News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1900-07-11

miles where it once had range of a few
hundred rods. Guns which can ami
hilate divisions have taught military
men to keep their divisions out of sight
or out of range. The Beers did Kill off
the British at high rate in several in
stances. but the slaughter talked about
was nothing to what was known under
the old short range guns. Every in
vention in man killing must have its
corrective in improved tactics, and all
that can be said of the new slaughter
devices is that they will do terrible
work when an enemy is foOlhardy
enough to stand up for targets. Mod
Crn warfare means war between two
nations having modern equipments
and modern Sllill All the modernity
in the Turco- Greek, the American
Spanish and tlAe Japan-China war was
on one side. In each case one enemy
was behind the age and, of course, be-
hind its opponent.
With nations of the same class a
war fought out would doubtless solve
some problems and possibly change
the nature of war and do much toward
making it unpopular. But, in any
event, in whatever territory fought
and between any wide awake people,
war will still present problems that
have not yet been solved and cannot
be until the habits and physical needs
of men are changed. Dreamers talk of
airships, and no doubt some enthusi-
asts of the Holland type stand ready to
take the contract for bOmbarding cap
itals or lines of battle from the guns of
airy navies But Tennyson saw clear
er light when he prophesied AIRY ma
vies graphing in the central blue"
Nations strong enough to go to war
with equals will not respect patent
rights, and if there ever comes an airy
navy there will be another to contest
its championship. So it IS in every
thing martial. War is the outcome of
competition, and a leading feature of
| the game is to get the best of 'the 9th
er fellow" by hook or crook. In brief,
| every agency which makes for the
| greater efficiency of a given armament
will be adopted or initiated by the en-
envy.
A genius in the old age of warfare
declared that three things were neces
sary in war-"mOney, more money anC
always more money" The race is "tC
the swift and the battle to the strong
! To be swift at all times and strong a
all points is the sine qua non for vic
tory. Money simply, long range guns
simply, courage simply, will not give
the advantage. The Confederate For
rest said that success in war lay 'il
| gettin thar fuSt with the mOSteSt men.
| That epigrammatic statement is a
good today as it was in the sixties
| Courage is no use 10 to 20 miles from
the danger point. 1t must be on tn
field in nick of time, and the arm.
which can cut the enemy's roads, blow
up bridges, destroy or cut off waite
and food supplies has a better chanc
of success than one with every moderl
equipment, with soldiers galore.
would be idle to discuss tactics here
but again and again in the history o
war have troops lain paralyzed besid
their useless guns while victory wen
to the enemy's banners because the
could not get to the key point in mic
O. time. Armies don't fight duels
Within certain broad limits fixed on
of humanitarian considerations the
are as stealthy and as savage as tn
beasts of the jungle. 1t will be Ion
ere the issue of a conflict can be til
ured out with mathematical precision
long ere time and space and huma
cravings can be annihilated. INT
then war will be only a gamble where
in the best hand may be turned dow
by some mysterious ruling of fate.
One clear lesson of the Boer war
that an army must be a superb tightin
, machine. That the Boer army has ne'
er been. Good shots, brave and cul
] ming the Beers are, but they have L
regiments or brigades or divisions III
4 der loved and able leaders, which col
t stitute the thunderbolts needed for Il
] crises of battle. Chances for strikin
+ telling blows to the British have bee
e lost to the Beers because of want (
+ disciplined corps, ready to do all al
|. dare all at the signal of commander
: 1t has long been demonstrated thu
individual courage without organic
8 ton and discipline is valueless in wa
Any experienced general would rath'
have one good disciplined regimen
9 than a whole division of enthusiast
y eager for the fray" After Spion KC
e and Paardeberg the Beers went dow
e before the awe inspiring spectacle
IS brigades and divisions and corps
10 Britons marching steadily on towal
e Pretoria steadily on and on. Victori
d have been won by marching, simp
lie marching, and the wonders of w