New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-09-04

skirmishes and finally TO be killed In n spot
where the most ignorant man-atarins would
have been as useful as he was. But Richard
appears to have been a great soldier only when
he had a great soldier to fight. In Western
Europe the rough supremacy OF the mailed
knights and the needless fighting OF undisci-
pined cavalry remained the rule until another
English prince found that he could post in
fantry to make them invincible Mean
while Europe had hints enough. There was the
Marchfeld where the feudal ancers Of Bohemia
rendered helpless by the Magyar mounted
bowmen; there was Bouvincs where the Infantry
Of either side, II properly handled. would have
decided a conflict that was really ended by an
accident; there was BannoCkburn, where the
mere choice of position by the Scots made the
English kni6hthood a scorn and byword while
thirty thousand experts with the longbow, who
had been drawn up behind instead of In front
or between the squadrons OF the English cavalry,
looked on the fight which they could not share.
1t was perhaps hardly known then that the
longbow was better weapon than the cross
bow OF Richards time. This was to be shown
in battle where a foolish cavalry charge like
tina, at Bannockburn was deliberately rendered
imposs bic by an English king At Crecy Ed
ward III dismouutcd all his knights and sent the
horses TO the rear. If Bannockburn had not
taught him a lesson he learned il from Some
less important battles fought Oh English soil.
Opposed To him now was enemy whom the
caste spirit Of fcudalism had blinded 10 every
thing i'm war except 81 pride and chiNalry. 1t
was characteristic OF the French knights that
they rode down their own defeated 'rossbow-
men at CrGcy without even nquring what had
happened at the front. mob Of peaaantry
who hal no right 10 horses had no nights III
battle. Tn" same lesson that the English chiV-
airy got at Bannochburn the French chiVaITy
got now while they were hacking ana hc"lnG
their way over their own foot-soldiefs. Inc
press Of horse and foot became such that no
body could move. NJ "A distance b"y ono me
range OF the French crosshoW the English were
pouring in their long arrows. bringing down
horse or a man al every shot. so IN" knights
in the hrs, French battle says The chronic.er'
"felI slain or sore stricken almost without sec
ing the men who Slew them"
The battle on the French side d"gonora'cd into
a series Of charges by one body 81 knights aiier
another against Tho masses Of dlsm0Cnicd men
at. arms on the English side. often tho charE-
ing columns " re so thiuncd ry The EnGh7h
arrows ,ha, they fell harmless between ;hc lines
and the survivors were cast back into Ma; hope
less mass which could neither nrht nor ny. But
there were charges pressed with such vGor as
10 be dangerous. notably the famous one IN
which King Edward left the Prince ~ Walcs
10 win his spurs without help. tn" battle was
really a forcgonc conclusion however. from the
moment that tho lonPbow proved ITS superiority.
Mr. Oman refuses 10 allow any OF the uadi-
tionaI draw la ks about wet strings on the
French crossbOws and cannon on the English
SIDE. As If TO prove that the bowm"n were the
men to be considered at Crccy, there happened
shortly aftcrward the Attle battle Of Ardres. IN
which every English.nan was either slain or
captured but not til every arrow had been
eho, away nor until the dismountcd men-at-
arms were overwhelmed by numbers. SO con-
,,ipcinp were these battles at the time. that In
the battle OF Poticrs the French king dis
mounted a large part OF his cavalry. lie GER
tainly gained something by restraining the head
long ardor OF his knights bat he Sun lacked
what was indispensable, an Overwhelming iorce
Of archors to cover the charges MADE HTSt ny
the few cavalry in the front ana men ny 'he
disrnountcd men-at-arms. The captains OF the
age seem never TO have learned the real secret
NJ the matter. The knights Of Spain were swept
away like leaves in vain charges upon inc h'eH-
alarms and bowmcn Of Edward the Black
Prince But the history Of the warning mcdie-
val period IL that the importance OF cavalry
diminished steadily az the power and numbers
Of the missile arm Increased. Mr. Omans book
discusses many other topcs-thc development Oh
Fabrication, a point on which the world ~ no"
beginning TO unlcarn some Of its old uadltiohs'
and the rude beginnings Of power at sea Ills
examination OF Byzantine military science is an
admirable piece Of work, on the new lines whlch
study is taking with reference to the Eastern
Empire But after all. his continual recurrence
70 the cavalry question is the most modern feat