and forthwith the Crusaders shouted aloud, ' Dieu le veut,' and charged. The Saracens were shaken, pierced, and overwhelmed, and 100,000 corpses lay on the field of battle. We must make every allowance for the exaggerated reports of the ancient historians, yet there is no doubt that, where masses of men fought hand to hand, the slaughter was far greater before the introduction of fire-arms than since. A retreat then meant sheer massacre. But the losses at Sadowa were Sadowa. very great, though the Austrian cavalry sacrificed themselves to save their noble infantry, when driven back by the rapidity of firing of the Prussian needle-gun. And the losses during the war between North and South America afford another good test of the number of men who may be put hors de combat.

nature.

We have previously alluded to that 'potence of Potence of nature,' and that general similarity which seems to permeate the entire intellectual portion of creation. He who said, 'There is nothing new under the sun,' taught all mankind a lesson. It is by knowing man, that the general gains his influence over his soldiers. There is nothing new, nothing in the present that we cannot find a parallel to, if we read the past carefully. Thus the speech of Cambyses to his Speech of Cambyses to son Cyrus is worth attention. He said, 'You say Cyrus.

A 'breechloading' gun in 1537.

well, that is the way (by rewards and punishments) to make them obey you by force, but the chief point is to make them (the soldiers) obey you willingly and freely. Now the sure method of effecting this is to convince those you command that you know better what is for their advantage than they do themselves, for all mankind readily submit to those of whom they have that opinion. This is the principle from whence that blind submission proceeds which you see sick persons pay to their physicians, travellers to their guide, and a ship's company to the pilot. Their obedience is only founded upon the persuasion that all these are more skilful and knowing, in their respective callings, than themselves. He must really be so (said Cambyses), and in order to be so he must apply himself closely to his profession, diligently study all the rules of it, consult the most able and experienced masters, and have recourse to the protection of the gods, from whom alone we receive all our wisdom and our success.'

'1

After the tremendous array of armies at Sadowa, after all the amazement at the fearful loss of life-by the operation of the needle-gun, what is the real truth? Was the weapon a new one? No; for we find that in the days of Henry VII., in the year 1537, some 300 years ago,

1 Rollin's Ancient History,' vol. ii. p. 259.

ANTIQUITY OF THE BREECH-LOADING GUN 171

that is to say, a smooth-bored breech-loading matchlock harquebus,' was already invented and known.

Author

In the Reports of the Archæological Institute of the year 1868, it is stated that this weapon was exhibited by General Lefroy, and that it had the year 1537 marked upon it. What were all the wise and scientific men of Europe about that they should be blind to the effects of this kind of weapon as exemplified in the Danish war? We What the raised our humble cry in the Indian papers in pointed out. those days. We pointed out then the necessity of looking into the causes that made the Danes succumb though holding such a strong and welldefended position. Then came Sadowa, which had the desired effect; but alas, too late for poor Austria. Thus, by blindness a great nation met with a severe humiliation, and the other Powers learnt a lesson never to be forgotten. It set all the armouries of Europe to work day and night in the active manufacture of a new weapon. But the Prussians, seeing that their secret was now What the laid bare, and observing that their previous enormous advantage was gone, at once directed their whole attention, instead, to the attainment of a great preponderance in artillery; and then came Sedan with far more crushing effect than ten Sadowas put together. A voice raised in India

Prussians did.

A prediction verified.

6

never reached Europe, or both Austria and France might have been spared much misery and misfortune. As remarked before, the Author of this work predicted the misfortune to France a whole year before war was proclaimed, and the editor of the Pioneer' can prove this satisfactorily, if any reader has a doubt on this matter. Alas! official status is required to back one's opinion, and the Author being but a poor 'brevet lieutenant-colonel,' and failing to get the number of subscribers to enable him to meet the expenses of printing, &c., had not the means to publish this work (which was in manuscript at the 'Pioneer Press,' long before the end of 1870) as he earnestly desired.

HOW STUDY IS TO BE APPLIED

173

CHAPTER VIII.

Necessity for study-Wisdom taught by humiliation-No general will succeed who works in a groove-Expenditure of force instanced by the trajectory of a bullet-Velocity gained at expense of carrying power-Imprudence of despising an enemy-Boldest project carried out by most trifling agencies-Opportunity makes the man-The knowledge of a soldier's wants among the first duties of a commander-Rash commanders much to blameSoldiers reasoning beings, and should be treated as such-Instances-How to gain a knowledge of the soldier's characterA single word often enough to rule them-Others do not care for corporal punishment-Amenable to discipline if told they have broken the law-At heart good and generous, devoted to their comrades and their officers.

'FACTS are stubborn things!' and this intended to be a mere record of facts.

work is

How study is to be applied.

Young

men should study their own profession; and 'those studies which in their youth they have perused promiscuously must be brought before them in one view, that they may see the science of the whole with each other, and with the nature of real being.' It is for this purpose that the Author has worked for thirty years. He hopes his labour will not be in vain, for the glory of our Army is his sole ambition. His intention is not to dictate, but humbly to bring History as his unbiassed and

1 Printed at Allahabad.