The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-05-04
OUR GUESTS OF WAR.
Foreign Governments VIII Send MIL
itary and Naval Representatives.

Foreign Governments VIII Send Mil
itary and Naval Representatives.
From the Pittsburg Dispatch.
The opening gun of war between Spain
and the United States viii invite from al
most every progressive nation military
specialists eager to take elaborate notes
upon what may prove to be the first sreat
international conflict fought under modern
conditions Many of these Investigators
will come as official military attaches &C.
credited to our government during the
strife. number will study the move
ments from the Spanish side. Some gov
ernments will send representatives to both
belligercnts. The honor of entertaining
the majority OF these interesting visitors
VIII fail to u.s. since all of the nations of
the earth expect Us to win.
These war attaches win be anxious to
wade into the gore of the battlefield or 20
stand close to the roaring guns of our
warships. They will be the official guests
of President Mckinley or of King AL
fonso, and win be given into the charge Of
the military commanders. enjoying the
protection which enlightened nations al
ways lend to non-combatants. Any delib-
crate attempts against their lives or COM
forts will be resented as insults to their
rulers, insults which might lead to war
against either Spain or US. France, Ger
many. Japan and Russia already nave
military attaches accredited to our gov
eminent. They belong to the official
suites of the ambassadors or ministers of
those governments. Spain is similarly
represented, but her military attache would
be sent home in case of war. Our mill
tary hospitality at such a time would be
extended only to neutral nations who by
sending military representatives to either
side, would not signify any sympathy with
that participant.
Necessarily, military attache of a neu-
trail government could offer no assistance
to either side. 1t would be a serious
breach of the neutrality laws for him to
accept even temporary command of body
of troops or to accept any service aboard
ship. He would not be permitted to enter
our foTtifications ever during calm of
battle. He would spend the greater part
of his time at the headquarters of our
commanding general in the field il travel
ing with the army, or if possible, on the
flagship of the admiral commanding one of
our fleets He should wear the uniform
Of his native army, probably the fatigue
uniform. If with the army he would be
loaned a horse by one OF our officers. lie
would move in the field with the COM
mander and his staff, would set with them,
share quarters with them and expect from
them every courtesy and protection which
a civilian guest expects from his host. He
would indeed hobnoD with the men engin-
eerlng this side Of the struggle.
During war the military attaches ac-
credited to our government would count
among themselves many men of exalted
rank In time of peace they are usually
young officers, ranking with our lieuten-
ants or captains. During our civil war
Prince Napoleon Travelled for time with
the army of the Potomac and Lord Woles-
lev. how commandments Of Queen
Vlctorias army, divided his time between
the Union and Confederate headquarters
in the field. In those days there was lit
tie to learn compared with to-day. We
would doubtless have with us number Of
generals, representing Germany, France,
Austria, Russia and England, those coun-
tries which are always looking for war
among one another.
Ii would not be unusual for one of these
governments 10. send her COMMANDMENTS
chief of either land or naval forces 10 ac-
cept the hospitality of Gen. Miles or one
of our admirals If so. Gen. Miles would
be unfamiliar with few of them, having
recently visited all of the important armies
of the world. During the late war between
Greece and Turkey he was at the seat
ing that war we had four attaches i'm the
field with both the Greeks and the Turks.
Gen. Miles selected the Turkish side be-
cause he expected the Turks TO win. He
was able TO study the effective engines of
war at a better advantage from the van
gushing than from the vanquished side.
Should the struggle with Spain be a
fierce one, there would be hundreds OF
lessons for these attaches to learn. Since
the introduction of modern implements
of war there has never been a wel-fought
battle with anything approaching even
chances for both belligerents. Since the
last great naval battle smokeless powder
has enabled fleet commanders to maneuver
in sight of one another. All vessels will
be kept under control by the visible sig
nails of the admiral commanding. Naval
officers in all parts Of the world are, there
fore, eager to know exactly how these
new evolutions of the modern warship