The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-02-24

marine torpedo boats. Our machine guns
are not thought much more of by most
Prussians than the steam gun of 1874.
ridiculed by Dickens In Martin Chuzzle-
wis" II great change was to have been
made In the art of war by modern weaD-
ons, one would have thought that the FIRST
things to disappear would be all vestige
of protective armor and the use OF cavalry
in the field. Yet protective armor has
been recently restored to as large a pro-
portion of many armies as US ID II in tho
wars of the beginning of the CENTURY. and
the use of cavalry in the field IS defended
as still possible by all the highest au-
thorities on the Continent My own opin-
ion on such matters is that of a layman
and should be worthless. but IL agrees
with that of several distinguished milf
tary writers. L confess that / doubt
whether in future wars between good
armies. such as those of France and Ger
many, it will be possible to employ cav
airy on the field of battle. and | go
far rs 10 think that the direct offensive.
still believed in by the Prussians, will be
found to have become too costly to be
possible. Our South African experience
is not. however. regarded by Continental
authorities conclusive.
The author of ''Ironclads in Action Mr.
Wilson. who has made a very thorough
study of the future of naval war. has
pointed out with great force the most
striking of difficulties OF war in the fu-
ture as caused by the enormous concern
tration OF forces in a particular tract OF
mi
must be great difficulties about supply.
prolonged battles of an indecisive kind
leading to exposure, absence Of sleep and
to conditions which would form the sever
est strain for professional men of war.
while those who will now be subject to
them will be the ordinary population. not
very specially. warriors. except so far as
patriotism may in some cases make up as
regards courage and endurance for alb
sence of military tradition. The vast num-
Der of wounded viii be exposed for longer
periods than was the case In many OF the
earlier wars: but when we remember I.eip-
sic and Dresden and the retreat from
Moscow it is again easy to see that the
change IS rather in the direction of gen.
eralizatian of conditions. which were for
merry tNctFtiuitsti. IMAM II Change 70
ditions wholly without precedent.
/ have all through this article written
of Germany and France as the modern
military countries to be taken as a STAN
card in all comparisons. The French have
initiated the Germans very closely since
the war of 1915. But. although imitation
is generally feeble, It must always be
borne in mind that the French people have
greater military aptitude than the Ger
man. and that unless beaten at the be-
ginning of war they are always in the
highest degree formidable. The perfection
of system Is to be found In Germany and
the peculiarities of the German system
are the combination of enlightened pa
triotisrn in all its individuality with iron
discipline. The system is so strong that
unless well managed it would crush out
individual responsibility: but the system
Itself encourages this individual RESPONSE
biHty all down the gradations Of the army
to the humblest non-commissioned officer
and even to the detached private. The
of promotion by a certain
high standard of merit and the absence of
jobbery are more thoroughly obtained in
Germany than in any other army. and
Lord Wolseleys criticisms on the 1898
uIaneuvres OF our own army. criticisms
rs-.vred in 1850 In which he told us that
no one had gone well in the field and
that this proved that no one could have
done his duty during the past year. would
be impossible In Germany. and must have
shocked military opinion throughout that
1t is not unusual to assume that the
enormous military establishments of the
Continent of Europe are an almost I'M
mixed evil. But this may perhaps be dis
puted on two grounds. In some cases.
such as that of Italy. the army acts as
kind of rough national university in which
the varied life of districts often discord-
ant is fused into patriotic whole. dialects
are forgotten. and a common language
learned. In the case Of France the new
system is a powerful engine Of
democracy. There is French prince (not
Of the blood serving at this moment in a
squad of which the corporal is a young
peasant from the same department \
lew years ago I found the Due de Luynes
yflo is also Due de Chaulnes and Due da
-hevreuse, the owner of Dampierre, the
PERSONAL friend of kings. serving, by mis-
,wn wish, for, as the eldest son of a
widow. he was exempt. as a private of
IrasCons and respectfully saluting young
Ulcers, some Of whom were his own ten
nts. The modern military system of the
ointment, in the case Of France and Ger
many ut least, may also. ! think, be shown
o have told in favor of peace. 1t is pos.
ible for Us tn occasionally demand wa,
gith the greater freedom. because we dc
rot. as rule, know what war means
'hose OF us who have seen something OF
with our own eyes are a very small
minority. But every inhabitant of France
nd Germany has the reality of war
rought home to him with the knowledge
hat those Of his own kin would have to
urnish their tribute Of cannon flesh tas
he French and Germans call it, at the
outbreak Of any war; and the influence
L the whole of the women Of both coun-
ries is powerfully exerted in consequence
pon the side of peace.