The Arvada enterprise., 1914-08-20

ers having = caliber of 7.8 millims-
ters. Assuming the same propulsivs
charge. the German gun will carry fur.
ther and travel hatter than the French
weapon. making for better marksman-
ship At all ranges.
Again. the French rifie IL heavier
than the German. increasing to that
extent the stress upon the man who
has to carry 1t on long marches. The
soldiers Of both nations carry the
same number of cartridges, 120. But
the saving in weight In the German
musket IL Offset by other weights he
has to carry. Fully equipped the
French foot soldier has q total bur.
den Of 64.58 pounds. while the Ger.
man infantryman has to bear 6S.7s
pounds. A = broad proposition the
average German IL a sturdier man
than his French rival. and this greater
tax IL wisely laid upon him.
Frsneh Equipment.
In the French army each company
Of infantry has the following portable
tools: Eight shovels. four pickaxes
double headed), three axes, one fold
Ing saw and q pair Of wire nippers.
The German foot soldier on the other
hand does not get OF 80 easily. be-
cause each company has to carry 100
small spades. ten pickaxes and nvs
hatchets. Now what does this mean? !?
Simply that the kaiser's infantrymeu
are able to entrench Themselves quick
Or than their French rivals. and for
that reason could hold an advanced 20
sition more securely and guard them.
selves against attack while there bet
ter than the soldiers Of the tricolor.
Now let US see what Russia repre-.
sents as foes to Germany on the Fa,
therland's northern border. UnQuss.
the kaiser's in mere point Of num-
bers In peace. In war and In the total
available reserves. and so far as per.
sonal bravery goes the Russian soldier
Is unsurpassed. But battles are not
won these days by Just numbers;
training and handling Of the men are
Of supreme importance.
Broadly speaking. It 10 doubtful II
the Russian forces are any better
trained than they were when they
measured strength with the japanese
In ls04-05. The infantry are armed
with magazine rifles OF 7.62 millime.
tor caliber. and as marksmen they are
nothing like the equals OF the Ger
mans.
How They Compare.
Russia Is measurnbly superior 10
Germany in the matter OF infantry.
cavalry and artillery in the form OF
field guns. and Germany. In turn. leads
France In tho vital feature OF artillery
Artillery has played n prime part In
all great wars. and the popular ides
10 that It Ia upon these guns that ths
tide OF battle turns In a measure this
IL 30. for the held pieces have to pro
tect or support the infantry; but with
this done, tho decisive outcome OF an
action depends upon the conduct and
gallantry OF tho foot soldier for he
constitutes the backbone Of any mill
tary force.
A . matter Of history. the French
have led In feld ordnance ever since
tho Franco -PrusEian war. The French
we're the first TO adopt tbs long recou
which made II possible to use higher
propulsion charges and to secure bet
ter practice against the target, and
to them. too. 10 owed the Introduction
Of the spade upon the trail BY which
the rscoil Of the carriage could b.
checked. thus makias Il possible foi
the gun pointer 70 hold bis position
and 70 nrs deliberately and rapidly. Te
the French. also. The world II indebted
for the higher development Of ~
shfapnsi shell Win ~ vithering blas
Of isadse bullets.