The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-08-27
a BUoIr oAII ron rnrronMrN.
surprIsinE Results or the NsnGuvrcs at Cha
Ions-A Demand TOR military Reform.

Surprising Results or the suspeuvrcs at Cha
lora-A Demand FOR military REFORM.
From the Figaro.
The recent military man9uvrcs Mt tho camp
Of Chalons have revealed some interesting sur
prises. They have opened the eyes OF the French
Generals and given cause for serious reflections.
1t is well known that real firing, that is to say.
with shells in the pieces instead Of blank car
tridges, and with balls in the rifles, has become
customary in Germany and Russia. The mill
tnry authorities in Russia possess immense
tracts OF land, which they hold exclusively for
training their artillery and infantry.
In Germany the commanders OF tho different
d~etachments simply notify the Mayors OF the
comnuncs that for i've or six days II will DO
DANGEROUS to travel through certain regions.
which are clearly marked on the charts. II
would DO difficult to apply that method in
France; but by. appealing to tho patriotism of
the people and In certain cases paying indemni.
ties. the same, result can be reached. Tor ex:
ample, In April last Gen. Langlois m%aneuvred
his brigade, firing. shells and bullets in
the immediate neighborhood Of Auxerre. 1t
artillery and cavalry thoroughly trained in rcai
hiring; and, ~ the opinion OF some of our highest
military authorities, the DEVELOPMENT Of this
training Is far more important than the trans.
formation OF our war material. The manRuvres
at Chalons have sutlcod to show that certain
that the general ideas In regard to the effects OF
the fire Of our modern machines were false.
lux IuluIc NhI VIII DC u bCnOOl LOT inc Two
years thousands OF works have been published
Sn the a. saf shs a Snd sns ''s os n G ,bs the Su 1g5sTS;
armies has repeatedly been changed from top to
bottom, the most competent military writer's
have only been able to offer conjcctures. Some
have commended that artillery would be ami
hilated by the fre en- nnasse Of the infantry;
posed for hvo. minutes to the fire OF artillery
sending shells loaded with ~shrapnel and melin-
two opinions were Numerically opposed, appar.
emily conclusive Arguments were presented in
support of each.
The reason was that we only knew the effects
Of firing through the annual experiments In the
polyRons Of the artillery and on the firing
carefully marked. where the ground is thor
onghly known by all the officers. and whore
fare Is nothing but a series OF surprises. Gen.
Nismes. In the recent manpuvres. has come as
slEsely .i as possible sss 81 Il 70 tn the realty in IN WnE, and the
authority at present. Two things are absolutely
conclusive from these results. and the War Min
lister has called attention to them in his criticism
of the sham fight: Infantry cannot manruvre
uncovered at less than 1000 metres from artil.
lery. and artillery. II approached by infantry to
possible. But 1t would be a mistake to hold
10 seld 5h seF oe5st 100 66ot m eFr,ise and c tbat e in9antp9 a ths
do nothing but lie close and fire. The recent
inventions. repeating rifles. rapid-fring gums,
with their explosive projectiles, have not, after
all, much modified the respective chances OF the
1dversaries and the part Of action of the
It should break out in a year r or in ten
years, can never have that vigorously scientific
That is good enough for the Kriegspiei, which
was all the rage among the contemporaries and
subordinates of Won Moltke, who looked npon
every battle ground as a vast chessboard where
everything known beforehand could be mathe.
matically arranged. Yes, everything except tho
Bonaparte whose genius planned the campaign
Of 1896. who created new tactics. new strategy.
and new mesns Of transportation to face tho
Modern rifles and artillery and armies Of more
than a million men are only factors in war;; and
the msnaMvres at Chalo1s have Just proved
lery will not be more deadly in the year 49,
than IT WAS in 1870 for troops well led and well
tinue to attach exclusive Importance to the
purely scientific part OF the preparation for war.
and in 1870. the best trained troops provided
win the oe,f material can mount to little or
Sow it viii be asked. was it. to reach ,ucb
conc Isions that so much money WAS expended J
Ent w ths m n,Tic, " W. ~ not was s., For yeaTs past
not want TO ind out whether or not our d.
visions, army corps and armies we're com.
military spirit was perpetuated. but whether
our guns carried as for as the guns OF
ten or twelve shots a minute: and the adopts
.o'! us 'bHt troops that could be seen by the
r e., :, " T tsro s.re Fl 10 ,, be des Ws TheTsfo5s i
griyhI. IL Bazaine had manGuvred While the
, ~ " - "o' hiNNliS IS lucent IlBnt,
the Prussions would have been defeated.
o. course. nobody would be in favor Of neg
iec,inE or ignoring the new inventions in artil.
lcry. That would be an absurdity. The fact
that has been demonstrated by the affair at
e. ,oIs j. that rifles. ami their big brothers. the
cannon. will not decide the campaign. To-day
ana TOMORROW, Ms in the past. they can only be
The innWmerahlc armies Of '97. Just like the
comparatively small armies OF 1904 and 1889,
need Generals; and it is precisely these Gener.
ais that we have no means Of finding. because
our military laws. commencing by the law of
promotion. and ending by the laws and DEGREES
that have organized. reorganized. and disorgan.
fzcd the general star. produce sterility.
Military reform has bee ome a necessity. Gen.
Bol!ot desires 1t. Will the Chambers continue
to turn a deaf ear to this pressing nemandf