The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1899-05-09
TnE NEAT WAR

"a reyp.w OF book utled la Ouerre.
The book has created sensation
among the military men Of Europe.
because the author OF 1t Is Jean de
Bloch. the celebrated military critic of
Russia. He reviews the advances made
an military science, and the works OF
Bualmont and other noted writers on
military Affairs. and his conclusions are
startling. They are such as might be
made In composing a sensational mill
tary romance, and yet they are drawn
from the existing facts which are faml-
liar TO students OF military matters.
They are the conclusions OF a learned
man. who has no superior as a critic.
and, who has tested them by the facts
accomplished since 1870, the date OF the
Franco-Prussian war.
He declares that the modern guns
and powder are so efficient that the
losses in battle would now be four
times as many as in the war OF 1870
The new rifles are forty times more
efficient than the rifles used in 1870,
twelve to fifteen times greater than it
was at that date. Shells that eX-
ploded at that time into nineteen or
twenty pieces are now broken into an
average Of two hundred and forty
pieces Canister (bombe DE- font)
chat scattered forty-seven pieces or
shots. in 1870 now distributes 1904
pieces, with the aid of pyroxlne, and
spreads six hundred and fifty-six feet
at a distance OF three thousand three
hundred yards from the firing point.
The author says that the Prussian
General Rhone has stated that II 10, 900
men were TO attack a fort well armed.
they would be met at a distance of
1000 yards from It with, for instance,
1850 discharges OF artillery, which
would carry 275,OOO shot and shell
The attacking force. unless under
cover, would be annihilated before It
reached point distant mile from
the fort.
Rifles and smOkeless powder make
the use of cavalry of little value. Nor
can skirmishers advance. The artillery
now in use is so deadly, a series OF
earth works on battlefield are abso-
lutely necessary.
Bloch cites the description OF Cap
tain NJ. Nigote of the French army as
to the method Of battle, IL it were
fought today in Europe. At a distance
OF 5000 yards 1t would begin with ar
tiliery on both sides. Men and horses
would be swept down by the explod-
ing shells and bullets. The great can
non OF one army would disable the can
non OF the other army. The advantage
would be with the army that used the
most artillery. After artillery fire, the
infantry would advance. At 1000 yards
the rifle bullets would take effect
There would be a hail storm OF rifle
balls over the field. The artillery not
destroyed would cut up the attack
ing regiments. The field would be
covered with the wounded and slain
When the reserves came up there
would be maintained a space of 1000
steps across which neither line Of at
tack could cross, because of the terri
BILE discharge OF bullets. Shells loaded
with melinite would crush and utterly
demoilsh houses and villages in the
way OF the marching forces. The dead
on each side would be piled up into
yamparts about 1000 steps apart be-
hind which men would protect them
selves. The battle would continue UNI
I'll the ammunition gave out, and the
armies were used up.
The author says that II the French
and Germans were to engage in an
other war similar to that of 1870, II
might last a year, and in the end both
sides would be exhausted, and nothing
would be gained. The cost OF such
war would be on each side ten thous-
and millions of francs, and the cost to
Europe would be forty thousand mil
lions OF francs.
II the conclusion of the great writer
on military affairs is correct, and the
destructive power of modern weapons
is so vast, It indicates a sufficient rea-
son for general disarmament in Eu-
rope. So long as there Is uncertainty
as to the result OF battle, nations will
not disarm on any moral grounds But
" 1t Is accepted as a fact that an army
In great battle cannot obtain the
victory over another great army, and
the result will be destruction without
results. there will be n tendency to dis
arm. For even comparatively small
army will be able to destroy any at
tacfirg force.
In the order OF the evolution OF
'God-'iFo men" the power TO utterly
esferminate each other seems to pre-
cede the desire TO enter into general
brotherhood. Like ,wo frontier ruff
6ans who get the drop" on each other