The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-04-19
LAST OF THE LANCE.


ItS faSSfnS.
London Telegraph
An army order has just been issued which has
an interest for many outside the ranks Of our
gallant soldiers and suggests reflections in which
the fair sex itself may take q part. The lance
has been abolished and will rank no more in the
list of British weapons. The Official notice de-
crees that from this time forth the fighting
equipment of cavalrymen shall consist wholly
and solely Of the sword and carbine.
A small concession is made to the romantic
associations attaching to the ancient implement
of war. Every horse regiment will keep, stored
but these are only to be used for tent-pegging
or similar recreations; and there will be pre-
to add effect in holiday maneuvers and keep
alive the memory Of the grand old arm, the prac-
passed away So there dsap a n" from tSe
parade ground and from battlefield one Of the
picturesque; the last relic of chivairy dies with
the issue OF this edict from the War ONCE.
singing Of the recan and osn tas
they hiss over the plumed files of the rival hosts
TT e ess in along the front o of opposing S
OF the weapon and its wielders, while modern
n te is full s Gf the 9s
Scott to give brightness to his picture, seizes
upon the ancient arm:
The last and trustiest OF four.
On high his masters pennon bore;
Like swallows tail in shape and hue
rluttereu the StredIners glossy blue.
And Macaulay. describing the battle of Ivry
relies for martial picturesQueness on that same
splendid dance and dazzle Of gay silken stream
Sow un'eF shinihs blades OF STEEL when he tells
A thousand spurs. are striking deep, thousand
thousand knights are pressing fast behind the
snow-white crest,
And In they rushed. and they rushed. WHILE
Amid the thickest carnage blazed the helmet Of
Navarro
The PAINTERS have initiated and rivaled the
poets The greatest masters of the middle ages
nrssbas9 sbsr Van Dyke and the rssmOyed to
mons and the glitter Of spearheads. The public
appetite for warliks display expected them,
and even in modern Illustrations and on army
show days the artist depended for his happiest
touches upon the play and flicker of the gay little
flags dancing from the lancehsads.
Much might be said about the curious Develop
ments of the weapon. which was classical before
1t became chivalrous: could recall many a
that Macedonian phalanx which conquered Asia
under Alexander. and was twenty -one feet in
length, so that even to the third and fourth file
OF the sixteen massed together the soldier could
use his point Then there was the Roman
plum" terrible and deadly. with bronze head
and socket, the latter so slender that when
driven through the enemies, shield it would bend
Especially attractive would It prove to revive
the chronicle , OF the spear, as Sir Richard Bur
became the established weapon OF the mounted
Whoever has ridden after the wild boar over
Indian plains knows how little force is wanted
to bury the steel. shaped like willow leaf and
keen-edged as a razor. Yet. except for the charge
and the pursuit, the lance is next to useless
and ofttimes nothing but embarr assment and
a peril. The pcturesqueness of war will largely
pass away when we can no more behold the gay
and inspiring speetacle of regiments like our own
Lancers and the brilliant cavalry of India pass
ing at the trot in military parade. with hutter
Of color above then heads, or charging. shaft in
rest. death glitterirg in their front, upon an
imaginary foe.
But the evolution of the rife and the use Of
quick-iring guns, with Maxims and pom-porns
have forbidden close order In the future frontal
attacks, and under these and other circumstances
the arm which was so beautiful and so terrible
often becomes to the cavalry soldier useless as
q clothes prop or mop handle. Its place is to
be taken by the carbne and the service sword
and with 1t vanishes from our martial annals
the last symbol of the ancient fields of war.