New-York tribune., 1898-12-31
THE BRITISH IN INDIA.
THEIR MILITARY TASKS ON THE FROM
TIER TO-DAY AND IN THE FUTURE.

INDIAN FRONTIER WARFARE. BY cap'asn an
srsSsMaS rhe Thrc
Volume OF the Woseey Series. Edited by CAP
tain Walter. H. James) Octave pp. WILL 2'i
THE STORY OF THE MALAKAND , FlEia, d,
an ounen's Own Hussars With Maps. Plans
etc. octave. PIP xiv 1885, Longmans' Green q
THE INDIAN FRONTIER WAR. Being an Ac-
coun, of the Mohmund and Trah I,s, Exp,sd,Hc%ms cors
respondent. With Thrty-one illustrations IRON, ron,
Sketches by the author ana rho1Ss'syni np xv 600
Charles Scrbncr's Sons
The British Army is continually hghtng-ln
India in Afghanstan. in Burmah. In south
Africa. in Abyssinia. in Egypt-and hghting III
circumstances which. in spite Of the poor opinion
one may have Of its antagonists. make excep-
tional demands uron its courage. its endurance
and its military capacity. That II acquits tsei'
a. well. as regards pluck and daring. as IN 'he
Peninsula and before Sehastopol no one VIII
doubt who reads It's recent history, particularly
In India during and since the mutiny. Inc
record is marred 1t is true. by an occasional
disaster like that Of Malwand. but as whole 1t
= a chain of successes very creditable to the
men in tho ranks As matter of fact. no ma
tion is called upon TO 90 more fighting on land
year in and year out. than England. or answers
the call with greater courage finer military
enthusiasm.
II is an error 10 imagine that EnE'ands meet
however large IL may become, Will ever ne ace
Guate TO the imperial defence. Indispensable no
doubt il is and will be. for the maintenance OF
the integrity ot the empire. IN the many ways
with which naval writer's have made us faIninar
But !; 1. commonplace that both sehtimentaliy
and materially the British Empire means In
dia and tina, the only foe that is likely to assaii
%
Continent. over the Roof OF the World and
no, over the high seas With the rapid APP
proach Of Russia from the North until the two
enrires arc now contiguous except for little
etr,n or the Parnirs England has become. In her
imperial position. Lord Roberts has pointed
out "A Continental Power. and her interests IN
that part 81 the globe must be protected by Con-
1inentai means Of defence" II is thus entirely
within the range OF probabilities that when the
great struggle comes her feet will be condemned
20 NAV part as secondary that played by
the French Navy in the Franco Prussian War
while upon her army will devove the protection
of her imperial fortunes. 1t must not be for
gotten. also that In that day what is now left
rf the buffer state" Of Siam will probably have
disappeared. and that England will be facing
France along an eastern frontier. extending
from Bangkok TO the upper course Of the Yang
tse- Kisng
The history Of recent frontier warfare in india,
therefore possesses great interest from two
points Of view. both Of which are we'll presented
IN the volumes before us. on the one hand. 1t
q a fascinating record OF military adventure
and achievement: on the other il answers the
ouestion-important for all Anglo-Saxondom -
of what kind Of training the British Army Is
getting for the greater future task OF imperial
defence What sort Of school in other words,
do punitive expeditions into the Businesses OF
,he Hindu Kush furnish for soldiers who are
destined to meet the disciplined ranks Of Euro
,pean troops and the strategy OF European COM
rnanders, or the record to which we have al
luded brilliant chapter will be found in the
narratives OF Lieutenant Churchill and Mr.. |
-James Light on the question Of training is
given IN the work OF Major Younghusband.
which is an admirable introduction TO the un-
derstandng Of the problem. 1t rs professedly
merely textbook containing in narrow
compass the essence Of the various questions
which have TO be dealt with in the operations
Of the Indian forces" and 1t discusses these
matters in an elementary way. in non-technical
language. and with a simplicity and directness
Of style that make il exceedingly interesting
reading. But although its primary aim is thus |
20 state only the diverse problems which spring |
from the varying local conditions Of the frontier
stances OF their successful unsuccessful So
luton. the broader point of view is constantly |
kept in mind and the bearing of the present on
the future is abundantly suggested In fact it
IS clear that In the mind Of the writer. in
that OF Lord Roberts. it is not much the
Pathan or the Dakoit as "Adam-Zad the Rus |
sian Bear who fills the military background.
The grouping of the tactical problems OF Indian |
frontier defence Is determined by two general
conditions, namely. the geographical character
Of the frontier TO he defended and the method
OF fighting employed by the enemy to be re-
PEELED. The frontier sweeps in a great irregular
curve from the Gulf Of Siam through the i'm
mense forests Of Burmah and the Shan States
along the crest OF the Himalayas to the Hindu
Kush. and among the mountain businesses Of
Afghanistan, and ends in the deserts of Beluch-
ostan. Scarce a mile Of this frontier but holds
an open or secret foe scarce a year passes
without the necessity arising Of armed inter
vention in quarter or another" Viewed
broadly this vast extent Of borderland falls into
two divisions. the mountainous. from Quetta TO
Bhutan, and the forest-clad. from Bhutan TO
the mouth Of the Mekong, both OF which present
characteristic military features. Into divisions
of Mountain Warfare and Forest Warfare
accordingly. Major Younghusband separates the
problems 10 be considered. AS regards the tao
ticdl methods or the cnemy-one central fact
furnishes the key TO all he others, far at
least as the native tribesmen is concerned
namely that like all Asatics he invites attack
and stands upon the defensive. In Asiatc
warfare II has become an axiom sanctifed BY
time and justified by a hundred victories for a
British force however small always to take
upon itself the role Of the attacking party
From the battle Of Plassey downward. this
bold Initiative has almost invariably brought
success" II a European foe is TO be met. how
ever-and. as has been said. the thought OF this
contingency underlies the book-these tactics
will no longer. TO the same extent at least be in