Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-03-08
NEED OF A BAYONET
ONE OF THE LESSONS OF THE
EASTERN WAR.
Experiments Being Made at the Direc-
ton of Gen. Crozier. Chief
of Ordnance.

'Reports which have been made by OFF,
GERS recently returned from duty with the
| Japanese army in Manchuria supply infor-
nation which seems to indicate a still
greater confirmation of the lesson of pre-
wious wars, notably of that of South Africa,
that the increasing efficiency of the rife
was operating to prohibit the ground in
front of troops in position to assaulting
forces and that this in some cases might
be supposed to have proceeded so far as to
force the abandonment of the attack of
such positions by daylight. and the re-
course to the method. heretofore considered
almost impracticable, of night attack the
means for carrying out which as a regular
opera ton will have to be learned. There is
thus the somewhat singular effect of the
excellence of the riIle that it in some cases
necessitates the abandonment of an at
tempt to face it. and the Introduction of
conditions under which hand-to-hand hight
ing may be again expected.
Experimenting With Bayonets.
This remarkable statement is contained
in memorandum submitted by General
Crozter, chief of ordnance, to the general
staff in connection with a question which
has arisen as to the expediency of equip
ping the new army rifle with the rod bay
onet. in place of the knife bayonet used on
the Krae Jorgensen. He has caused to be
made number of bayonetS of d1Herent
form and size, some rods, some huted TRAN
giles like the old civil war bayonet ana
some Of knife form, and with these the
general staff at General CroZierS sugges-
ton is now making exhaustive expert
ments.
The real point at issue, according to Cen
eral Crozier's memorandum, is whether or
not a real bayonet of first class type Is
shown to be necessary by the developments
of the war. There has been tendency
- - Of
ondary Importance, combining It's functions
as a stabbing implement with that OF
cleaning rod, the reason being that it had
been agreed that the long range modern
rifle had made 1t impossible for troops to
charge in the open in the old way. But
General Crozier now says
'This development" referring to the rifle
lesson of the eastern war constitutes
new consideration, and if it can be re-
garded as established the bayonet again
becomes a weapon of first-elass import
ance, and must be so designed as to be an
efficient instrument. From this point OF
view the rod bayonet fails to meet the re-
ouirements as it is not, and never was
thought or inteded to be, a thoroughly eff
Client weapon for purposes OF hano-to-hand
combat
The New Army Rife.
General Crozier has foreseen this state OF
affairs and has had the new army rifle made
so that by trifiing alteration, involving
nothing more serious than the cutting
away of a couple Of inches of the wooden
hand guard at the muzzle, the rod bayonet
will give place to either the knife or the
futed bayonet and this question the gem
eral staff Is to determine, Secretary Taft
having referred the subject to 1t. 1t is
made quite clear that there has been no
excessive waste In the making OF the new
arm. nor will it's issue to the service be
much delayed by decision to change the
form of bayonet.
As Misunderstanding exists In some
quarters respecting the qualities of the new
rife General Crozier's memorandum In
ciudes reports made to him from troops In
the field and from q board composed OF
Captains Toltx, "a Cavalry: Ramsey and
Muns0n, 9th InkAntry. and Dicks0u. ord
nance department.. probably the most noted