Chariots of Modern Warfare.
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The Military and National Importance of "Transport and Supply."
We, in common with thousands, were loth to accept the rumours which were in circulation, towards the end of last week, with regard to the European situation. The gravity of the situation has become more apparent, despite the inventiveness of certain sections of the Press and the secretiveness of diplomatists. Many doubts are now dispelled, whilst others remain.
We, however, desire to wcite briefly of an aspect of the ultimate military operations of the Great European Powers, which is of great interest to the industry with which we arc identified.
We Fight at a Range of Miles Nowadays.
Napoleon, amongst his many dicta, included a famous one, that an army marches on its stomach. Perhaps this is even more true in our time than it was when Napoleonic ambitions convulsed Europe. We fight to-day at a range of miles, where, but a few years ago, it was at one of hundreds of yards. Troops have to travel further and to cover vaster fronts than ever before. Dispositions will nowadays have to be made with the object, so far as possible, of neutralising the bird's-eye view of the military aviator. Al! the modern tendencies of military activity are towards bigger areas and greater distances. Whilst the percentage of casualties is lower than in Greek arid Roman and even earlier times, the total numbers of troops under arms in big modern combats are, of course, greater, as are the totals of casualties, as exemplified in the Russo-Japanese and, more recently, the Balkan wars.
An Army Cannot March on Tabloids.
"Transport and Supply" is, therefore, a vastly more important phase of military organization than ever it has been. With the best of intentions, inventors and faddists have not yet produced any workable scheme whereby the "arm can march" fortified solely by waistcoat-pocket tabloids. Vast quantities of food of all kinds, tinned meats, pressed hay, and other consumable stores, to say nothing of millions of rounds of ammunition, shells, projectiles, camp impedimenta and auxiliaries, as wireless outfits and travelling workshops, have now to be carried over much greater distances and at much higher speeds than ever before.
More and More Machinery in Warfare.
The peace manceuvres of all the Great European Powers during the past few years have proved that this development is a practicable one in view of the availability of the modern commercial motor. When we. in September of last year, attended the British Army Exercise, as it was called, an occasion upon which mechanical transport was particularly on trial, we were impressed with the obvious lesson that the transport-and-supply services of a modern army must depend more and more upon mechanically-propelled, self-contained vehicles. Only by their use is it possible to neutralize the paralyzing effect of the destruction of miles of railway, and to manceuvre with less consideration of the line of advance. from rajlhead. If motor columns are properly organized, an army can still go forward in spite of the fact that its nearest available railhead is of necessity located many more miles in the rear than would have been thought practicable but a few years ago, when the intervening -country had to be traversed solely by innumerable columns of slow horsed wagons.
Railhead Further to the Rear.
So successful last year were the British Army experiments in this respect, that in this year's manceuvres, which are now cancelled, it had practically been B6 decided to do away even with the first-line transport for the cavalry, and to keep those most advanced troops directly in touch with their own source of supply at railhead by means of columns of fast-travelling motor vehicles which would bring their food and ammunition right up to the front, an exercise which has never before been attempted.
Our Equipment will be Found to be Ready.
As we write, it is difficult to realize adequately how ominous are the threats of war between all the Great
Powers of Europe. We have so long learned to look upon this as only a future possibility, that it is indeed brain.racking task to endeavour to preserve an equable frame of mind concerning the whole situa
tion. The war clouds may have lifted by the time the present writing appears in print. Alternatively, it is not too much to suppose that in less than a week all the great European nations may be more or less embroiled. If such be the result, may it above all be proved that we are ready, horse and foot, on the land and on the sea. Napoleon III attributed the disastrous 1870 campaign to the failure of the French army to concentrate by railway quickly enough—a failure of transport. Germany made note of that.
Not the least amongst the phases of modern military developments, transport and supply will be on its trial. Mechanical haulage arid flying scouts are two comparatively-recent additions to the establishment of modern armies which have as yet barely accomplished more than to show excellent results in amicable manoeuvres and in a few actual engagements.
Win or Lose, the Use of Commie-al Motors Will
Increase.
