DIRECTING A WATTLE.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 49, 26 February 1916, Page 13

DIRECTING A WATTLE.

THE MODERN GEXERAL AT WOIUL

These, are no louger the days when generals, direct .military, operations -from an eminence, overlooking the. field of battle.. A fighting.line of. to-day is controlled from a .central office, where 6tts the General Staff.. The -headcjuartere -of ■ an army corps divjsipn and brigadeiare'; the branch 00ic.C3.. , '~•-.-. t . - In a., room, at .the < general's... headquarters there..is :a ' table about 25ft square. On that table is a relief map, built in clay. That map, shows the whole battle, line. . Every feature of the landscape is depicted—every river, every, road, every.hill,.every hollow, each tree, each trai), field, forest, culvert, ditch, fence, mountain, is physically. represented on the map. Along each section of the front a number of movable blocks are placed. These blocks represent unite of the army— a corps, a division, a brigade,"even a battalion, 'each, varying -iiv-eize. ■ Ih'e approximate force of the 'enemy is also thus depicted. *' ■"', .',"■;" 'With' this. great; map. , before him the general meets every attack and countor attack, every. move of his. cncaiy. In the room adjoining.is- a telegraph ■ office. In.'times of activity, a? many, as 000 or ,IQpO- tclcgrivms y (call them al-. though,' -if"they are'ih'military-'language, they' mean despatches)- arrive iii" a day. The telegraphic and "telephonic aids 'of the general" compile and cjaesify;:all: in. fotmatipn'fnfetantaneously'for the com-, mandolin-chief... ' .". ' . -' ; i "■!'.' The .g'tcat man is left.alonV.with his maps. His -mind. cbnc'cntr,ateo. upon tliq. information 'he 'has 'rccciveS. He fore; sees the olyecjt of his enemy. * ". j A few -map. In"an', iiietant.the'thbttsande of'wires' that spread; out from are vibrating .with 'tue 'message from tho chief. :Thou«and3; of- soldiers are marcMng, ,artiUcry mayes ftom point. The"supply ■•wagons ■.everywhere, follow the^'iighting•.forces'—and..:aiilbiu-: lances aiid'field liosp'ital follow th'o ammunitiop -traiTie.-- • ' ~ ."~ ~• • ]

liUvC clockworklat^the^appointed:hour,a bombafitaient' lieginet.- .'vlfKnVay : lS?t" : days, d)»^in^^ni{2;h't;'ljefore s thq;:inlantr;V- - -charge ■' battle. .the ! ,'con?n»a;n4er-has/given' biβ prdcjceChe-may rest. , . Really that, is the - ■'.