The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-09-05
NO COLORs IN THE FIELD.
The British Order Against Carrying
Flags Into Action.
Frmo the New York Tribune.

Frmo the New York Tribune.
Whatever romance there may be in the
grim tragedy of war has received a severe
blow through the announcement by the
commander-n-chief of the British army
that from henceforth no coors will be
carried into action, and that in thus aban-
donlns one of the most picturesque fea-
lures of military life the English war de-
partment is only following the example of
the German and other continental armies
an OF which have decided that, under the
existing conditions of warfare, it would
he rank folly to order any soldier TO car
~ the regimental colors into an engage
ment This innovation is not altogether
unexpected. For in the latest edition of
the Infantry Drill" issued by the Brit
ish government d couple OF years ago. the
paragraphs dealing with the manoeuvres
of regiment on the battlefield mention
that che colors If present VIII move with
The rcarmost battalion" In days gone by
they were always carried at the head of
the regiment, especially when charging
upon the enemy, so as TO serve as a
rallying point to the troops. and as an
emblem calculated to stir their patriotism
and their courage to deeds of valor. t,igh-
teen years ago Gen. Sir Evelyn Wood.
who has just been appointed quartermas-
ter general of the British army, passion
ately pleaded, and, as now appears, plead
ed in vain, for the retention of the colors
in action.
In the course of a public speech he re-
marked: 1T is suggested that they are
cumbersome and are the cause of sacr-
fees. After all, they are what? A col
ored rag on a stick, and is it worth while
to risk mems lives for a piece of tawdry
silk? You might as well say that because
honor is invisible and faith impalpable
they do not exist as loadstars for the hu-
man mind. Colors are potent TO check dis
aster to rally fugitives, to inspire attack.
Whatever continental armies may do,
hope that we will not give up this strong
incentive for men to hang together. 1t is
to my mind a moral question interesting
to all Brltons, and involving some OF the
brightest aspects of the gloom of war
fare"
Sentiment, however. has no place in the
modern battlefield; the pomp of war must
be sacrificed to the panoply in the shape
of quick-fring rifles and Maxim guns,
which deal death TO any enemy whose face
cannot even be seen. Bayouets and sword
blades seldom If ever cross and clash. The
days when as at Inkermann, the Cold
Stream Guard crossed bayonets with their
Russian foes eleven times in a single day.
hurting stones at the enemy when their
ammunition failed and clubbing with their
rifles when they came near enough, are
passed and gone. The conflict is reduced
to a mechanical interchange of volleys
and salYos, whose point of departure what
with the use Of smokeless powder and
the absence of noise, it is difficult nay
sometimes impossible, to determine. In
deed, war bids fair to be still further
transformed If the trials now in progress
at Versailles result in the adoption by
the French army Of a new rifle which dis
charges vitrol instead of bullets. Heroes
do not fear death, but naturally shrink
from Disagreement, and men who face
rife bullets without hesitation can hardly
| be expected to display the same indiffer-
ence to rifles squirting the burning, scar.
ing vitrol. No decent-looking soldier will
be got 90 face them If both forces are
possessed Of this novel weapon the spec
tacle will be, to say the least, peculiar.
and wounds received la front will no
no longer be considered as an indication
Of valor, but quite the reverse. In fact.
the more damage a soldier receives 10
his back the greater will be his hero
ism.
But even without the vitrioi rifle, there