The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-07-30
MILITARY MARCHING.



A curious report of the marching ca
pAbilities of the different European
armies, drawn up 1t the German min
istry Of war. has at the moment a special
interest. The figures are those Of the
established regulations" of the several
services. and it appears that the length
of the Russian soldiers pace is II cent?
meters; of the German, so, while the
French. Austrian. Belgian, Swedish and
Swiss soldiers all tread q pace of IS
centimeters. The Italian soldier takes
l20 steps in q minute. the French from
LIP to ZIG. the German lis, the Austrian
lis and the Belgian ITO steps. An Ital-
ian regiment marches at the rate Of
30 meters in the minute, German
regiment at SO. an English at IS and a
French regiment at SO meters per min
ute. The meter is equal 70 about 80 Ia
inches, and in English measure, there
fore, the rate of progression Of the four
aforementioned regiments would be
(about) as follows: The Italians, %
English, 95: tho French, % yards per
minute. 1t may be mentioned here
that. by the regulations of the British
service, our slow march consists of IS
3o-inch PAGES to the minute, this meas
ure being used only on parade and for
occasions of solemn pageantry. The
quick march. in which all evolutions
are performed, increases to no PAGES,
while the double" rises 10 $50 PAGES in
the minute.
1t is now generally agreed that as
ethletes the moderns are stronger and
liable to obtain more results from their
eXertions than the ancients." Wheth
er this may be justly said In references
20 military prowess is perhaps not quite
SO clear. The standard pace of the
Roman soldier was the same as our own
(3O inches), the length of 5 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
ut the rate of 20 of their miles (say 1s
of ours) in five hours. But this was
often exceeded on emergency, and 70
estimate the true quality Of this per-
Torrance it must be remembered that
the Roman foot soldier carried load
of some 60 pounds weight besides his
arms. Josephus says that on the march
he was "but very little different from
beast Of burden" Lord Wolseley telll
US that division can march 2h miles
an hour II very well managed, but that,
rs a rule, time should be calculated at
. miles an hour. including ordinary
halts.
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
tery science, have a secret power over
Va. disposing our organs TO bodily ex-
eIcises, and at the same time. deiuding,
- IL were, the toll Of them" If the
band is broken up Lord Wolseley coun-
sells officers to call upon the drums AM
buglss. 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.
Plutarcn describes the Lacedaemoni-
ans, when advancing TO the attack. a.
keeping pace to the time OF their
flutes, their music leading them into
danger cheerfully and unconcsrned.'
Most Of their actual marches. however,
were performed in silence.
With such a widespread experience OF
its advantages, it Is remarkable that
cadenced marching should have fallen
into almost total disusc 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 socalied
marches" of their composers. They
might. indeed, have turned their ffes
and drums TO better account; for the
nature of their discipline il sufficient
ly indicated by the following observe
ton by Marshal SAKE: AS every MAI |
Is suffered TO consult his own ease and /
inclination, some march slow and 9TH |
ers fast; but what Il TO be expected 4
from troops that cannot be brought 20 l
keep one certain regular psre?" On /
the contrary, their weil-ordered march !
ing was the glory of the Prussisn
troops, and the victories Of Frederick
the Great at Rosba. Leuthen and Zorn-
dorf were greatly due 70 this superior
ity. At this time the Germans had
Of great merit a. musical COM
positions, and the French poverty IN
this particular was. in fact. relieved
from . German source. They also
adopted many OF the German inxuu-
,nents, as well a. others In use amou,
the wslloon regimene. A. this da:s
Handel had given 20 our own troo~,.
the stately measure Of the march Ia !
'Scipio' and many another compost.
ton OF similar marked character. /
But the time .as lot yet Tor suci
strains as the march in Die Zaub<-.
aot>." or for the soienpity Of Bee;hor.
Ems funeral dirges.-St- James Gazette
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% decide in bow short q space Of tine
wing trees could be converted into