The Odanah star. [volume] (Odanah, Ashland Co., Wis.) 1912-1916, 1914-08-21
REAL BATTLE CAPABILITIES
OF the ARMIES OF EUROPE

ers having a caliber of 7.S MILNE
charge, the German gun will carry fur
Their and travel flatter than the French
weapon, making for better marksman-
ship at all ranges.
Again, the French rifle is heavier
than the German, increasing to that
extent the stress upon the man who
has to carry it on long marches. The
soldiers of both nations carry the
same number of cartridges, 12O. But
the saving in weight in the German
musket Is offset by other weights he
has to carry. Fully equipped the
French foot soldier has total bur-
den Of 54.58 pounds, while the Ger
man infantryman has to bear 58.75
pounds. AS broad proposition the
average German is a sturdier man
than his French rival and this greater
tax Is wisely laid upon him.
French 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 a pair Of wire nippers.
The German foot soldier on the other
hand. does not get off SO easily, be-
cause each company has to carry 100
small spades, ten pickaXes and five
hatchets. Now what does this mean?
Simply that the kaiser's infantrymen
are able to entrench themselves quick
er than their French rivals, and for
that reason could hold an advanced po-
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. UnQues-
tionably the cars army is superior to
the kaisers 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 is doubtful If
the Russian forces are any better
trained than they were when they
measured strength with the Japanese
In 1904-O5. The infantry are armed
with magazine rifles of 1852 MILNE
ter caliber, and as marksmen they are
nothing like the equals of the Ger
mans.
How They Compare.
Russia is measurably superior to
Germany in the matter Of infantry,
cavalry and artillery in the form of
field guns, and Germany, in turn leads
France in the vital feature of artillery.
Artillery has played prime part in
all great wars, and the popular idea
is that it is upon these guns that the
tide of battle turns. In measure this
is so, for the field pieces have to pro-
tect or support the infantry; but with
this done, the decisive outcome of an
action depends upon the conduct and
gallantry of the foot soldier, for he
constitutes the backbone of any mill
tary force.
AS a matter of history, the French
have led in field ordnance ever since
the Franco-Prussian war. The French
were the first to adopt the long recoil
which made it possible to use higher
propulsion charges and to secure bet
ter practice against the target, and
to them, too, is owed the introduction
of the spade upon the trail by which
the recoil of the carriage could be
checked, thus making it possible for
the gun pointer to hold his position
and to fire deliberately and rapidly. To
the French, also, the world is indebted
for the higher development of the
shrapnel shell with its whitening blast
OF isaden bullets.