Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1914-08-20
A SHORT WAR
PREDICTED BY
HUDSON MAXIM

l~BFVHhlAN f4f%it.l
Hudson Maxim. inventor % smokelcss
powder and expert authority on modern
equipment ~ the great powers engaged
IA the European conflict believes the war
will he shortened. not 10 much because
81 the gun fire and the destruction Of life.
~ ~ the tremendous cost and The cx.
hanStive effect upon the c0mbatants.
The situation over there" the Brook
Ism inventor told an Eagle reporter who
communicated with him IL his summer
home IA Lake Hoptacong. y. - rs such
that there viii he little on no lei mp in
The fighting until the .unp0wler j. Ill
gone. VITA the French. the English and
the Russians MI eager 10 wipe the Ger
mans ont II existence. the opportunities
ID recover and rally from the effects "
each successive engagement will be- slight.
As warfare il conducted nowadays. prae
tically all Of the operations are stipend
OuS. and the cost ~ d single decisive bat
slr N likely To exceed in the mere items Of
xpcn~e. not counting the loss of life. any
81 The wars that have been described ia
modern history.
80 far as | know. Germany. France
and England each has about 800 .000 .OOO
pounds Of gHnpowdcr. and 1t MAY BE- that
the war will last until X j. an gone. A.
"a Russia. I have no Information. The
French have better field guns than the
Germans. although the kaiScr'S army has
"a larger number. and the French guns
can shoot farther and can be- more cas-
ilN handled. Still. the men behind The
guns are the factors. after All. and 80 far
as ! can learn. the German army il ui,-
ing \ very good recount of itself. and |
think II will show mp very well as "A fight
inc factor ia the present war ia Europe.
"a distinct ssirpriSe. though was the
preparedness of Belgium. There was an
idea hat the little nation could offer
little or no resistance ~ the German
Army. but. when the time camc il was
discovered that she was n vcritabie ar
~enal. and had been making preparations
for such emergencies without any AZ the
other nations. l think. heing aware of
the fact. The Belgium forces are equip
ped with lots of big guns, and are pre-
pared To continue some heavy fighting. Ii
seems that Belgium has not taken much
stock IN the peace theories 81 our Mr.
Bryan.
80 far as sea fighting goes. | think
the German vessel will keep their hull>
well out - range If the guns on the
British battlrShips. but the navy az the
Kaiser ia .ha NO means 40 be- snccred at.
lnt even by the tremendous fleet Of the
English. VI u came ~ a decisive battle
on the high seas. the German navy could
very seriously cripple the English fleet
before being put ont Of commission. The
French navy could not hc regarded ~ J:
very imrortans factor in the situation
because the Frcnchmcn are very poor
sailors. and might be- terrified more b,
the rolling ocean. than by the guns ~ 4
hostile nation.
II cannot tell YOU about the small arms
II the armies. They would be- brought
inio play during close range fighting. and
then The personal fitness ~ the soldiers
nn either side ut the battlefield would
have much 10 Do with ia effect.
Bat the wax III which this war II ~
inc conducted will make II extremely cx.
p%rnsive. aud iudging from the operations
~ the forces. they are spending money
over there ~ though here were absolute.
~ y" limit "a the supply. That II 4 most
impnrtant factor in a situation of that
kind. and il the gunpowder o~utIasts the
money To pay for the carving 81 ~ the
war. II would he a great surprise 10 me-. 4"