THE NEXT WAR.

Gisborne Times, Volume LII, Issue 5464, 27 April 1920, Page 3

THE NEXT WAR.

PLEA FOR- PAINLESS GAS

LONDON, January 10. There would be no more reason to forbid the use of gas than to pro the employment of nfle s in the war (says Major-General Sir Lou _ Jackson, of the Royal Engineers, formerly in charge of offensive gas production). There were, he occh V - eel ,rases which killed painlessly, mid it was easy to conceive cases in vouch it would lie more humane to use gas than explosive shells. It might bo possible- to come to some arrange meat whereby no gas should be used that caused unnecessary suffering. In a recent address before, some or the leading lights in the military world lie stated that the world was on the eve of the most extensive modifications in the art of war known to history, and the changes made m the recent war were only the beginning. It was necessary to develop new arms with the knowledge that the nation which best did so would have a great advantage in the -next war. The tanks were not likely to ho used in future wars, but they had shown that mechanical transport .was not dependent on highways, and that, therefore, tile whole transport of an army could he earned by vehicles with caterpillar wheels mdcpcTiclentlv of the roads. Air nglitincr would he enormously developed!. The short rifle would' be replaced by a carbine which would bo accurate up to n range of 500 yards. . ArtiHerv would be much more mobile, and n they \>:we to allow for an advance of twelve" miles a d<'ay the guns must be capable of an effective barrage up to 18.000 vards. He thought that a short .2 gun with an accurate range of 12,000 yards and a long 4.2 gun with. a. range of 20,000' yards might meet the requirement® of the future. He said that the -future soldier must be absolutely different from his predecessor. _ The days had "one by when initiative, was considered ‘not only unnecessary, but dangerous. In nd/l'tion to Ins rifle, tile- soldier should be able to Ini mile a- Lewis or machine gun and to help the artillery. He should know something of explosives, have a knowledge n-f fuses, understand! signalling, and bo able to handle a ground wireless set. He should receive. intense training.