Page:The invasion of the Crimea vol. 2.djvu/391

THE PLAN OF THE ENTERPRISE. 3G1 supplies by means of lons^ pipes from a river, the chap. XXTV principle of the ' movable column ' would be well .* enough tokened by that simple sldnful of water which, carried on the back of a camel, is the life of men passing a desert. Each of the two systems has its advantages and its drawbacks. The advantages enjoyed by an army undertaking regular operations are : the last- ing character of its power, and its comparative security against great disasters. The general con- ducting an army in regular operations is constantly replenishing his strength by drawing from his ' base ' fresh troops and supplies to compensate the havoc which time and the enemy, or even time alone, will always be working in his army ; and if he meets with a check, he retires upon a line already occupied by portions of his force, already strewed with his magazines. He retires, in short, upon a road prepared for his reception, and the farther he retreats, the nearer he is to his great resources. The drawbacks attending this system are : the great quantity of means of land-transport required for keeping up the communication, and the eternal necessity of liaving to be ready with a sufhcient force to defend every mile of the 'line of operations' against the enterprises of the enemy. The advantages of the ' movable column ' are : that its means of land-transport may be compara- tively small — may, in fact, be proportioned to the limited duration of the service which it under- takes ; and that, not being clogrjed with the duty