EVOLUTION OF WAR. Tacties Changed by the Great Range of Modern Rifies.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 338, 30 January 1889, Page 6

EVOLUTION OF WAR. Tactics Changed by the Great Range of Modern Rifies.

Ik consequence oi the greater range" and" power of modern .artillery, -and- -musketry/ fire, a memorandum uppn bhe.formationVof infantry for the attack has, --been-, issued by--' the British War Office. Troops allotted-, for the attack will, jn&ieruof -suiJieieoJL. strength,. bte."diYide,d. in^to first, sec)sndv - apd- third"; lines. \ ~l.Th.je ,Jirs£ line, 1 , subdivided into' firing; "line,-- supports' and. reserves, - engages the ene^my^'. and. is intended eventually to establish itself within charging distance of his position. , The duties of the firing lines are to , keep up a well-directed fire, upon the enemy.: froin' ' the "moment, such, -fire, .becomes .^effective':' ,to push forward- as- near- Xia ..posi^o^.. ag.possible; and thence vo deliver .s^fchTa ■heavy fire as will enable the second line . to '.approach the point' v selected for attack, arid drive him** 1 ; from it. The supports and the reserves keep 'the ' firing line at its'most- efficient -stren'gthuby filling the gaps caused by the casualties : protect its flank by the firing" they' can bring to bear upon' any troops which threaten them; encourage* th'ose engaged in front by the feeling t>hafc there is a body of comrades following' to assist "them/ As the 'final "stage 1 is '.reached 1 the. support and 'reserves, b&jome! absorbed 'in 'the. extended "line/ '"During 1 £nX/a'dva'nc£'a'll serious flank attacks /miisfc' 'be >u m?et by the reserves, who will also find" any troops that may be' required f for the longrange fire. The second 'line assaults the position when its' way is prepared through the losses inflicted on the enemy by the first line. The third line either 'cohflhn's' the success or covers the'retre&t'of the firSfc and second lines, and so prevents' 'defeat) becoming disaster. In' the final stage' of the attack,- as 'the .' firing line Shears the enemy's position and 5 cannot advance ' further without un'ne'ce^sa'ry " exposure, a convenient position should 'be selected whence telling fire may be broiightto beai upon, the points of the enemy's .position . selected for a6fcack. Should, the reserve b^ ' still in the rear it should now join 'tlieironti line so far as to bring its fire^'up'to the „ maximum of effect. : The se'condr/linei well kept in hand, should' hdjv- be led up to the firing" line L opposite " the seIpcted pofnts',of the- hostile , dinej where/ from .conpentrated, fire of the ar- : • tillery and" the* 'firing^- line, r ' the* fenders must -have * -'suffered^ - most., "Oh 1 reaching the fii i in^'4irfe' t the' setfdnd line will doiißle' tWoughit' with" ohe'ers^ carrying the "positiprT'At the point fof ffche bayonet> the drums beatiWg >J an r d* the* bugles -playing: The firing line* will 'ft>llBw- close in' the rear." The- third line/ formed 1 in 4 the 'most Jcony'enierit manner | according to local eilbcliftj^ stances,' willwork .forward, ready »to^supply an attack, to meet the. enemy's reserves if k serious attack' ds^made^wh'en ;the assault js 'deiive're(l, YY i c 'an'd ! subsequently-' >tib\ " confirm the^supcess of; the attack -by open* % ing - a he^ty> fire ! ,upon y the • enemy las 7l as 7 Ke j re.treatsV^or'by' the' m'ei'e'ocbupation^ of the carjtured' position."' ' " V rt ■ '--*■ ' /t",'"

