The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1900-07-20

SltHceS, Dul lue SlauSlilet ldlheu itu1ol
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 I
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 I
nations having .aodern equipments
and modern skill. All the modernity
in the Turco-G Greek, the American
Spanish and the Japan-China war was
on one side. In each case one enemy
was behind the age and. of course, be-
hind it's 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 Tennysoh saw clear
err 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
4 rights, and if there ever comes an airy
navy there will be another to contest
it's 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 1.-THE 9th
er fellow" by hook or crook. In brief,
every agency which makes for the
greater efficiency of 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 and
always more money" The race is Ito
the swift and the battle to the strong"
To be swift at all times and strong at
all points is the sine qua nou 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 lin
gettin thar fust with the mostest men."
That epigrammatic statement is as
good today as it was in the sixties.
Courage is 40 use 10 to 20 miles from
the danger point. 1t must DE on the
field in nick of time, and the army
which can cut the enemy's roads, blow
: up bridges. destroy or cut off water
and food supplies has better chance
of success than one with every modern
equipment, with soldiers galore. II
would be idle to discuss tactics here
but again and again in the history OF
war have troops lain paralyzed beside
: their useless guns while victory went
to the enemy's banners because they
could not get to the key point in nicl
O. time. Armies don't fight duels
Within certain broad limits fixed ou
of humanitarian considerations they
= are as stealthy and as savage as the
! beasts of the jungle. 1t will be Ions
! ere the issue of conflict can be fig
ured out with mathematical precision
/. long ere time and space and human
cravings can be annihilated. Unit
then war will be only gamble where
d in the best hand may be turned dow
e by some mysterious ruling Of fate.
= One clear lesson of the Beer war il
l that an army must be superb fghtin:
e machine. That the Boer army has new
er been. Good shots, brave and Gun
b ming the Beers are, but they have n
i regiments or brigades or divisions un
a der loved and able leaders, which con
It stitute the thunderbolts needed for tn
d crises of battle. Chances for striking
l. telling blows to the British have beel
e lost to the Beers because Of want O
l. disciplined corps, ready to do all an
j. dare all at the signal Of a commander.
T. 1t has long been demonstrated tina
q individual courage without organiZa
6 ton and discipline is valueless in wal
Any experienced general would rathe
have one good disciplined regimen
g than whole division Of enthusiasts
y "eager for the fray" After Spion Ko
le and Paardeberg the Beers went dow
lie before the awe inspiring spectacle O
is brigadeS and divisions and corps O
80 Britons marching steadily on towar
he Pretoria, steadily on and on. Victorie
I'd have been won by marching, simpl
he marching. and the wonders of wa
n are not yet over.
,s Lord Roberts march from Bloom
i. fontein northward was, in fact, notf
\. ing more than parade. The Boer
v made some feeble rear guard stands
" but there was no determined attemp
n. to take advantage of natural position
20 and withstand the British advance. !
4. general who should march boldly fol
10 ward under those conditions, countin
,s upon immunity from attack, would b
10 foolhardy. TO be prepared for the wors
10 is the true motto for war leader
i Oyerpreparation is the cheaper in tn
r. long run. The British won nothing b
20 fighting; they won all by displays O
ctro nth r