The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1901-12-10
FIGHTS OF THE FUTURE
HOW THE WORLD WILL co TO WAR
FIFTY YEARS HENCE.


The Era or Submarine and Aerial Wcnp-
ons-Commerce VIII Be the sword of
Mhrs-W Wonders OF the New Explosives
Torpedo Guns.
Could We look into the future. as we
can into the past, and view in per-
| spectivc all the great events. what
shattered hopes and wrecked conceitS
we should trace derelict ON seas of
blood! The millennium. when uni
versal peace shall prevail, is vet far
on For a long time 60 come blood
and iron will be accomplishments of
material progress
By the lessons OF the past. we have
been directed TO the improvements OF
! The present and 10y the lessons OF the
| past. and present improvements. we
may look with some degree OF intelli
gence into the immediate future Radi-
cal improvements. however meritorl-
Gus. always have hard fight for rec
ognition and adoption. and il will
probably bc many years before such
4 complete revolution will be effected
in arms and ornaments ~ the most
advanced inventors OF the present
time can now see must, sooner or lat
err come.
1 predict that the battleship will
soon become obsolete, that heavy
| armor- bearing vessels will bc found
impracticable in the face of automo-
bile torpodoes. sent through the water
and aerial torpedOeS, hurled through
the air. on land and sea. torpedo
guns will take the place of the present
heavy high-power cannon
Tho magazine rifle and the machine
gun will maintain their present sphere
! of usefulness. and so will guns used
for throwing shrapnel and canister
Therefore fifty years hence, land
| arms and ornaments will consist of
automatic machine guns and magazine
rifles, improved to the utmost degree
of refinement. guns for throwing
shrapnel and canister. and siege tor
| pedo cannon, capable OF throwing
large quantities OF some high explo-
sive. ProjeCtiles will also be thrown
from the torpedo guns. for the pur-
pose of producing n veil of smoke in
front of an enemy's position, previous
to an attack
Torch bombs will also be used for
lighting up an enemy's position at
night, TO guide an attacking party.
At sea. the battleship will be re-
| placed by very swift and light tor
/ pedo boats. some adapted TO carrying
automobile torpcdoes. and others for
torpedo guns. There will probably be
large cruisers, but unarmored, or near
ly so,-that is to say, they Will carry
armor sufficient to resist ordinary ma
chine-gun fire, which will still be i'm
use. These cruisers will be very large
and very swift, and will carry huge
torpedo-throwers and tremendous bat
teries Of quicl-fring guns of small
caliber. Each OF these will be accom-
panied by, or will carry on board, tor
pedo launches, provided with automo-
bile torpedoes for their protection on
the approach OF danger.
The large cruisers will be devoted
principally TO transportation purposes
and to carrying supplies for the small
er craft, which will do most of the
fighting.
In the past we have seen improve
! ments in implements Of war followed
by decrease, instead OF by an in.
| crease, In the number OF casualties in
battle, destruction OF property largely
displacing destruction OF Life; and, in
the future. We may expect that still
more fighting will be done by machln
cry, and less by hand. Future wars
Will become more and more those Of
wealth against wealth; and. although
bloodshed will not be entirely elimin
| no
largely replaced by the spending OF
money War, already vastly expen-
sive will be fourfold more SO fifty
years hence. 1t VIII not be he deadli-
ness OF wars. az is often supposed. but
their expense. which will make them
Improbable and impracticable.
Az the very raisoR d etre Of wars is
for the defense Of the material inter
osts OF the nations. as these interests
increase in magnitude. and especially
/ IN proportion az they become interna-
tional. the danger OF resorting to arms
10 settle differences will become great
er, because OF the far reaching inter
ference with established trade
Wars Will no longer be waged for
protection OF interests when the very
act shall entail the sacrifice Of those
interests. TO tic the nations with com
mcrcial bonds will I've to tie UP the
sword arm OF Mars.
1t VIII however. be many genera.
lions before the ties of trade will unite
all nations and peoples I'm such bonds
of mutual seif-lnterest as will make
peace secure. There will be. in the
meantime many bloody wars. wars
/ fr.ghuully expensive. wagcd with en-
gIucs So destructive a. to appal the
Imagination
The doubling Of the range of FIRE.
! arms has had. MS it's logical result. the
doubling Of the distance between con.
| tending armies and the doubling OF
tine length of the lines of batte. So
th1. th. number engaged covers four
times The former area The result of
th.a dispersion IS to lessen thc casual
Tics and to increase the time and ex-
pnse oi gaining victory.
, Tine moius opcraudi of successful
fgnru- according TO military history.
Is fts thr atlock To- concentrate its
fore. Upon given point usually The
centre OF lae enemys position and
crush It anI then to turn upon The