The Northern Guardian. — 1899-10-21 (Hartlepool, Cleveland, England)

THE WARS OF THE FUTURE.  The present moment is well choaen for the publication of M. Bloch.s now famous work in an English translation. No nation has • vaguer notion of what war mean. than the popdation of the British Isles. Soldering is • stern fact remote from the experienco of moat of us, and the ton of universal military 011C1140, sa it exist. out the continent, has not femilieriftel the baleen with the terrific en. gine. of destruction now in mneral use, and rapidly growing mure formidable. li. whme book is Debuted to have misted an meta influence on the Cur of KUM, us to hue induced him la summon the recent Frau Conference, a not a soldier; he is a banker who for many year. devoted his leisure to a careful and uhaustive study of this aubject in all its details. The work sat mbomitted by the Case to the inspection of Ruitaan milithry muerte, who reported that the accuracy of the author'. conclusions might, be relied on. S. Bloch luta endeavoured to prove that • war between two powers equally matohed numbers and skill means suicide for both. Since the Franco-Gernisn not thArty years ago, ite two great Rumouo powers have met in battle; =adorn supine of ilmtrumion bane never been tooted on equal Mims. The civilised world now stinde in dread of the greet European war which bongs over it like a nightmary. If this ever onto, IL Bloch babeves that it will mean the national suicide of all the peoplea engaged in it, and his book has induced tool a few thoughtful peoplo—Che Czar of Bust among them—to sham hut Op Bveryone acquainted with history, and the change in military Menu consequent on the tremendous powers of reciineeal destruction placed imparLally it, Ula hands of each and all of the leading nations of the world, is eware that future wars will have no paryllel in the put. War, ae B. Blooh wee it, will begio with tareams of coselry pouring across the threatened frontiers; after them swarms oflans or Commits the main arm.. will begin to roll up, not such armies asi we send to India, the Soudan, or South Afriu, but , practically the whole of the male population bauble of bearing arms. These vast horde. of disciplined and ilnlled men, free& from the plough or the office stool, will be called upon te make tremendous marches, in all weather., carrying • lead of eighty pounds on their books. They will sleep in the open sir, often in pouring rain, and always shaken with the fatigue. Bender. of Zola's "Delstele. will have no dif. Acuity in picturing their mutterings. The remilt of this hudehip well be that, long before the enemy has been seen or • gun fired, thou. sands will hare broken demi &Anima from *suture and exhaustion sill crowd the hospitals. This pre,ne of %vetoing. however, will enable the eurvivers on either .ide to meet in the stupendous battle of which If. Bloch eAre an appalling description. Long before the enemy is visible., men well begin to fall, slain by invisible tharpehooMers a mile away, wham presence not a single buff of smoke will betray. But gradually the °priming armies. will Contrast each other, sepanthed by half • mile swept by • for, in which no living creature could hen for a minute. Then, amidst • mill of terrible projectile., in which men, bob nes, and guns are deetroyed and overwhelmed, the firing lines will advance. Combatant& will be swept out of exiatence, in ranks, but others will take their places, although none shall mom the landeswept inmmal mparating the two armies. Remmenta will be annihilated without seeing the face of the foe that has wrought their nun. To add to the horror., tenable agony will be in the dear light of day. What follows? Both sides fight until exhausted, but tho carnage sell purobuo no victory. For no attack can be pushed home San.. the zone of fire against an entrenched enemy. Consequently most of the battles of the future will be inconclusive. To deal svith Ohs dead and wounded, /1. Bloch thews, will be beyond all medical means. Moreover, the slaughter of the officer. will convert wennee into military tabs, nor well it be posable during • long one to provide transports for the vast hosts remote from their base of sup' Plum. The result., therefore, of war. if fought I 014 tO the bitter end, would be anarchy and :ruin, followed by the breakdown of all financial, industrial, mend, and osilt.rd machinery. Tbese are the results of the wars of the future as foresee, by M. Bloch.