452 NOTES ON GERMAN MAN@UYVRES, 1894, 
him. As we have seen in the Niederwald the guns came up actually 
in line with the skirmishers and repelled counter-attack after counter- 
attack on the part of the French. 
The Germans do not believe in very long ranges, guns and rifles now 
carry very far, but after all it is the power of vision of man which must 
fix the extent of ranges, and firing at long distances means small effect 
and great waste of ammunition. 
Little use was made of cover during the attack, the great object 
being to press forward as rapidly as possible at all costs and seek a 
decision at close ranges. It is very difficult indeed to fire with effect 
at scattered lines advancing rapidly; the men get more and more 
flurried as the enemy advances, and it takes cool heads to adjust the 
sights properly and constantly to change them correctly. If you study 
carefully Part V. of our new infantry drill-book, a most admirable 
compilation, I think you will recognize that the system of attack there 
laid down is in letter and spirit very much like the German system, 
which I have endeavoured to describe. 
The marching powers of the men are really very great, the Germans 
say that the secret of victory liesin the legs of the men, and certainly 
this was exemplified in the wonderfully long marches of the infantry 
to the battle-fields of Vionville and Gravelotte. It is the practice of 
the German army to carry in all work, outside the actual drill field, the 
full marching order kit, so that the men become quite accustomed to 
carry it. 
One regiment from Heidelberg, which I know well, marched 53 
kilometres or about 85 miles as an experiment carrying the new kit, 
which weighs 26100 kilogrammes. Not aman fell out. On another 
occasion I was present with a brigade which rendezvouzed at Worth, 
and proceeded to Sulz in pursuit of the other brigade of the division 
which was retiring. Many of the troops had already marched from 
Reichshofen and Niederbronn to W6rth, which is,16 miles from Sulz; 
they came up with the enemy first in position about 7 miles from Sulz 
and after a tough fight drove him back; he took up another strong 
position on the road to Sulz, from which he was driven, and he then 
passed Sulz and took up the strongest position ofthe day, on a ridge 
beyond the town, from which he delivered a powerful counterstroke 
which terminated the manceuvre for the day. I accompanied the 
infantry of the attack all day ; they marched much over 20 miles, and 
forced two strong positions—I can vouch for the fact that not a man 
fell out. It must be remembered that all the men were very young ; 
very few indeed having more than two years service, which is now the 
term for the infantry. No one could desire to command better soldiers. 
The two years’ men were for the first time discharged after the 
manceuvres last year. In 1893 many German officers told me that it 
was a mistake to introduce thetwo years’ service law in place of the 
three. But last autumn the same officers told me that they had been 
mistaken, and they had found that it was quite possible to make a 
thorough infantry soldier in two years. The men worked better, 
knowing that they would return to their homes in two instead of three 
years. Naturally it entailed more work on the officers and under- 