. •übscriben the sixth, annual report • and .;. balan«>e = sheet for the \;ear t ended the 31st - - iJ^Bibto, l^, rf i'egret Jqhave; to report that - in, cobaeqiience), of the Government - discern- : tinui^^W4|^bsid^7t9t I) ")»yo Libaries, 'and the/continued i*liing %^ in the number -of ' ■ subscribers, the revenue for the year has been reduced to £34 4s 3d as against £62 4s lid last-year, in consequence of which the balance - sheet^Bows a debit of about £19.' $our r Committee _in_Yiew of reducing, the expenditure, resolved in the early p 1 art of the *-' year to discontinue ail .the illustrated' papers -\ t and magazines, and some four or five months*i kgb they ":al6o ! decided toTemove from the * premises in Boundary-street into the building * joow occupied, which was kindly given by Mr JLipsey rent free, but owing the premises havv • ing now fallen into the hands of a different . v " owner ' who requires it for his own use, your Committee o thought it would be to the '„ advantage fof to have it re- -, ~ moved into a cential position, and have now made arrangements with Mr Edwards to » rent pW: of ithe. premises adjoining his shop in~Whil^cer-*lnpoet, at -a rental of 6s 6d per week, and there-isevery reasou to btlieve that the obange will be for. the better. It has also been rewired -to make a small redaction in 1 thejq\|itrterly. subscriptions and to charge 2s - * pehqulrter for -uso of Beading Room, and also * to make .a change in '.'management: of the - Irib»ry,-whwlrw l iU be brought before you this . - evening, " .<> * 'During the year the Beading Boom has been '"fairly used'and about 48 new volumes were * 4dd9d4o t'haLlibrary. of the subscribers are due to -H. \l Stratford, Esq., fdr a Lecture ; to the •_ Troubalours for their efforts - s "ah gettingiup an entertainment for the benefit „ of -the Institution ; and also to Comes' Ban ■ * ' quet Committee for a donation. We would recommend that the incoming "Comiiritfee J make urgent efforts to clear -off "'present USbilities and induce a larger number . ," of persons to become subscribers to the Institution, TAccording to the by-laws the present office and committee retire, and it will be " jUie duty of ■subscribers to eleot their sue, oesßors. Balance Sheet :— Receipts: To bulnnce , in hand, December^lst, 1887, iil Os 6d ; subscriptions, £25 17s 6d ; net proceeds » lecture by Mr U. A. Stratford, £1 17s 9d ; •do. Tjy "crncertr Waiqrongomai Troubn <l9urp, ' £3 Ss; donation -from Comes 1 Banquet Ooinnjittee, £4 ; total, £42 4s 9d. Expenditure : Uy Librarians salary, £25 ss; ' accdUHts, £5 14s 3d; iron-r^onjjei-y, £1 Is ;«rent, £5 ; to balance in hand and at B,ank,.£s 4s 6d ; total, £42 4s 9(1.- Liabilities' at December 31« st, 1888 : Upton and Co., £11 Os 5d ; N. Z. Herald, £2 108; D. J. Frnzer, £2 l(>s 9d : Brett ,and Co., ss^d : rent, £7 ; Libraries salary, 15s total. £24 2s Bd, less £s 4s 6d balance a# above .; leaving balancfl liabilities unfor £18 18s '2d. Tbe Chairman expressed regret nt the very Sparse attendance and at so much apathy toeing manifested by the people of Te Aro.ua with- respect to the public Hbo-nry. It seemed to him the position "wna simply ,this, they as a Committee were OOWMnukinga last effort to keep thelibrnry going, and if their efforts were seconded by the people themselves it wouH !>e well, i>nt if their efforts were not seconder, ami -ijj? .more desire to assist in keeping up the pi^nry^ was not shown than whs the case , ylatterJy if Jie certaioly thought it would be * fine of the Committee to close tho ' Rbrary-ttltogether. . Other members of the library Committee expressed themselves as being of: the same ■way of thinking. Kesolved tlmt , the report and balance *heet, as read,, be adopted. The following'oiicer^ were elected fi-JT "^Mrtc'urrent.yiiJt^ : Presiflerrt^ Mi- F. P.ivilt; ..Vice Prcsi^JeatSj Revs S./Lnwry nmtl J. * Marshall ; y Secretary,,' Mr A. Menzies ; Committee '; Messts T M. Lawlor, A. Downes, S. L. .Hirst, 'A. Bluck, G. C. Deverill, and J. MiUs v v , ' ltesolved that the" Secretary be instructed to advertise '-for- applications from jier^on? prepared, to/ undertake the duties v of Librariaa, and that a meeting of the ; be held* On February : 14th, for the purpose of appointing a Librarian, et«. '. • '^Piris WRB'all the business.