It is well that one of the chief dangers to the peace of the modern world should be clearly recognised.  The centralisation of governments and of population may have its advantages; but over against them we must set grave drawbacks; among those of a political kind the worst are the growth of nervousness and excitability, and the craving for sensation—­qualities which undoubtedly tend to embitter national jealousies at all times, and in the last case to drive weak dynasties or Cabinets on to war.  Certainly Bismarck’s clever shifts to bring about a rupture in 1870 would have failed had not the atmosphere both at Paris and Berlin been charged with electricity[34].

[Footnote 34:  Prince Leopold of Hohenzollern died at Berlin on June 8, 1905.  He was born in 1835, and in 1861 married the Infanta of Portugal.]

CHAPTER II

FROM WOeRTH TO GRAVELOTTE

“The Chief of the General Staff had his eye fixed from the first upon the capture of the enemy’s capital, the possession of which is of more importance in France than in other countries. . . .  It is a delusion to believe that a plan of war may be laid for a prolonged period and carried out in every point.”—­VON MOLTKE, The Franco-German War.

In olden times, before the invention of long-range arms of precision, warfare was decided mainly by individual bravery and strength.  In the modern world victory has inclined more and more to that side which carefully prepares beforehand to throw a force, superior alike in armament and numbers, against the vitals of its enemy.  Assuming that the combatants are fairly equal in physical qualities—­and the spread of liberty has undoubtedly lessened the great differences that once were observable in this respect among European peoples—­war becomes largely an affair of preliminary organisation.  That is to say, it is now a matter of brain rather than muscle.  Writers of the school of Carlyle may protest that all modern warfare is tame when compared with the splendidly rampant animalism of the Homeric fights.  In the interests of Humanity it is to be hoped that the change will go on until war becomes wholly scientific and utterly unattractive.  Meanwhile, the soldier-caste, the politician, and the tax-payer have to face the fact that the fortunes of war are very largely decided by humdrum costly preparations in time of peace.

The last chapter set forth the causes that led to war in 1870.  That event found Germany fully prepared.  The lessons of the campaign of 1866 had not been lost upon the Prussian General Staff.  The artillery was improved alike in materiel and in drill-tactics, Napoleon I.’s plan of bringing massed batteries to bear on decisive points being developed with Prussian thoroughness.  The cavalry learnt to scout effectively and act as “the eyes and ears of an army,” as well as to charge in brigades on a wavering foe.