FOUGHT OVER AGAIN.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 918, 10 September 1910, Page 7

FOUGHT OVER AGAIN.

FIRST/BATTLE OF -A GREAT WAR. Last. evening//the -members ; of .the Wellington Garrison Officers' Club spent! ■ an interesting and, Highly ~-'instructive;.; two"; hours oil thtf. 'battlefield of Weis/ seuburg,';the 'scene:of the first action of , the. Franco-Prussian. War of 1870. | That war, cariicd in, its ,'results/many j . stern; lessons,;but that-.disaster sure "and- certain "awaits ,thc,.-nation which gop^iP a war jU ng r gi. pared.:. At Weissenburg.:/,' the- 'French; were '/surprised while at breakfast, and /decisively beaten./-Thoy wero caught .riapping.-By way of.studying this.battlq: in the light of modern ,military. thought and conditions)-.a largo topographical representation "of the battlefield; and its. immediate.• vicinity, was/; prepared ./by Captain'G; V S. Richardson/ Chief- Instructor of. Artillery, .who,' ...with" Captain.. J-; Staff ; ' Engineer': Instructor... superintended.;the .proceedings. The French wero boateri at Weissenburg, because tli.oy did riot/do, the things ,they.ought to. have'done, -and' left .undone the things they ought .-tb, :have -done. ;So .the;;garrison officers, with: the.battlefield, spread out before them—the- 'country '■';■ is;/very .similar- to that, with which wo are .'familial; round and;...'■-. about: ; -Wsissenbufg, and .did,' by /means of elabnrately-thought-but ideas; the things 'the; French;.' ought \ to/have done—blow up bridges;;.made • extensive - reebnnais-. ance/ mapped- out tho scheme of supplies, and reorganised .tho outpost, sys-, torn.. The officers;selected to debate thei merits of- the aspect of' the -battle were Lieut. -Rose '■ .(O.C. "'Division)'; Captain Gfohdming, commanding the mounted troops; Lieut, phapple was given instructions concerning the demolition of the approaches to the position jv Lieutenant _Roiiches commanded the ; infantry.; wdiilo; Lieutenant. Black straw was director' of, supplies. Each officer had to draft operation; orders for hi* own troops and : give ■ reasons.'...:--.