Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-05-28

was % per cent, for the Japanese 4.6 per
cent. The heaviest loss in any one single
battle was: For the Russians at Mukden,
= per cent; for the Japanese at Sandepur,
ii per cent.
AN examination of the figures Gen.
Bliss says, shows conclusively that the
law dcduced from the statistics of past
wars and battles still holds true for the war
now raging in the east. They show steady
tendency to decrease in the battle and still
more in the hourly percentage of loss: SO
much so that this total battle percentage in
some of the more important battles in the
present RuSso-Japanese war is less than
the hourly loss in many previous battles
since the general introduction of firearms.
Where there is a temporary departure from
this rule it is to be explained by causes
which in most cases are obvious. They
show, together with this decrease in per
centage of loss, a constantly increasing con-
centration Of energy in the battlefield as
represented by an increasing number of
combatants engaged. Along with this they
show the tendency Of battles between these
Increasing numbers of combatants to in
crease in duration. lasting for days where
they formerly lasted for hours, and all
these changes are shown to go on pari
passu with increased perfection in the wea
pons employed"
Gen. Bliss then discusses in detail the
| data on which is based the law of tendency
to decrease in losses. Among the reasons
| given is the gradual disappearance of the
! individual duel element: the less deadly
| character of modern firearms; improved
surgical treatment, including the system of
first aid to the injured, and the tendency to
| increasing concentration of energy on the
battlefield. In considering these various
! points Gen. Bliss says in part:
There can be no doubt that the great
| losses in ancient battles We're due to a COM
| bination Of two causes-frst the Intensity
| of feeling aroused in the individual in hand
| to-hand combat and. second, the inability
! of either side in retreating to withdraw it
| self Immediately from the destructive ac
| ton of its opponent. There have been and
! will be all modern battlehelds points
| where there is a tendency to revive the an
| cient conditions, and these are the points
| where closest contact of the opposing forces
! is obtained, where the element of the duel
! again comes into play, where the intense
-, temporary passion of the combatants main
! tans for the longest time the mental exal-
! tation which counteracts physical depreS-
| sion. where it is as dangerous TO retreat as
| to stand fast or even advance-and it IS at
these points that the greatest loss is stil
| habtually suffered.
The SpaniSh-American war of 1893, the
| English-Boer war in South Africa and the
| present war In Manchurla found both sides
| with the high-power. small-caliber maya
| zine breech-loader in It's present perfect
| form. With all. these improvements in
| habitually fight gradually increased and the
| individual duel element gradually dsap-
| peared, until we find curious revival of 1t
| brought about, strange to say. by the very
| perfection OF the weapon. IN the night COM
| bats which have been one of the strange
nf Exrsae hIatrs