The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1899-11-12
HOW BRITISH
OFFICERS FIGHT
THEIR EXPOSURE IN BATTLE
The Military Value Of Such Display
Depends Upon Circumstances
Ambros Blerce.

.
Accompanying the first reports OF the
Bnush-Bocr engagement at Glands
laagte were some interesting fgunes
regarding the losses OF men and officers
on the British side. II SENS that In
proportion to their numbers Ave times
as many officers as enlisted men We're
killed and thrcc times as many wound
ed. In all battles between civilized
forces there Is n disproportionate NOR
tallty among officers, but these figures
arc uncommon. They are explained in
the dispatches by the traditions OF the
BrltiSh army" which deny 10 a COM
mlSsloned officer the advantage OF TAX
Ing cover. When the men are ordered
20 lie down the officer remains on his
feet, a conspicuous, Isolated target for
the enemy's rifles. In the action at
Elanjslaagte Il wish | could feel sure
that that was anything like the real
name OF the place. the British tactics,
as determined as those Of the enemy
and by tho nature OF the ground, were
peculiarly unfavorable 20 longevity
among officers. The hghting lasted all
day, the attack on the Boer position
consuming several hours, during which
the British lines advanced foot by foot
across open ground frequently align
Ing and lying down to rest or deliver
volleys Exposure Of officers in these
circumstances was constant and haz-
Hrdous, The wonder is that any OF
those In the charging line came out OF
the affair with whole skins.
do not know with what degree OF
authority the traditions" forbid the
British officers to lie down or take
cover. II II is really an inviolabc law
among them they pay pretty we'll for
their rank and dignity. But fancy the
matter is very much as It is in our own
regular army: that the tradition" ex-
lists not as n hard and fast law, but as
a historical suggestion, a good deal OF
latitude being allowed In its observance
Perhaps II is something of the same
limitation OF meaning that abStention |
from profanity had to u certain gentle
mar whose besettlng sin II had been,
but who, snatched as brand from the
burning, had coined the church" one
day a deacon OF his congregation over
heard him uttering in anger an inter-
sequence of the most awful
oaths conceivable. What" exclaimed
the shocked hierarch, interrupting do
you not propose to observe the third
Eyes do" answered
the culprit, exhausted by his own vol
nbillty hut not so rlgldly that I'll be
tempted to break It."
In the hghtng about Santiago de
'uba the mortality among officers of the
'egular army was very great. The vol
lnteer officers l think suffered less
severely In the volunteers there are no
Of any kind to he observed,
md in the regulars fewer and less ex-
Ictlng ones than In the historic regl-
uents of the British, Some of these or
,aniHatlons are centuries old, with :
records" In scores of wars-records az
lear to officers and men as II they had
themselves personally participated in
II the campaigns and engagements Of
he organizations to which they belong.
he regiments have moreover, historic
ames, not merely meaningless num-
ers, as in our army AS a nucleus for
onors and glorious memories an arlth-
netlcal designation hardly serves, The