g of huts at Kiruru signaled the beginning of the battle. The
brigadier general, a polite little man who has lectured at the staff
college for twenty years and who knows the last word in the science of
warfare, especially of artillery, called the howitzer battery by
telephone.

"Open fire a little to the right of the palm tree," he said. "You have
the elevation and direction. The Nigerians will be on the move." Just
behind the palm tree and a little to the right a great brown cloud of
mud and smoke rose high in the air. From the plain came the boom of
heavy guns and all along the river branch rose clouds of smoke, mud and
dust.

The staff officer handed in a telegram reading: "The infantry are now
about to advance; they ask artillery support."

"Bring the field guns into action," said the general.

It was all so very matter of fact. This little man, who was about to let
loose upon the German trenches a hell's broth of fire and disaster,
acted as if he were in his own drawing room, deciding how many lumps of
sugar he would take with his tea.

Down below on the plain the howitzers were lobbing 60-pound shells into
the German Askaris, the Nigerians were advancing by sharp rushes and the
rat-tat of the machine guns and the crackle of musketry broke very
faintly. Airplanes sailed above us. A message came from the Nigerians,
"We are going to take the enemy's trenches; please lift gunfire." The
order was passed along, "All guns lift two degrees."

Little black dots, like tiny ants, are running where the shells are
bursting. The Nigerians are rushing the trenches. The forward observing
officer reports that the enemy is retiring. The 15-pounders, man-killing
guns, shower shrapnel on the German line of retreat.

SUGGESTS A CUP OF TEA.

The infantry report having occupied the German first line trenches,
halting for one hour to consolidate. The brigadier-general commented on
the difficulty of observation in the humid atmosphere and suggested a
cup of tea. It seemed that nothing more would happen until after lunch,
so I visited the commander-in-chief. He was occupied for the moment with
a volume by George Gisslog and was satisfied with the reports he had
received. By dark the whole of the German entrenchments were in our
hands.

A volume could be written alone on the changes in tactics which have
been developed and practiced by the military geniuses of the contending
forces. In the European War the range of artillery an