Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1901-09-05
THE FATE OF BATTLES.
Lord Roberts Tells Englishmen Upon
What it Depends.

London Mall: Inc commander In
chief, Lord Roberts, took occasion
while presenting the prizes won at Bis
Icy on Saturday to deliver a weighty
speech on the Importance of accurate
rife fire in warfare.
His lordship said: THE experiences
have gained from the war in South
Africa make me more than ever conf
dent that musketry is far and away
the most essential part of the training
of a soldier The two points indeed
which the war has brought home to me
very forceibly are-the necessity for
making our soldiers good shots, and
for developing their Individual intell-
genCe.
In former days, when men fought
in close formation and the smooth
bore muskets with which they were
armed could not be depended upon to
hit st. Paul's cathedral from the bot
tom of Ludgate hill "a distance Of only
$50 yardS), one can easily understand
that it was not by skill in shooting or
individual intelligence that battles
were won"
The tendency OF military training
then was to stitle intelligence and
teach the men to act together mechan-
ically. The introduction of long range.
accurate shooting weapons changed all
that, and it would now be merely
counting death to venture within $500
yards of the enemys rifemen in the
old close formations. Lord Roberts
illustrated the change by comparison
of the disposition of forces at Water
L |,,I tn, h,t Of ha ura
THE Duke Of Wellington's army,
which consisted of $4,000 infantry, IL.
400 cavalry and 155 guns, occupied, on
the morning of the battle, a front of
about three miles, and the greatest dis
lance between his troops and the
French was not more thar 400 yards
In some parts they were much closer
the outposts almost touching each
other.
Such a disposition, as some OF you
know from experience, would be an
absolute impossibility in the present
day, when shrapnel can be used with
deadly effect at distance of at least
six miles, and an expert rifle shot,
standing in Trafalgar square, would be
able to hit the ball on the top of st.
Pauls Cathedral distance of 24O0
yards (if he could see it)-nine times
out of ten.
More than once in South Africa,
notably at the passages OF the Vet ana
Zand rivers, and at the battle of Dia-
mond Hill, force not so large as that
which the Duke Of wellington com
manded at Waterloo was spread over
front of more than 20 miles, and had
to commence it's attack at a distance
of quite six miles.
These facts suggested certain modl-
fications in the musketry training. Vol
ley firing, for instance, is now scarce
ly practicable, except when covering
an attack at very long range or defend
ing a carefully constructed position.
Then we found that, while our
present style of shooting is very erect
i've at long and medilsn ranges. It haa
no chance with the Beers at distances
of $50 yards and less. the extreme
length at which 1t was possible to as
tinguish the head of man firing from
trench or behind cover.
ITO be OF use at this closer range
our men must be taught to IRE Win
rapidity, and to be careful to take COW
er after each shot so as not 10 siFo
the enemy time TO aim at them III re-
turn. 1t is with a view to encourage
shooting under such conditions ina
have given a prize this year.
My idea is that the fate OF hattle9
in the future will be as often dociueu
by the result OF this Comparatively
close distance firing as 1t has been oy
the bayonet charge in the past
Il trust the whole. nation viii tahe
the dearly bought experience OF 'u I,
South African war to heart, and 90 d,
that is possible to encourage soU'
shooting in the army No other quatl
ficatons will make up for lhlei'O.
shooting However brave our blen
may be. however we'll disciplined uss
may be. and however eapable tney .nal
be of great endurance or OF lulne
across the most dimcult country Aa
mirable and desirable as these aGal!
fications arel, the men Will De '"'I
less as soldiers il they are no' -
perts in the use OF the rife. -
~ would appeal to the patrlot'Sil ~
the British people in implorlne 49, -
to make no unreasonable OPPOSITE -
the construction of full-sized I.'us
and to help by all means In theN "
er TO perfect our army in rine sAoD
ing; for. as have endeavored 70 PolI.
out. Il is on skillful rife-shoounE -
the efficiency of our army aoso'''7F