The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-08-24
MODERN WARFARE.
In Three Days Single Encounter
Would Probably Decide the Issue.

WOuld frObably Dec1de the Issue.
From the Pail Mall Gazette.
Summing up the whole question, as be-
tween any two European peace-trained
armies of the present day, the extreme per
centage of loss to be anticipated locally,
t. e., on particular brigades and divisions,
Will not exceed one in three (of which one
is killed to four wounded, whereas for
whole armies of a quarter of million and
over one in ten is the very outside pun
ishment we may reasonably expect
Compared to the slaughter of the Seven
Years War, and the best contested fields
Of the Napoleonic period this is very little
indeed. At Zorndorf the Russians left p, 600
out of 5000 on the ground and, though
this is undoubtedly the bloodiest battle
recorded since the introduction of pOrta-
bic firearms, Eylau, Friedland, Wagram
and Borodino all exceed the figures for
any pitched battle since the breechloader
appeared in the field. Moreover the horror
of the whole thing is not to he measured
| by figures or percentages only, but by the
density in which the killed and wounded
lie, and the fate of the latter afterwards
In a modern battle 10000 men would fall
on an area of about twenty square miles
at Zorndorf the 210O0 Russians and 1900
Prussians lay on a single square mile and
whereas, in 1870 nine out of ten recovered.
and the Prussian medical staff anticipate
even better results next time
But death on the battlefield is by far the
| least of the two evils the soldier has to
| face. There is death on the line of march
and in hospitals along the road. Whereas,
| formerly. particularly under Napoleon, ten
would die by the way for one who fell in
action. IN the last Franco-German war
! only one man died of disease for two killed
/ in action. Indeed the health of men in
the full prime of life was actually slight
/ ly better in the field than in quarters.
| 1t may, however, be argued that even
/ granted that battles and marches may be
! less destructive, there will be more of
! them, because every able-bodied man be-
/ ing trained for war, the resistance will
/ be more prolonged than formerly; but th4
! prolonged endurance IL only conceivable
/ under the supposition that the leaders on
! both sides are hopelessly incompetent, and
/ both fear to stake all on a single collision,
! a supposiuon that nothing tends TO justi-
! fy. On the contrary, every leader
! brought up IN the modern school is taught
! 10 understand the vulnerability of all
/ modern social organizations, and is pene-
/ trated with the conviction that one down.
! right knockout" blow effects more than
weeks Of purposeless sparring; and where
1 both start determined to bring matters to
! a climax the decision cannot long be de-
! layed. Judging from what we know of the
| relative efficiency OF continental armies.
We believe that the first round of the
| great encounter will also be the last; for
| the momentum OF the blow which decides
will simply paralyze every nerve Of the
! opponents body; and, adding up all
| sources of casualties that can occur in
/ a short campaign Of this description, we
conclude that at the very worst the actual
| cost in human life to the powers engaged
will not amount to more than per cent
| Of their several populations. or almost
! identcally the same percentages as the
| influenza epidemic Of 1912 cost Germany.
| and rather less than the same epidemic
| cost as To suppose that this degree Of
! blood gu.ltluess would chain the wills OF
! any responsible body OF statesmen who be-
! lieye that they were acting IN the interest
| OF their country IL surely too Ethiopian an
J idea for profitable discussion.