The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1896-08-05
MILITARY MARCHING.
Pace I'm Different ArmIes-Enect of Music
on the March.

A curious ~epor. Of the marching ca
liabilities of the different European
armies, drawn up at the German min
istrr of war. has al the moment special
interest. The figures are those of the
established regulations" of the several
services, and ii appears that the length
of the Russian soldiers pace is Il cent?
meters; of the German, 50. while the
French, Austrian. Belgian, Swedish and
Swiss soldiers all tread pace of IS
centimeters. The Italian soldier takes
40 steps in a minute, the French from
112 TO 1l6, the German lis, the Austrian
lis and the Belgian ITO steps. An Ital-
ian regiment marches at the rate Of
90 meters in the minute, a German
regiment at So, an English at IS and
French regiment at Sc meters per min
ute. The meter is equal 10 about 80 1-3
inches, and in English measure. there
fore, the rate of progression of the four
aforementioned regiments would be
(about) as follows: The Italians, 9S
yards per minute; the Germans. %; the
English, 95: the French, 90 yards per
minute. 1t may be mentioned here
that. by the regulations of the British
service, our slow march consists of *
30-inch PAGES 10 the minute, this meas
ure being used only on parade and fo-
occasions of solemn pageantry. The
quick march. in which all evolutioas
are performed. increases TO 10 PAGES,
while the double" rises TO $50 PAGES in
the minute.
II is now generally agreed that as
athletes the moderns are stronger and
liable 10 obtain more results from their
exertions than the anclents." Wheth-
er this may be justly said in reference
TO military prowess is perhaps not quite
SO clear. The standard pace of the
Roman soldier was the same as our own
80 inches), the length of s feet being
really the measurement Of two steps,
or the pace from where either foot was
lifted up TO that on which the same foot
was again set down. The Roman mile
of 1000 PAGES was equal TO rather more
than nine-tenths of our own statute
mile, and the legions usually marched
at the rate of 20 of their miles (say is
of ours in five hours. But this was
often exceeded on emergency, and 10
I4IC Va A-lS tCA-
Torrance it must be remembered that
the Roman foot soldier carried load
of some 90 pounds weight besides his
arms. Josepbus says that on the march
he was but very little different from a
beast of burden Lord Wolseley tells
US that division can march 21s miles
an hour if very well managed. but thai,
as rule, time should be calculated at
miles an hour, including ordinary
hats.
The rationale of cadenced marching
is too obvious TO require analysis, and
all modern marches are, as far as pos
sible, made to some kind of music.
Sounds" said a great master of mill
tary science. have secret power over
US, disposing our organs to bodily ex-
ercises, and at the same time, deiudinr,
as ii were the toll of them" If the
band is broken up Lord Wolseley coun-
sells officers TO call upon the drums AMI
bugles. The troops march 100 per
cent. better than IN silence" and. this
resource also falling, the men should
be got to sing by companies. All this
was well understood by the ancients.
Plutarch describes the Lacedaenoni-
ans, when advancing to the attack, a.
keeping pace TO the time of their
flutes, their music leading them into
danger cheerfully and unconcerned-"
Most of their actual marches, however,
were performed in silence.
With such widespread experience of
its advantages. it is remarkable that
cadenced marching should have fallen
into almost total disuse during the
middle ages. To remove this defect in
the French military system was one of
the chief labors of Marshal SAKE. In the
middle of the last century the musical
instruments of the French army were
as poor as some of the so-called
marches" of their composers They
might. indeed, have turned their flies
and drums 10 better account; for the
nature of their discipline is sufficient
" indicated by the following observa-
ton by Marshal SAKE: AS every man
is suffered to consult his own ease and
inclination. some march slow and 9th
ers fast: but what is TO be expected
from troops that cannot be brought TO
keep one certain regular pace ?" On
the contrary, their well-ordered march
ing was the glory of the Prussian
troops, and the victories of Frederick
the Great at Rosba, Deuthen and Zorn-
dorf were greatly due 10 this superior
ity. At this time the Germans had
marches of great merit as musical COM
positions, and the French poverty in
this particular was, in fact. relieved
from a German source. They also
adopted many of the German instru-
ments, as well as others in use among
the Walioon regiments. At this date