The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1895-12-30
H0RSElEss VIR VEHICLE
Gen. Miles Studying the Ques-
tion Of lis Adoption.
HORSEPOWER is LIMITED
Such Carriages Would Furnish All
the Advantages of the Ancient Nov
able Forts-Ssving OF Money Would
Also Result to the Government-In-
terest In the Chicago Trial.

, uorseless vehicles will probably he used
in our army before very long. Gen. Miles
I is now studying the question, AMI further
/ Indication of the interest with which these
new cquipagcs are regarded in military cir
clcs is the fact that Gen. Merritt judged the
contest held in Chicago on Thanksgiving
bay. Several other officers of the army
were also present at the trial
Before many generations BATTLES will be
fought by nayics. so to speak. patrolling
the lahi, well us the sea- in it66clad YES
seis- This would appear more rea sonablc
than the Likelihood that flying aiusllips
viii some day take Il ha nj in the military
conflicts of the worlf. Yet our army Off
GERS are today experimenting with flying
devices for the signal corps. True, the
horselcss vehicle, as We now know II. can
not be depended On Ia climb fences, run
over steep rocks or such obstacles. But
an ocean war vessel does not lose its vaiue
because unable 10 leap over every rock in
the way or because II csi mot sail In shallow
water. It's pilot knows the proper chan
nels. The pilot of the land vessel will know
the roads With the advent of the horse
less vehicle will come the advent of good
roads. Thus say the prophets.
ARE MOVABLE FORTS.
The value of the movable fort has been
appreciated by soldiers ever since Paul of
Macsslon routed his enemies with the fatal
phaianx, or since Cat sar made war with
his moving towers and columns Of men roof
Ell over with a covering Of shiclds, locked
together. With fortresses capable of being
moved over the country, Uncle sam could
rout his worst enemy with but modest
force. The amy wagon has AWAY played
an important part III the protection Of small
bodies Of men attacked from ambush IN the
march. Where there Is animal power ex-
posed. however. that propeliing force is
soon extcrninated with 4 single bullet.
The horse is much more easily hit than
the man. War statistics including all the
worlds battles fought between 1900 and
1865, show that for every 100 cavalrymen
or artillerymcD killed there were 100
horses. But Il travelling fort could not be
destroyed nearly SO quickly as "A warship,
for the reason that there is no water to
rush into the former. \ few hundred holes
can be shot clear through. and yet win go
on. unless the vital machinery is broken.
The adoption OF the horseless vehicle,
as is contemplated Tor the simple army
train. nla Y lead to the adoption III these arm
orcd land vessels some day.
At each OF itsforty-oue military posts our
army employs two or more wagons, pre-
scribed by the auarterma $, er general The
larger, the six-mue wagon. is for trans
porting army supplies to and from railroad
stations, on the frontier posts.
The other. known as the escort wagon.
is pulled by two four mules 1t is
used in the more thickly settled regions.
for the same purpose. az well as for Of
fetal brands. These wagons have been
used in the army since the war with
but little alteration. Both viii be ini-
portantfactorso OF thearmy rain in the event
OF war with a foreign power.
WAGON VS.. MULE.
They are slow. but sure, as are the
government mules which ORA " them. Bat
the government mule will not long be in use
in tiiese advanced days. when all the armies
Of the world striving to solve the prob
lem OF rapid transit.
The movement is fast on foot TO mount
our regular soldiers. as well as militia
men. on bicycles. When these are used
marches of 100 miles or more will he
made in the light OF one day. Forced ones
will easily be made in twenty-four hours.
Two hundred niles was lately Travelled
by several fast riders i'm less than twelve
hours In a rapid march OF this kind
the government mule would be left behind
with all the provisions.
Not even cavalry horses can make such
long, continuous marches as can cyclers.
A good horse making eighty miles in one
day must rest week before continuing
its journey. The bicycle needs but a little
apparent to progressive military men that
with the advent OF the bicycle must come
the advent OF the horselesS carriage in the
army provision train.
Our small army of 25. 600 men employs
$500 horses and mules for uses OF the
purposes. The average cost of these for
the last fiscal year. for instance, ranged
from sos to S1GS apiece. the ca valry horses
costing the least. even less than the govern
ment mules. and draft horses the most
Thus the army makes Il great outlay each
year, not only for purchasing horses, but
for keeping them well fed and groomed.
Then there is the expense of harness and
wagons, all of which help to subtract
thousands from the army appropriation
The horses are boz ght from private parties
by the quartermasters at the va rous posts
ST. Louis is the favorite market for army
horses and mules.