HOW WARS FINISH.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 156, 1 July 1916, Page 13

HOW WARS FINISH.

ABRUPT AND«URPRISING- ENDINGS Fexfaaps n» war ©f modern, or any times has been the subject of such a spate of prophecy regarding its duration as ttie present one. Most of the predictions have already been proved wrong, and the struggle still proceeds apparemUy ac virile as ever. - Bnt this confuering ot the -prophets is no new thing. There ias- *aT<Hy ewer been a £reat war -w#rich did not at some time, long prior to tte actual finish, «xWbit signs of collapse. The shurpeat of all nineteenth century conflicts, the Franco-German War of 1870, -was only aix weeks old irhen the staggering tragedy of Sedan happened, removing in one fell blow from the scene of activities the two finest marshals in' France, her Emperor, and the entire] Army of the North. 'Siattj experts committed themselves-at -the time to the view that this disaster must prove quickly fatal. It did not, ac we know; tnit when the great French Army of the Bhine fell into German hands eight weeks later it seemed the certain (herald of an impending' «nd to 'hostilities. Yet the war dragged'on more or less fiecely f or. three months longer, rts demise iioa doe to no, la«k of fighting i-will and courage,, but to a Acer attri-tion-urf Ereach fighiring men. Thef-same . mighirbe said of the terrible fonr years' struggle between the Confederate and Federal States of America,, only? there the- vanquished side ihad defeat forced •down ite -.'throat by a fatal paralysis produced "by a complete Federal pro- ~ domination on the sea. Many notable -wets, ■ 'however, have dramatiearry in ■ the heyday of their youth. The Serbo-Bulgarian struggle of ISBS had just'reached an exceedingly iateresting stage, tiiough the

Bulgars looked certain winners, when it was abruptly snuffed out iy what seemed uncommonly like diplomatic interference. THE RUSSOTURKISH SURPRISE. A war which saw armchair experts badly at sea was that between Russians and Turks forty years ago. The firet shot was fired in the spring of 1877, and right away the Russians won victory after victory, and if ever an opponent seemed absolutely squashed it was the Turks just Uien. But neither the military experts nor the Russians had reckoned with the magnificent defence fated to be set up at Plevna. For nine . months the latter tried every means in their power to lower its flag, and only succeeded after sustaining 80,000 casualties, and even then Osman Pasha nearly cheated them of the main prize by making a piomising attempt to cut ■hie way out. Wlu'.n war broke out between Japan and China in the year 1894 most people anticipated a long, ding-dong struggle, but one sledge-bannner blow from the former removed all semblance of a contest, and the war fizxled out ioglanously. Then, tea yea is'later, -when 6» victorious side faced fcfeo Russians, the general feeling in this coastry seemed to be that Russia woviA either quickly confound her pigmy rival, or tie w*r would be very protracted. It proved •to be one wWch amply fulfilled stt the horrors expected of it, bat the end came, soon, and it earae abroptfV The nniesl of Russian people'st borne, allied to the growing desperate position «f the main Russian Army, wiach only the craft of a Knropatkin kept from being surrounded, proved irresistible footers towards aeeeptingpecee vid swaJVwring dttfoet. The .faps were reasonable, even generous, victors, sod-' exacted n<, Tmsfennity. BBORT A«D SHARP. W:h*t pr-omiseil *» be. m mighty i»b and «ne ■ that -nrtgbi eaetlyentinre for a. I year or two was that between Austria I and Prussia, in 1866. Armies totuffing I a million strong,' and fnultleaery j equipped, aa-Geranaa-anniee-oewafly *»c, took foe field. But witMn six -weeks ) from the declaration of war 4SOsOOO fighting men met face to -face, one day and decided"- aot -merely battle-but the ■whole campaign—one of the fiercest fights of the century resulting in en overwhelming Prussian victory. Another European war which belied, its promise was •when Serbia, aided by; Russia, tlirew down the gauntlet to Turkey in 1876, and a great surprise was in.store for the .prophets. The* .struggle-opened.on , the-first'.day of July, and on-the last day of the following ■October the Turks, heavily reinforced, stormed the 'Husso-Serbian camp, and tie campaign came to a-graphic end. The ability of a country to sustain ■war for anVindefinite period was given signal exemplification by France at the ■ ibegi-nning of Jast century. From 1802 to 18IS her armies, practically unaided* wresHed almost incessantly with as. many as six foes- at a time. Yet their lost essay in £hie amazing-Tisfca of ean~ guina.ry fightiiig seemed more than onoo likely to end in victory.