The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1900-02-26
THE WAR OF KINGS.

iolIUplG INdIIN6 w no hIcW TNOtuluB JI
Staff College Strategy.
Mahabir Thapa is an expert on war.
From his infancy he has engaged in the
destruction of mankind. At his mothers
breast he strangled his twin brother.
Before he framed down to Gorakhpur
to enlist Is "rifeman" of the KAN
PAM Bahadurjll he had survived four di-
vorce cases; and every one knows a
Gurkha correspondent must be we'll
versed in war, thus to clear his charac-
ter. i first saw Mahabir in the Swat
Valley. He was little scrap of a Hav-
ildar in the Nv. Gurkhas, and was
standing outside his colonel's tent, pick
ing the beard hairs out of a CHASTITY
trophy in heads. On the previous even
ing the colonel had offered three ru-
PEGS to the man who would effectually
silence a "sniper" who had pitched
Martini bullets into the camp with per-
sistent monotony. Hahabir had earned
the three rupees and had brought i'm
the Parthian's head as a proof Of good
faith The next time that he stumbled
across my path I found him a smart
ly turned out" Jemadar, attached. to. the
Gurkha scouts. In this service he had
ample opportunity of improving his
knowledge Of war Therefore, when to
my surprise found him in Ladysmith,
masquerading as a dooley-bearer, l ap-
pealed to him for an expert opinion.
What do you think IL it, Sirdar?"
"Sahib, i have seen many wars, but
this is before all war-this was the war
of hings-cannon on this side9 cannon
on that side, was there ever such
war? Surely this is Badshai we larai.'
Come along, Sirdar, come to my
room and we will talk it over"
l took him to my quarters and placed
Mauser carbine, land a brandy To his
hands.
What do you think off this, Sirdar?"
He turned the weapon over half doz-
en- times, tried the breech action, press
ed down the magazine spring, and then
threw the rifle on the bed. "Sahib, it is
good, but the war is bad. This war is
like a Shikar party given by Jung Ba-
armies of beaters, tents, food
in plenty, music fireworks and nautch-
es; but no kills. except such game as
the keepers had orders to Stay over
night and had strewn in the path of the
elephants, that the guests might be
pleased. Even, as this, Is this war. It
was war of kings, not of men. When
men go forth to war, or sport, they grid
up their loins, pack food on their backs,
and make no noise. The less noise the
more war"
Then do you approve Of this show"
"Sahib, it is magnificent, a great
game; men watch fox the smoke of the
guns, then run into Holes and laugh and
clap their hands. There they cit in
safety, counting the loss and gain with
4 thousand rupees in the mouth of each |
gun. Why spend this money and do no
good? If we run to holes, will not the
1ushman do likewise, will he not laugh
and also clap his hands? For 100 ru-
oees will Gurkha serve the Sirkar for
year. If you had the services of one
Iurkha for one year for every round
hat you have fired during the last
month, you would now stand possessed
If every gun in the world. With Lucas
3ahib, and Bruce Sahib, and fifty men
rom my pultan, the General Sahib
would in one week have in his veranda
UGH pile Of breech-blocks that the
loors would not open, and we should
lave painted them all red to prevent
ust"
But this Is a white mans war"
Maha bir Thapa put down his glass
lowly. His eyes clearly said, THANK
Tod for that" but his answer was, Il
annot understand; it Is the war OF
ings, I am but mani"
How could he understand? What did
e know of Staff College strategy, and
modern tactics? Military history, de-
ression range-flnders, telescope sights.
nd chess-board calculations meant
othing to the man, who, given half a
of little heathens in grass
hoes, was prepared to disnnantle the
yhole of the artillery Of the South
-frican Republic.--L tSouth
.frica) Lyre>