liuiiuirv 30, 1915 
L A JN D AMU W A r E K 
THE PART PLAYED BY RAILWAYS IN 
MODERN WARFARE 
By " A.M.I. C.E." 
A 
LTHOUGH the great war now raging has with 
some justice been called a " motor war," owing 
to the enormous use made of motor transport, 
it might even more truly be described as a 
" railway war." Although motor transport has 
played a great part in facilitating the movements of \ast 
armies, in feeding the large masses, and in providirg ti em 
with stores and ammunition, the railways have been and 
continue to be the chief means of transportation. 
The Franco-German War of 1S70-71 was really the firi-t 
great conflict in which railways became an important element 
of strategy and tactics, and since that date there have onl\- 
been two land campaigns of first-class importance in which 
they were used to a large extent, namely, the South African 
and Russo-Japanese wars. Unfortunately, both campaigns 
were conducted in sparsely populated districts provided 
with very few railway facilities, and as these wars were 
fought outside Europe but little attention was directed to 
the work of the railways. 
A Commission of railway investigation, instituted by the 
French Government during the armistice in 1871, stated that 
a railway is a docile and powerful instrument which should 
be used with intelligence. Its numerous and disciplined 
staff is accustomed to obeying precise orders emanating from 
one authority, and is, of course, completely bewildered when 
contradictory instructions are sent in from different quarters 
at the same time. The Commission reported that this 
important element of useful working had been compleleh 
overlooked in the Franco-Gerrran War, and this was proved 
by numerous facts. In consc q lence of different orders, 
counter orders, too frequent requisitions frcm military 
authorities causing fatal delays and blocking up the sidings, 
fighting between generals for priority of trains, etc., the 
French railways were hopelessly crippled during the best 
part of the war. On January 15, 1871, 6,500 vans were 
immobilised for such reasons at a single spot on the Paris- 
Lyons-Mediterranee Railway. Inexperience of the practical 
working of the railways for military purposes resulted in tl.e 
accumulation of abundant provisions at one place, while at 
other places the armies lacked everything. During the 
march of Bourbaki's army an obstruction in the station of 
Clairsal resulted in 15,000 men remaining eight days and 
nights in the cars with food for three days only. The 
Commission reported that the capabilities of railway trans- 
ports are practically indefinite and are only limited by the 
amount of rolling stock available. The Eastern Railway of 
France transported on an average 12,000 to 15,000 men per 
day, with cavalry, artillery, and war material, the trains 
following each other every hour or half-hour. Each train 
usually contained 1,200 men or a battery of artillery. Vinoy's 
army — 50,000 strong, with artillery — was transported in 
thirty hours, while on November 22, 1870, 100,000 men were 
concentrated at le Mans in three days by three different 
railway linos. 
The French admitted that the Germans made more 
efficient use of the PVench lines than they did themselves, 
because the German railways were being managed by a 
G.)vernment Commission which had absolute control over all 
the different railway companies. This arrangement is, to a 
certain extent, the same as that instituted at the beginning 
of the war in Great Britain. 
During the war of 1870 the ordinary passenger and goods 
t Mffic of the German railways dwindled to practically nothing, 
the principal business consisting in moving troops, forwarding 
siege guns, ammunition, convoys of provisions and stores, 
and in bringing back from France many numerous trains of 
sick and wounded, as well as prisoners of war. Of the French 
aTny captured at Metz 70,000 were sent off by railway 
through Saarbriicken, whilst 85,000, with an escort of 16 for 
every 100, were forwarded by rail to Germany via Trier. 
Passenger carriages were requisitioned and furnished by 
every German railway company in proportion to the means 
at its command, and five trains, with 2,000 prisoners in each, 
left Metz every day. Within two weeks after the declaration 
of war the Germans laid 10 miles of railway on the right 
bank of the Rhine, opposite the fortress of Germersheim, to 
Graben, near Bruchsal, in order to form a junction from 
Worms to Germersheim. This short line proved of great 
strategical importance, and was found of immense use for 
the rapid conveyance of troops. With the fall of Toul and 
Metz the Germans obtained uninterrupted communication 
between Germany and Nanteuil, about 4O miles from Paris. 
The French destroyed the railway bridge over the Marne, 
and consequently the Germans had to send their siege guns 
from this point to Paris by road. The Eastern Railway 
Company of France suffered most at the hands of the Germans, 
as this railway was entirely in their possession. Its loss in 
rolling stock was, however, small, as most of it was brought 
safely to the main station in Paris before the German ad\ance. 
One of the results of the war of 1870 was the very 
important arrangement carried out between the English and 
German Governments, by which the English overland mails 
to India and Australia were diverted from the French route 
and conveyed through Germany to Munich, and then over 
the Brenner Railway to Verona, whence they passed through 
Italy to Brindisi and shipped to Alexandria. 
Up to the present war railways in this country have 
never been called upon to handle such a volume of traffic as 
has been necessitated by the transport of the Expeditionary 
Force to France, and also in connection with the movements 
of Territorials and Kitchener's Army, but those familiar with 
our railways have always felt confident that at the critical 
moment the railway companies would not be found wanting. 
In the South African War the London and South- 
western Railway did admirable work. The Chairman of the 
Company stated that between October 20, 1899, and Saturday, 
F"ebruary 3, 1900, there had been embarked at the Company's 
wharves at Southampton 3,244 (jfficcr-, 114,933 men, 12,929 
horses, 267 guns, and 997 military wagons, with 10,000 tons 
of stores and ammunition. This traffic was conveyed over 
the line in 592 special trains, and in no case was a transport 
delayed by the train service. 
The following figures show the number of troops and 
material handled on specific days on the London and South- 
western Railway. All this traffic was carried at a time 
wl;en trade was excellent, and in no case was the ordinary 
public train service interfered with : — 
Officers 
Military 
Date, iSrg. 
and Men. 
Horses. 
Guns. 
\Vaj;oiis 
Friday, Oct. 20 
• 45f>6 
16 
5 
■ 38 
Saturday, Oct. 21 . . 
. 5048 
103 
20 
. 89 
Sunday, Oct. 22 . . 
. 4859 
524 
9 
27 
Monday, Oct. 23 . . 
• 4255 
• 437 
5 
• 38 
luesday, Oct. 24 . . 
. 1581 
272 
9 
41 
Saturday, Nov. 4 . . 
■ 365^ • 
• 344 • 
2 
8 
Saturday, Nov. 11 . . 
. 2222 
6 
I 
5 
Wednesday, Nov. 15 
828 
406 
12 
42 
The London and North-Western Railway also shipped a 
large number of troops from Liverpool and other places. 
The companv brought them from various parts of London 
and the country. In connection with the South African War 
this company carried 62,071 troops, 126 guns and horses in 
359 special trains without interfering with the ordinary 
traffic. Lord Roberts, in his report on the field transport, 
referring to the Railways Department, said that the difficult 
and arduous work performed by this department reflected 
the greatest credit upon all concerned. From Capetown to 
Pretoria is 1,040 miles, and Pretoria to Komati Poort is 
292 miles more and, considering the enormous length of line 
to protect, it was a wonderful achievement to carry an army 
of 250,000 men with all their equipment into the heart of 
the enemy's country. 
(To be coiilinued). 
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241 
