re plainly part
of the order of battle, therefore tactical subjects, do not belong to
the theory of the conduct of War so far as respects the execution of
their construction the knowledge and skill required for such work being,
in point of fact, qualities inherent in the nature of an organised Army;
the theory of the combat takes them for granted.

Amongst the subjects which belong to the mere keeping up of an armed
force, because none of the parts are identified with the combat, the
victualling of the troops themselves comes first, as it must be done
almost daily and for each individual. Thus it is that it completely
permeates military action in the parts constituting strategy--we say
parts constituting strategy, because during a battle the subsistence of
troops will rarely have any influence in modifying the plan, although
the thing is conceivable enough. The care for the subsistence of the
troops comes therefore into reciprocal action chiefly with strategy, and
there is nothing more common than for the leading strategic features of
a campaign and War to be traced out in connection with a view to this
supply. But however frequent and however important these views of
supply may be, the subsistence of the troops always remains a completely
different activity from the use of the troops, and the former has only
an influence on the latter by its results.

The other branches of administrative activity which we have mentioned
stand much farther apart from the use of the troops. The care of sick
and wounded, highly important as it is for the good of an Army, directly
affects it only in a small portion of the individuals composing it, and
therefore has only a weak and indirect influence upon the use of the
rest. The completing and replacing articles of arms and equipment,
except so far as by the organism of the forces it constitutes a
continuous activity inherent in them--takes place only periodically, and
therefore seldom affects strategic plans.

We must, however, here guard ourselves against a mistake. In certain
cases these subjects may be really of decisive importance. The distance
of hospitals and depots of munitions may very easily be imagined as the
sole cause of very important strategic decisions. We do not wish either
to contest that point or to throw it into the shade. But we are at
present occupied not with the particular facts of a concrete case,
but with abstract theory; and our assertion therefore is that such