Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-09-27

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The lance boats We're invented by
Papt- Adolph Rey- Until they We're
perfected their adoption was kept
secret. They We're tested extensively
IN the grand manoeuvres of last wear
but no stranger was permitted to learn
anything about them \ single morse
can carry the material for two boats.
complete boat weighs only seventy
pounds.
Until this time every regiment of
cavalry had to transport with it a
wagon carrying two boats. This
wagon was drawn by six horses and
required for convoy three drivers and
one on-commissioned officer. Ger
man officers have recognized for a long
time that every squadron of cavalry
should have two boats with it to render
swift movements at all feasible But
under the old method of TRANSPORTING
such boats by wagon the 100 cavalry
regiments Of the German army, with
five squadrons to a regiment, would
have required 200O men and $500 horses
merely. % transport the boats. The
lance boats have saved all this To-
day the army has gained an entire
division of cavalry in the shape Of men
who can be utilized for fighting instead
Of Transporting. The authorities de-
clare that in horse feed alone they will
save $50. 900 annually.
But the chief point which is of vital
value is that the cavalry will rot iced
to wait for anything now. With the
heavy wagons it was the rule that
boats failed to arrive in time. Cavalry,
however swift. was no swifter than
they. If rivers We're to be crossed, il
did not avail that the mounted men
had ridden hard over meadows and
through marsh. When they arrived at
the deep water they had to wait until
the wagons found their roundabout
way by the road.
With the Introduction of the lance it
has become necessary to pick the
strongest men in the army for the
cavalry: They must be stronger and
more supple even than the Uhlans OF
1870. whose feats astounded not only
the French. but all the foreign officers
who followed the campaign. They
not only rode with wonderful speed.
but they were able to ride without foot
in stirrup or hand on bride rein. In
deed. their method of fighting de-
manded. as it win demand Of the mod
ern cavaIryman. total independence Of
brides The Uhlans, either in attack
ing or in fighting off a superior enemy,
crtrged toward the foe in a body till
they were within close quarters. Then
suddenly they opened out, each man
getting just far enough away from mis-
neighbor to allow the lances to whIrl
clear. These had a thick leather thong
near the butt Slipping this over their
wrists the Uhlans would straighten out
in their saddles and begin 10 swing
the mighty weapon till it was Whirling
around them in a great circle. Nothing
could withstand this flying implement
of death.
Bayonets We're baby's playthings OPP
posed to it. They were smashed into
bits by the terrible weapon that
whirled so swiftly that the eye could
not follow it. No man could get un-
der. il ana attack the Uhlan. 1t pro
tected him and his horse against every
military device except shot ana shell
After the first few terrific lance
charges the fear of the Uhlan spread
through the French army, and many
regiment of brave soldiers, who would
have stood grimly still to be shot to
pieces under a killing fire, broke ana
retreated from sheer terror OF the
overwhelming mass of horse. man ana
metal that came laundering down on
them with fury that no other Dooy
of aorse ever has equaled.