Year: 1878

give the defender dlsproportionate advantages
and to vastly augment the difficulties OF the In
yader. The concurrent testimony OF the mill
y M s47 2beYsrs n wo p ha & Wdoheh h the
loader the Russian armies world now hive been
easily beleagnering Constantinople. The force
paign directed against Turk ish defense armed
with muzzle-loaders, would havelcrusbed the lat
tor in half the time and with one-fourth the loss
of the present campaign, snpposing the assail-
ants TO have been provided with the muzzle-
loader also. For


THE nREEcH- LOADER


does not materially enhance the assaulting
powor Of the troops armed with 1t. while It
more then uuadruples the capacity Of given
number Of men for the defense Of works. In
the struggle that is impending England will en-
JOY most Of the advantages Of the defensive.
She will make Turkey the battle ground, and
the repuise ofthe Russians the objective point
OF her faeg i sated that n2
bs mobilized for such war. But that force
added to the fighting resources Of Turkey, with


THa BRITISH NAVY


to ovsrawe the maritime Greco Turkish popu-
lationss and devastate the COASTS Of Russia
would be sufficieut to turn the scale. The Turk
ish army is indeed battered and crippled. But
Y has been enfeebled more by want OF supplies
supply the resources which Turkey lacks. and
the latter can still supp men enough to make
up whatever England may lack in that respect.
War IL always u game Of two parts. aud Is never
decided until the cards are played, however.
Speculation as to the probable result of any war
is always based upon the predictions of the
theorist. But results go with the strongest bat
laions and he Hblest commanders. 1t IL not
my purpose to speculate rs to the outcome of
any struggle In which England and Russia
might engage but simply TO deduce that
the supremacy Of England is challenge
to fight Is to surrender It at discretion.


1t Is not worth while to take hto account con-
siderations Of humanitarianism. Practically
contemplated. war Is Q means to an end. and is
one Of the ordinary insttumentaiities If des-
tiny. 1t accompisbes results which could not
be accomplished by any other agency. settles
questions which could not be set at rest, by any
other logic and makes laws that could not be
enacted by any other method of legislation. The
poet writes that


" For every blood drop In the crimson bi1ow
That iaves the field where battle RACES wild


"A tear bedews some distant pillow,


child"
But that Is only truism In the philosophy oil
human nature done iDto rhyme and rhythm.
The woes of persons are not to be measured
against the necessities OF peoples. The man
colors some here's robes OF conquest ought to
have been In better luck. We cannot wait to
! mourn for him. because the process ion must
move on. The woman who was married to be
widowed by some stray piece of shell must put
up with that luck and look out for u second hus-
band who Is q non-comba ant Her grief NAV
be touching. but there is no help for it, because
as the Turks say what is written must come to
pass. War, viewed IA an economic fact. is moi
more horrible tnan any other dispensation. Il
is simply the concentration In short time and
small space Of horrors that would otherwise
have been diffused over more territory and
through agonies longer drawn out. That Is all
/ "a its way war Is proper, like any other thing
And. when the sign is right, We can't have toe
much Of it, The sign at this time seems to be
getting right for great deal OF war.