'taken in' as well as others. at Sadowa with the needle-gun, and drove them off the field. But because the Austrians and the French only suffered we must not flatter ourselves We were that we ourselves were not quite as much 'taken in' as the former at Sadowa, or the latter at Sedan. It is indeed incumbent on us to remember these sad events and carefully to keep ourselves ever up to the mark as regards ARTILLERY. Times are changed. What was expected in 1861. How the CHAPTER XV. How Times are changed-Warfare Now and in Times PastScience of Defence becoming superior to that of Attack— Further Arguments for Powerful Artillery-Probable Value of Cavalry in the Future: their Horses should be taken to be harnessed to Guns-The sole Object of the Author's Remarks to save the Nation from Disgrace-The actual Horrors of War again enumerated—Imagine an Enemy in London!-How such Times of Trial are the true Test of Men-Our Course is clearly to progress in Knowledge, taking advantage also of every Improvement in Weapons-Wars must at length cease when all Nations become equal in military power. THE time has long passed away since the days when a single gigantic warrior, clad in armour, could, with his powerful right arm and ponderous battle-axe, turn a victory into a defeat. At the present day a ploughboy with a pocket pistol, could shoot down a Goliath or a Saladin from behind a hedge. In 1861 we said, 'So, when military science further progresses, it will be found as necessary to set aside our Armstrong guns and Enfield rifles, as it was for our ancestors gradually to exchange the bow and arrow for the musket and cannon.' James, in his history of Coeur-de-Lion, says, 'Whoever has given the slightest attention to the history of the human mind must have re men. marked that at certain points it changes the path which it has previously been pursuing, assumes a new course, suited to the circumstances that for the time surround it, labours therein, until, operating upon everything within its sphere, it has produced a complete alteration in all around it.' Now, this is what far-seeing and observing men are on Far-seeing the look-out for; if it be proved that iron ships can resist shot for even five minutes, pro tem. they must be better than those of wood. King Richard might have done very well opposed to the arrows of Saladin's hosts. Yet what could such a warrior accomplish now? The formations made at Waterloo are dangerous, yea, useless in these days. 'Old things have passed away, behold all things are Old things passed away. become new,' and yet, (extreme?) There is nothing new under the sun.' If our enemy's guns carry a quarter of a mile further than ours we are not safe, for even fifty yards is of deep importance in gaining cover for your infantry. Now that all are on the alert we shall soon be equal again. Bows and arrows were opposed to bows and arrows, and huge guns will now meet huge guns. The Times (in an article on French iron-cased ships The Times on and Armstrong guns, September 15, 1869) said, defence. The science of defence will have become superior to the science of attack; and when that comes to pass, war will have been shorn, not only of many the science of Change in cannon. Powerful artillery. What we may yet expect from artillery. of its horrors, but of many of the prospects for the sake of which it is undertaken.' It will be observed that with the introduction of ironclads we have reduced the number and increased the weight of our naval guns; as gunnery then is in reality our science of defence,'-as we depend upon it, whether equal or more powerful, to protect our infantry and injure that of the enemy, we must increase both the number and range of our cannon for field service. An ironclad resists shot, if only for a time; and when hard pressed can retire out of range, having suffered perhaps but little damage. But every shot, into a mass of flesh and blood, causes fearful loss of life, and it will make no difference whether you advance or retire, the more powerful artillery will cut down your soldiers still. The French felt this at Sedan. It is no absurdity to say that we should bring into use every man and every horse rather than be overwhelmed at any future time by superior numbers, or more powerful guns. It will be seen in the next war-perhaps not far distant-that artillery will be so powerful, and so largely employed, that the loss of life will be far more than we have ever heard of since the introduction of powder. When men in former ages, with equal weapons and courage also on a par, fell upon each other with swords, are equal. the carnage was tremendous before a victory was purchased by either side. So will it be again when both armies have the same cannon, the same style When armies of rifle, the same qualities in the other weapons they employ to throw projectiles. Surely common sense, backed by all History, tells us that this is true? off now. When arrows were used the shield was of service, but bullets rendered both shields and armour useless. So cavalry are compelled by the present Cavalry kept long-range guns to keep at distances too great to allow of their falling suddenly upon infantry; besides which, the latter possess rifles that may be fired with such rapidity that it is no longer necessary to fix bayonets to receive a charge of horse. It is not at all absurd to suppose that cavalry nowadays will be destroyed if they are hurled at Cavalry will by infantry or be destroyed artillery. guns or at infantry. In former days, when cavalry worked wonders by their speed, it was a most important arm; but they can no longer act as before. Remember how that glorious body of men-the splendid Austrian cavalry-went down before the Prussian infantry at Sadowa. But a battery or two of heavy guns would have obliged the Prussians Heavy guns to pursue with less haste, and might have prevented the awful bloodshed in the cavalry. It will be well requisite. to consider whether a very large proportion of the Suggestions. cavalry should not, at once, be trained for the |