The daily morning journal and courier., 1900-03-08
A PEACEMAKER ON THE WAR,
M. Bloch's views-The Revolution Wrought by Modern Arms-HoW Eng lands Camnaign will End.

4nl DiOCIl, the dulllol NL ei'S Ni
 work which induced the Czar to conVohe
 The Hague Conference has gwen ms
 opinion on the present war Tn nlghl9
 interesting interview published ln the
 Neue Free Presse MT. Bloch, who hao scores of military authorities and hund-
 reds of scientific men of all branches and countries as collaborators ln ms
 work, spoke sine ira and from purely
 scientific point of view He was on ms way from Paris to St. Petersburg, ana
 the interview took place in compart-
 ment of the Northern express, which was filled with books, writings, ana proofs.
 i Do you still believe" asked the. in-
 terviewer, that this fearful Transvaai
 war does not annihilate the effect of 1 The Hague Conferepce?"
 T hold" replied M. Bloch, that this
 war has become an addition to the con-
 ference, proof of the necessity of peace.''
 How do you explain the defeats of
 disciplined army by a handful
 of peasants?"
 T see them the first practical cor
 roboration of the revolution in warfare
 caused by modern arms. Owing to
 these, the position of a well-covered de- fense has become incomparably advan- tageous, while the position of the at I tacking force has been rendered equally dieadvantageous. The proportion be- tween them is as eight to one. All mili- tary experts to-day agree about this.
 Besides, it must be considered that
 well-protected defending force can use
 the rifle with greater precision and effic- iency than the storming party. The former knows the distances, and does not lose the time required by the at
 tacking force for the advance, during
 which the latter cannot fire. The de-
 lenders position is SO superior that very small bodies of troops can resist over
 wheming odds This can easily be seen in all the investments of this war. The small British minorities in Ladysmith, Kimberley, and Mafeking resist the Beers superior forces, while the British superior forces, at Magersfontein, Stormberg, and Colenso could not suc- ceed against the intrenched Boers; and by the way, the British forces were not only larger in number, but better drillr ed andequipped. while the Boers were lacking in organization and possessed no cadres for their artillery. Whenever they have forgotten thie-for instance. in their attacks on Ladysmith-they have been as decidedly repelled as the British forces were at Magersfontein. This explains why the Boers refrained from attacking the English, ,Aeven after having captured guns"
 Is any attack impossible without sac rificing men uselessly?"
 Yes. Rohne declared that 100 in trenched men lose only twenty-nine men in the time they disable 2S0 of an attacking force at from 400 to 500 metres distance. The French General Ferron and the Russian sGaperal Skugarewsky that Mhea an attacking force is to start at distance of 800 meters the number must be 637 men against says that with equal forces an intrenched force may allow the attacking party to approach to within 200 meters, and he will be an- 
 But, how about artillery" l
 Well, artillery ie peculiar matter. | If, as is mostly gthe case. the artillery Is equal on both sides. the artillery of l the attacking force will be first destroy ed If this, however, be very superior, destruction will ensue on both sides. To 1 operate against well-covered enemy artillery will always have to act at short distances; but then it will be ex- posed to the danger of the gunners and horses being shot away
 How long doYyau think Ladysmith 1 can hold out?'
 This will depend only on the quanti- | ty of provisions and the state of health | of the garrison, the possibility of cap l ture by storming being excluded It | appears that the Boers do not care much for it's capture. The feeding of | l0,0C0 men G not a trifie. Besides Lady, | smith is not fortress, but an open place defended by intrenchments, which | prove to be more efficient than many ] fortress and which--this is the salient | again be established any where else at any time. If Ladysmith falls, a new Ladysmith, only with an- other name, may arise at any corner of the scene of war. The question is not | lere, as In other wars, to occupy cer- ain important place, the capture of which may decide the war; the question lere is only to keep or destroy the ene- ny's position. There are no such inn 1ortant places in the TransvaaL"
 "Is not Pretoria P
 NO, owing to the primitive character if the Transvaal Government, the capi- al has for them no special significance. Besides, Pretoria is not to be eaaily talk n, being well fortified. The English roops would be obliged to penetrate the entre of the country, where their out cts could be cut off, and the besiegers would soon be besieged, and died of Iunger. More troops are required for his than England can muster" Don't you think the war will come o an end before Pretoria Is reached?" 2 T certainly consider it impossible to , eleaguer the capital with a prospect [ f success" You don't believe, then, in decided l low, which could at once end the con- ict?" II Tn no case Modern warfare can nly be pursued as a beueaguering and | ltrenchment war, avoiding open battle- | eds, and consequently an enormous l me is required. Modern wars, as has | ready been shown, will last much ( ,nger than formerly, and will conse- | uently be more sanguinary. No more | ecisive battle will take place. No en- i .1 q