Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1896-04-16

from the London Globe: In re
cent address on The Tactical Training
Of Volunteers" Lord Wolselcv, the new
commander in chief of the English
army, said that there was ii general ten
dency to confound tactics with strategy.
When one talked OF strategy he talked
of a science, but when he talked Of tao
tics he talked of an art. It was very
desirable that those who had to hold
high positions in military forces should
have Il very extended knowledge OF
strategy and of military history, from
which the rules of strategy were de
rived.
Tactics, on the other hand, was an art
very easily acquired and related to out
post duty, rear guard duty and work
of that kind. He believed any COmpe-
tent captain Of company could teach
il 10 his subOrdinates, and he would
even go further and say that tactical
instruction might be given in a room.
OF course he did not wish to deprecate
the instruction which was given in the
field. On the contrary. the more Off
GERS of both the army and the volun
teers who could go into camp and be
taught tactical operations the better it
would be for them
II had been said that regiments and
reeimontal officers are what the com
handing officers made them and he be
lieved that to be entirely the case,
When he remembered what the volup-
teers had been. and knew what they
were at present, he could not but con-
graduate them upon having done so
much in recent years to improve them.
selves. They had improved both in
discipline and drill. He referred par
ticularly to drill, because it had been
rather lost sight Of in the discussion,
and although no one worked harder
than he had done to get old-fashioned
drills abolished in the army. he had al
ways thought, and would continue to
think. how great was the value and
Importance of knowledge of drill. 1t
was not only a discipline for the body.
but for the mind. and taught men the
first rudimcnts of obedience.
If he were asked what were the great,
est military virtue-sreater even than
courage-he would say that it was UNI
hesitating. unluestiOning obedience.
With regard to the suggestion that vol
untecr officers should be required 10
pass a compulsory examination in tao
! ties. though there was great deal to
| be said in favor of it, one had to deal
with actual facts and could not lay
| down in writing what he conceived
would be the best possible process for
n.Darting a knowledge Of tactics. 1t
WIS necessary to take volunteer officers
rs they were found and make the best
of the force, but, above all, he must
not do anything which would injure the
patriotic feeling which called the force
| into existence.
Instructors should take every oppor
tuNity of instructing the officers in 4
knowledge of tactics, but they could
no, lay down a hard-and-fast rule and
say that volunteer officers must pass an
examination in tactics or their services
would be dispensed with. On the other
! hand, however. where they got bad
commanding officer in a battalion and
it was evident that the defects of the
battalion were due to the commanding
officer. they must say to him: "Sir, you
have done your best. but your best is
not good enough for us, and you must
CO."