The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-03-04
AREvOLUTION IN WARFARE
faE NEW EZRA MARKED By ~
SOUIH AFRICAN CAMPAIGN.

III w hB0 oNAoUo ~ v =.
work Rather Than By Splendid Courage
-vrsntai Attacks Useless Against the
New small Arms and Smokelsss Powder
The Unseen b~osrs-knset OF Lyddi'e'
LONDON, Feb. Al IL aowiy beginning to
dawn upon England and upon Europe at large
tina, he struggle In South Africa is marking a
revolution In the methods Of military warfare
no less radical than that which he Monitor Msrri
mac nsht agnAli1sd . generation ago in naval
warfare. A new military tIuism has been
evolved from the terrible experiences Of three
Bnash armies during the past three months.
nansly, that an intrsnchsd force squippsd with
modem small arms v invndbls against any
frontal attack made In the open. When this
proposition was nfst made on behalf Of the armies
Of Butler, Gatacrs and Msthuen. Il was received
more q Q chArtabas sxcuss from apologists for
Brius disast.rs than - . genuine military
discovery. There v - doubt that British Gen
srals, nearly ali Of them. have bsen guilty Of
rev tactical biundsrs. but there Is no doubt
also that the science OF war has changed. II is
Q change, moreover. which initiates against
The fsvorts methods of British campaigning
moro than against thoss OF any other country
n 10 . change which robs war Of half its martial
glory, . change which minimizss valor and
Vubsututss the cool. silent brainwork Of q good
shsss player for the charge OF a light brigade
II 10 not . welcome change for officers or men
IN this country. II does not reduce the hardships
Of war; II increases IL dIudgefy and tedium and
almost eliminates IL excitement, and opportunity
"a p~sssonal distinction In a word. i, will make
SsS end military life unpopular for tho rank and
"a The ultimate shsct will probably b a dis
Cnsl decline In the martial spirit which Is the
tDAA-~naahlA unaiuatAv nj ALL AFmies
Ths birth Of this new martial era Is nov chroni.
slsd In al the letters coming from the front which
are based upon sound military judgment The
svsnt 10 recorded In every instance with evident
NsaSponemsnt, for the writer's do not conceal
thsts Ssgrst that war has bssn stripped Of the
gTsAAR Sat Of it, e1hilarauon and its individual
snA saAssovs hsroasm. But the lesson has been
fosn1 hons IN deadly fashion. The writer Of the
lsttss hon which the following extract 10 taken
dess not ~ realize the full force OF the new order
Of things, but his description OF tho modern
conditions Is insrucuve. Hesays;
v began by nghtine In q hurry; We are now
fighting at leisure Neither the Generals. the
mon, nor the public at home had formed an ap
ppKim atsly correct estimate OF the difficulties
which had TO b overcome. or OF the enemy we
were TO encounter. The Boer fights with his
~ VA WV S' H v
with their muscles. seldom with their head. You
cannot get either tho ofhcers or the men to under
stand that the first duty OF a soldier Is TO Kill,
not N be killed, they have all come out here
determined 10 earn the Victoria Cross, or 10 dis
tinguish themselves by displaying conspicuous
bravery In tho held IL Is magnificent but II Is
not war
1T Is little better than q very popular sporting
All an an Inv ~ sal Won hnuA
no doubt, heard frequently OF the zone OF fire,
and have formed your own opinion OF what those
words signify. l will describe 'hs situation for
your benefit Imagine thos there Is a range
OF high hills facing you some nvs miles away
from where you stand. Orders are issued TO ad
vance. Presently you see ahead . long line Of
dust. tufts Of grass. and pebbles raised by the
multitude OF bullets which fall almost as Close
to each other as do drops OF rain In a shower, II
seems humanely impossible TO cross the line
without being hit' and. even should fortune enable
you 70 DO 30 unharmed. . milo or Two still separates
only obstacle which until now has staggered
our men, and Il Is not at oil to their discredit that
II should. They occasionally hesitate to make
the rush through IL Is ike running through
. shower OF lead bullets Tor some twenty yards
and trusting 70 luck mat no drop snail touch
you. Tho bravest and the leas, brave are all on
the same level on such an OCCASION ana IL ~ In
describably disheartening when you nave un'
dergons the ordeal without mishap TO nnd
not only that 'he enemy Is sun very lar rom
you but thatiurlher zones oil hre nave 10 be crossed
tna' eventually crack shots TAKE uiIs'' am AZ
you ana that IN inc end Inc boers reute before
you can gel 10 Close quarters WIN men, ana then
,aSe up announcer position wh'ch mas oe~n prepared
Tor such an emergency 10 make matters worse
II all looks an easy before the engagement begins
! cannot o~le'' NAV umUrs VIII make much
n'herehoe III our ia'o'' NV more uieh YOU sehd
TO the ron' the more bhilets VIII nave human
nhie'S Inc "rah VIII nave p" VIII VIC Oo''itS
You VINO arr AZ nome must not pame the Zen
erals they are ngh'ng under conditions when
ar, Altogether new Here we do not dislike the
boers' we have learned TO respect Their courage.
ana " ahhoSS us w read III the fhgiiSh papers
thai they are hNrbariens VINO strip and Mirea'
the wounded.
The same lesson o' change III the whole game
of war has been collected by Julian Ralph Tor
the Dday hdR from the best military observers
OF Lord Melhuen 5 campaign Mr., Ralph writes
"t il easy enough for the world tocry Halt
In IT. interest IN rs, llNt as the beers cried Halt
~ y. p,t''> Wv" y, avn 1'on"'
o'' NV ~" """', '" '""' "'s Wv
y y ""',' NV" ""e'