We have little hesitation in bringing ourselves to believe that the commercial motor, whether in the service of the War Departments of Austria, of Prussia, of Russia, of France, of Servia or of ourselves will so substantially improve the possibilities of successful military operations as to render it certain that great developments in connection with its military use will be the result, whatever the outcome of the international struggle.
Transport Wagons, Gun Tractors, Ambulances, Travelling Workshops and Staff Cars.
We publish elsewhere in this issue a selection of interesting photographs which are designed to demonstrate to our readers the manner in which the Great Powers have already in a few short years adopted the commercial motor for their own uses. Long columns of transport wagons in all countries, more or less of standardized types settled by the technical advisers of the respective Governments, represent only one phase of the development. Motor ambulances, motor tractors for artillery and for the moving of heavy field supplies for the engineers, and motor vehicles of all kinds for the rapid transport of staff officers, these are sonic of the other principal uses to which the selfpropelled vehicle is being put, in connection with the profession of arms, apart from use in the air.
The British Transport Wagon is undoubtedly a Fine One for its Purpose.
All the Great European Powers have some form of subsidy scheme by which they retain the services of suitable wagons, which in normally-peaceful times are engaged upon private owners' haulage. In this country, we ourselves have had occasion to criticise with no little severity certain factors in respect of the subsidy organization and conditions, but they were ahnost entirely criticisms of a domestic nature. We have testified to the excellence of the type of machine which the British Government has already acquired in very considerable numbers from the principal British makers.
But Not the Most Useful for Civilian Purposes.
Tt lois been in respect of the established regulations by which it was sought to induce private users to employ these highly-specialized Government motor lorries that we have had occasion to ofTer criticism, and not without reason as events have turned out. The War Office, as we have said, has had to purchase large fleets of these special machines, and is now in the fortunate position of having very considerable numbers of them properly manned and meintained available for instant use in connection with an army in the field, lout its hope that. it would also have great numbers of identical machines on which to draw from cieilian service in time of crisis has not matured.
We Shall Make Use of More Types in Future.
There are signs, judging from the last trials of machines destined for the subsidy certifirate, that the responsible War Office Mechanical Transport Committee will before long agree to accept for subsidy purposes any well-tried, normal chassis model which has embodied in it a few outstanding characteristics which are desirable from the Army point of view, This is the line upon which the French and German authorities have we with the result that there are considerable numbers of subsidized lorries and trailers at the disposal of France, Germany, Austria and other European countries, over and above the machines belonging to those armies directly. There are greater numbers here at home, ninny "temporarily " subsidized, which could he impressed, subsidy or no subsidy, should the need arise. As we go to press, we learn that 1000 of London's motorbuses tire to be prepared as Army transport wegons. The British, German and French Subsidy Terms.
It may be interesting to recall the principal sults sidy conditions which rule in England, France and ermany.
The British commercial-motor owner who undertakes to keep his subsidy-type vehicle in readiness for a national call receives L110 spread over three years, with the addition of £10 for a special body designed to facilitate the handling and conveyance of meat-.
In Germany, at present there must be nearly 1000 subsidy lorries and trailers, but there are relatively few others in the hands of private owners. They are of two classes, to carry minimum loads of four tons and two tons respectively at an average rate of 8,25 miles per hour. These 1000 trains, as they are. called, are reckoned to be sufficient to feed as many as 50 army corps. Ten of such trains are supposed to be necessary for the transport of ammunition and other ni(Wrtel in respect of a single army corps. In 1909, since which date this huge fleet has been organized, no less than 3,000,000 marks was voted for this subvention scheme. There are over 15 German automobile firms producing and selling German subvention models, which, by the way, are available for sale abroad as well as in the home country. The German owner gets nearly Four times as much for his purchase and maintenance of a subsidy model as we do here in Great Britain. An even higher grant is in force for some of the earlier machines.
The French owner, for a subsidy vehicle carrying a useful load of three tons, receives .c.'104 at. the time of purchase, and an allowance of ttfl for four successive years ; that is to say, at the end of the foiirth year he has received a total of S.1296. Any vehicle capable of giving good service under commercial conditions is suitable for service with the French Army, according to the powers that he in that country, The French have no preference for 'type. When a new model which has been submitted has passed through the Army trials, the successful model is registered as a subsidy type, and can he sold as such for a period of I we yeers.