an excessive extension, to strike at the point of greatest weakness in the general line opposed to him. One other remark must be added. Now, as formerly, the tactics of defence differ essentially from those of offence in this. A certain liberty of action for subordinates has always been necessary in taking the offensive. That liberty of action must now be very largely increased. But on the defensive it has been always essential for the general to have nearly the whole of his forces perfectly under immediate command. Circumstances have partly modified this, no doubt, since it seems essential, according to the evidence we have, that the means of counter-attack, even within a position, should be chiefly by skirmishing lines; but the main fact remains as before. For this reason, then, if for no other, until a greater manœuvring facility-due as much to organisation as to training-has been acquired by our army, the defensive would seem to be the rôle we ought to seek. Unhappily, no army can limit itself to the defensive. Even on the defensive, all that now remains in the power of the commander is to determine the moment at which he shall abandon his absolute dictation, and trust, as he launches his troops into counter-attack, to their readiness to conform, and their capacity for conforming, to the essence of his instructions. For this, therefore, whether in offence or in defence, it is our army. inevitable that we should now be ready to prepare If we cannot do so, the best system of manœuvres may be a subject of interesting discussion in the abstract for a military student; it can never be a means of victory for an army, or of safety for a nation. THE END. PRINTED BY WILLIAM BLACKWOOD AND SONS, EDINBURGH. DIAGRAM II. Enemy Old conditions Enemy Present conditions Head of Skirmishers Showing greater length of Infantry line which would be available against a modern local assault for the two reasons assigned. As soon as the Artillery on the offensive is silenced by the advance of the offensive Infantry, the same illustration would apply with even greater force to the increased front of defensive Artillery, which would be able to play on an advancing local attack. |