Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-08-27
PROPHESIED FRENCH DEFEAT WHEN HE
SAW UNIFORMS DID NOT FIT SOLDIERS

far more intelligent men than the
Russians, and less emotional than
the French.
Lord Winterton, M. p, who has just
returned from Germany. says what
struck him most was the perfection
of all her arrangements, and the
calmness and confidence of the people.
She has been preparing for years TO
resist this attack of Russia and
France and such preparation is great
ly favored by a semi-autocratic gov
eminent. No ministry would have
been upset as in France by a. differ
ence of two or three years service
with the colors.
AS to the French, but a week or two
ago the French premier admitted that
all was not right with the French
army. Accounts that reach me are
not favorable to that army. One
friendly criticism is to the effect that
the uniforms do not fit the men, the
reason being that they have grown
fat from inaction and indulgence.
This will diminish their marching
powers. Courage is never lacking in
the French soldier, but WEAKNESS is
apt to discount courage. Again, that
very courage will favor attack, and.
as l said, with the new arms defence
enjoys a great advantage.
The same critic asserts that the
French soldiers are dressed too con-
spicuously. In the old days display,
what Napier calls the majesty of
war;" might have been well enough
when smoothbores were only deadly
at 100 yards or so, but nowadays
cover" as Roberts told his troops in
South Africa, is quite as necessary
as rifle shooting.
| For all these reasons I expect the
Germans will be victorious. They
should not invade French territory
except for strategical purposes, but
hold the French legions with a COM
| paratively small number of men and
crush the Russian armies, draw them
on if possible, but not seriously invade
Russia.
The armed mind is now the greatest
| factor in war, both in preparation an6
in actual battles and campaigns, ant
the German military mind is better
armed than that of its opponents.
The British army is a negligible
| quantity so far as the men are con.
cerned, because it contains few Irisf
and Scotch, while the minds of tn,
officers are unarmed, with the excep
ton of the scientific corps. AS re
CARDS discipline, the Curragh ant
Dublin incidents speak for them
selves.
AS regard England's fleets, will
mines and torpedoes they will be al
useless as were the strong Frencl
feet in 1870, and, il in anything lik
equal numbers, the armed German
mind will defeat them. The cracl
Tory admiral, Beresford, complaine,
that young officers were required t
know equations, ignorant of the fac
that everything in the fleets he com
manded, from coming tower to kee
was the result of an equation. L
sailing days the officers were sailors
The French built better ships, blu
were not sailors. Consequently tn
French were beaten.
In the American War of Indepen
dence and in 1912 American sailor
beat the English four out of fiv
times. Nowadays sailoring knowl
edge is useless, steam and nachiner
are its substitutes. OF these BIRTHS
naval officers know little or nothinI
Many years ago their crack aumira
Tryon, gave in maneuvres an orde
which could not be executed WIthot
disaster, and the flagship was sent I
Davey Jones by ship of his flee
Accidents in peace times are of cor
slant recurrence because of tn
ignorance. In addition, the Englis
mind is too slow for modern nav
| warfare. This is a racial defect wlic
l no education will overcome. tt
quick Japs would deIeat any Englis
feet, guns and armor being eque
Their whole navy is on unscientii
lines. They seem to have only tv
I ideas, thicker armor and heavier gun
All invention is rejecIed.
L also think it quite possible tn
the Germans may have some seer
invention unknown to the English.
notice that they are very careful
prevent espionage. In England ever
| thing is known to the public, and
course to other nations. The author
THE Battle Of Doylsing" predict
Englands fall through neglect Of |
= YentioA.