BRAINS IN WAR.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7923, 30 January 1904, Page 7

BRAINS IN WAR.

I Lord Roberts thus expressed himself as to the staff of the Army before the WatInquiry Commission: — " Many instances of indifferent staff- work ) might be quoted, and it seems clear that the entire staff should be thoroughly trained ; that a definite system of carrying out staff duties .should be laid down ; and that we should have enough trained staff officera to suppiy, in , case of emergency, a large army. On such occasions there is no difficulty in obtaining men of such good quality j that they very soon 'become trustworthy j soldiers. But staff officers cannot be improvised; nor can they learn their duties, j like the rank and file, in a few weeks or months, for their- duties are as various as they are important. 1 am decidedly of opinion that w. cannot have a first-rate army unless we have a first-rate staff, well educate^, constantly practised at manceuvres, and with wide experience. Brains are even more important in. war than numbers ; and in an army which may contain a large proportion of men who 1 are not sol diers by profession, trained leaders ate especially important. The provision of such leaders is a point to which, we .an hardly pay too much attention." The unanimity of opinion among our leading generals as to a .small but good army is striking. Sir Evelyn Wood said : "I am not arguing.f or a smaller army ; I am assuming that the nation puts acide a certain fixed sum, however large it may be, for its army. Having that axed som, I gather from what you say that you would rather expend tbat sum on a really efficient army than on c still larger- army, that is ineffective ?— Much rather; there cannot be a question abont that. But I have- said this officially for the last four or five years, urging that we should adopt' the American principle of so much a day and 'all found.' " Lord Roberts: „ _ . ' . " . . . If I had 1000 well-educated men of the stamp of the City Imperial Volunteers, I think in one year I should be quite satisfied that they would be thoroughly well trained; if Ihad the ordinary recruit who comes into Westminster, I should say he wants two or three. Education and intelligence make all the difference in the world, to my mind." Lord Methuen ; : ",,'•__ "■ We have beard a good deal of evidence on the question of brains versus numbers. Supposing you were organising an army at a. fixed sum of money, would, you rather have an army, say, 100 per cent strong, as our army ia ai present, or would you rather have it 60 per cent of thoroughly trained men, with the money spent ou trainin. rather* than on the increase of num- , bers!*-I prefer 60 per cent thoroughly trained »«. „ ___,__. I "Yes, what you want 18 a small army and a rood one, wd if you ***» « P T"f mind that you are to red-nee the Kwaiars, or to send them abroad, as proposed in the •Time.,' and you mean to ;trust.. to yonr Volunteers, your Yeomanry,, and Militia, then you must use every effort : t J-* r 'sJ m "^ to make them aoroughly efficient an* good

men, otherwise you may take my word for it you will suffer." Sir Archibald Hunter : " In point of fact, I take it, to put it this way, that you would rather have your army 25 per cent less in numbers if you could have them of a better class? — Yes. " Even if you had to pay them 33 . per oent more money? — Yes. " You would consider that a more efficient service ?— Yes" N.iii ' m ■ \

In the centre of Kildine, an island in the North Sea, is perhaps the most curious lake in the -world. The surface of' ite waters is quite -fresh and. supports fresh-water creature. ; but deep dawn ifc is as salt as tbe greaitest depths of the sea, and salt-water fish live in. it. An abuse to be corrected is ofttimes a better campaign 1 - cry than a good servioe already rendereci.