506

EVOLUTIONS OF INFANTRY.

Chief, and depends on considerations quite unconnected with the training of troops,or with any particular system of evolutions.

But, on the other hand, the rapid and regular execution of these arrangements,which alone can render them successful, entirely depends on the existence of a well-organized system of evolutions, on the skilful application of that system by theOfficers in command of corps and battalions, and, above all, on each individual soldierbeing carefully trained to obey implicitly, to move steadily, to form rapidly, and underno circumstances of danger or difficulty ever for an instant to forget that instinct ofcombination and immediate and implicit obedience which is the essence of militarystrength.

It is only when a body of men is thus constituted that its numbers become for-midable, and its energies available for great achievements. Numbers without order,instead of contributing to strength, only serve to render more disastrous the conse-quences of weakness.

Valour without discipline, so far from being sufficient to secure success, hasfrequently no other effect than to precipitate the moment of ruin.

NOTES.

1. The word ‘Tactics’ is in this article used to denote the science of militaryformations and movements.

2. Without appealing to the experience of those who are familiar with what occursin actual warfare, every one who has witnessed even a Field Day knows that firinghas a tendency to loosen the files. If, therefore, the natural order w’ere found to hethe best, and adopted as the rule of formation, would it not follow that the divisionsof a battalion ought to deploy with intervals between them, so as to admit of thefiles being loosened without confusion ?

There is no tactical point of greater importance, or which is worthy of more carefulinvestigation, than the determination of the most advantageous mode of occupyingground; that is to say, the extent of front being given, the determination of thenumber of men and the manner of disposing them, whereby the most effective firecan be secured for its defence.

The importance of this point being accurately determined will be manifest, if ithe considered that both the development of the line of battle and the proportion ofcasualties have obviously a direct dependence on the density of the formation.

3. The means of keeping this force effective, or the determination of an establish-ment for the battalion which shall be adequate for supporting 1 the casualties incidentto military service, is a question which is perfectly distinct from the determination ofits proper effective force. This question of the establishment which corresponds toa given effective force is both interesting and important; but it depends on con-siderations which do not belong to the subject of tactics (as defined in Note 1) ; itcannot, therefore, be discussed in this place.

4. If part of a line be marching on level ground and part on a slope, in order topreserve a correct alignment, the rates of march of these two sections must beunequal, since it is evident that the section on level ground is traversing the side,and the section on the slope the hypothenuse of a right-angled triangle.

5. One of the manoeuvres practised in the French army is the wheel of the