The Evening Star THURSDAY, DECEMBER 29, 1870.

Evening Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2455, 29 December 1870, Page 2

The Evening Star THURSDAY, DECEMBER 29, 1870.

In Melbourne they are wide awake to the risks of possible war with Russia, or some other country name unknown. In fact, how is it possible, amid the complications of European politics, to say from what quarter the first blow may come. Wars are got up on such apparently frivolous and petty grounds, and with such utter recklessness of their effects upon human happiness, that one is sometimes tempted to imagine that the palaces of monarchs and the bureaus of Ministers of State are haunted by emissaries from the nether world, who whisper evil counsels into the ears of the occupants. War in our fathers’ days was a slow affair—rather an expensive game nevertheless, and in the course of years very destructive. But it is only within the last six years that it has been seen in its effects as aided by modern science. The tactics of fifty years ago are all undone. The first Napolkon, notwithstanding his energy and dash, would have been voted slow in the present day. The wonderful doings of the Prussians have led to a study of the differences between their forces and the French ; for luckily men are fast coming to the conclusion that even such horrible events as battles are determined in favor of those who know best how to go about their work. The vexation of the matter is, that those who, like us in New Zealand, have no other inducement than to be at peace with all the world, must be ready to repel attack just as if wc had seme Bourbon, or Napolkon, or Bismarck, or other tronblcr of the nations of the world plotting schemes of conquest for or against us. It is no use grumbling about the matter just now—we cannot make ourselves heard amid the din of war and the quarrels of nations. Our voices might have been heard when some twelve months ago the Evening Star pointed out how needful it was that European powers should acknowledge the neutrality of Colonies in case of war; but we could not then get our morning contemporary to help us to bring the matter before the General Government, He has wakened up this morning—when it is too late j but we must accept our position, and make the best of it. In the Australasian of the 17 th instant there is a very good article pointing out how it is that the Prussians have succeeded so marvellously, It is the old tale over again —knowledge and training': in other words, adaptation of means to an end. The writer assumes that regular armies have been weighed in the balance and found wanting,' and concludes therefore that it is no use paying men to do the fighting for us in future, as it will be better done if we do it ourselves. But then this involves many contingencies that must be provided for in the future, that have been overlooked in our own training. Ho says—“ We must, in “ fact, fall back upon the old national “ system of defence, before the long “ wars of the eighteenth century iu- “ sensibly established, sorely against “ the will of our foiofathers, a stand-

“ ing army.” The cost of, such a training would be enormous. “ Under “ the Prussian system, every young “ man of a specified age is required to “ pass three years in military service.” Three years of a mail’s life spent in learning how to kill or be killed ! —for that is really the long and short of it. One-tenth of the average working period of a man’s life ! It is too bad. Talk about taxation ! there is no taxation so heavy as that. Our neighbors in Victoria .are aware of this, and therefore suggest a means of dispensing with a great portion of the time. The Australasian says —“ Much of the “ needful work of a soldier may bo “ learned, not during the profitable “ time of manhood, but in the comparatively idle time of youth.” That is, that the use of arms and a competent knowledge of drill should form part of our national system of education. This, it is calculated, would save two years of the time, and the third spent in actual service, it is estimated, would be more than compensated by the effect of training, as it is affirmed the system “ would augment the phy- “ sical and mental strength and apti- “ tude of the whole male population , “ for the ordinary business of life, and “ so would largely increase the general “ productive powers of the community.” In part we have adopted this plan in our schools in Otago ; but in order to efficiency, it must be made a Colonial, not merely a Provincial system. The plan, to be truly effective, must be pushed much further, for at present we make provision for efficient Volunteer drill and first-class firing, and when we have trained men well, wo put over them civilian officers who can neither sit a horse, handle a ride, nor put the troops through their facings. In Prussia the training of officers is a special branch ; and as the men who take troops into and out ol battle are. responsible for winning or losing it, their system would not be so perfect as it is were tbo needful training o vet looked. We are told : When well-educated young men join the Prussian army, they, arc not left to pick up their duties under the tuition of the drill S'.rgeant. They receive instruction in a course of military tours, for which special provisi in is made in the I stimates. Of those tours, the following description is given by CMoncl Walker, a distinguished English officer who had special opportunities for becoming acquainted with the subject “These journeys, and especially those conducted by General Von Moltkk, are a tnost valuable source of instruction for officers of the staff. All the officers who can be spared from the duties of the office take part in those fours, as also a few staff oFcers called in from the commands, and a selection from the commanders of regiments For the tour superintended by General Moltke the theatre of operations and certain conditions likely to influence them are indicated, a supposed strength is given to two oppo-ing armies, their depots and means of reinforcement arc clearly laid down, and the influence likely to he exerted by the movements of other bodies of troops on their flanks are taken into calculation. According to these data, the senior officers present make their plans of manoeuvre, employing tkeir juniors in the preparations of all the subordinate arrangements, the movements of the troops, the selection of positions for attack or defence, the arrangements for supply, and for retaining a communication with the base. All those measures are carried out on the spot, and daily reports are made to the superintending officer, which, when necessary, are accompanied by such rough sketches as are usual during the progress of a campaign. From those materials he is enabled to form an idea in what degree the spirit of the operations has been grasped by the directing officers, and how far their juniors are instructed in the details of duties which they may hereafter bo called on to perform,