoke is q cover added to that furnish.
cd by the ground, and no one has ever
been anxious for his opponent to have
covers which he himself could not turn
to advantage. II both are deprived Of
this cover victory viii belong to him
who, all else being equal. can most
slillfully supply the deficiency.
Maneuvers will hereafter probably
take place over larger areas before &C
tual fighting begins, and something Of
an Indians craft and natural keennes:
will be needed on the part of staff off.
GERS. Smoke has been so good cove,
on many occasions that its absence viii
impose new conditions, and natural
cover viii have to be much more ex
tensively utilized. With tho vanishing
poetry of the smoke battle tho prose Of 1
new err will begin, in which combat
viii DO moro like game Of chess II
view Of the pieces as q whole, and now
dispositions of old qualities and virtues
viii be wanted.-Iron Age.