The intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1887-1891, 1889-10-26
WAR DOGS AND PIGEONS.
How They Are Made to Serve
Military Purposes.
Pointers and Poodles Acting in the Ca
pacity of SsntinsIs-Ths Employment
of Birds In Time of War-SoIdIsrs
Mounted on Bicycles.

From O toy to q hundred-ton gun, nothing
that can serve q military purpose comes
amiss to the modern art of war, says the
New York Evening Sun. In the maneuvers
just ended at Hanover the use Of dogs as
dispatch bearers was q prominent feature
while the employment of pigeons for the
same purpose received the personal super
vision Of Emperor William. In France 9
novel experiment has been undertaken in
the way Of training the swallow as a mes.
senger, and it seems to have been thorough.
ly successful.
The military use of dogs Is modern. Rid.
ing and pack animals ave been utilized in
war from the earliest times to ours, with
some variations in the methods of employ
ment. The elephant, that first became
known to Europe as an Asiatic war animal,
may no longer, clad in armor, carry q
turret full of soldiers on his back, or slash
at a foe with q scimeter held in his trunk,
but he drags artillery or lifts it out of
the mire; while the camel carries mount
ain guns as well as men, and some of
our officers once seriously urged form
ing q howitzer camel corps for the arid
regions of the West. But to give a literal
meaning to the phrase "the dogs Of war"
has been a recent undertaking. Germany
was, perhaps, foremost in it, and several
years ago dogs were kept in the barrack
yard at Goslar for military training. Ten
or twelve Of them also were attached,
about the same time, to the Fourteenth
Light Infantry battalion at Schwerln, and
were made to accompany the patrols and
sentinels. When used as messengers
penciled notes were fastened to their col
lars, the latter being marked with the COM
pany and regiment to which they be-
l0nO red a q y~Vatph-lnpQ II 10 nuon sotl &loA
they have been trained to distinguish a
friend from an enemy by the uniform and
by the methods of approach. The best war
dogs are said to be pointers, sheep-dogs
and poodles. 1t is certain that the practical
would not have kept up military
dog-training for years and made it q promi-
nent feature Of the present autumn
unless it were Of some service.
The Austrians also nave for several years
been engaged in this work, and are said to
have used these novel recruits in Bosnia
and Herzegovina. The French have tried
it, too, and, when the Seventeenth Army
Corps was modified some years ago, Cen
eral Ferron had dogs both at outposts and
in quarters, and the ~sentries and videttes
were accompanied by them, using
them both as scouts and for carrying
orders. 1t can easily be understood how
the instinct and intelligence of this faith
full animal would be of avail, and that,
by putting him on guard with q senti-
mel, the latter would cover q great deal
more ground. The dog, of his own motion
or at a sign from his master, would creep
forward stealthlly and scout in any direc-
ton. Besides this the military dog carries
q sort OF dispatch book on his collar, and
he can take back a message from a sentinel
to the main guard, leaving the former to
occupy his post of duty, and not creating an
alarm.
As to pigeons, their employment as mes
sengers OF war dates back to ancient times.
Its revival in Europe is largely due to the
experience gained in the siege of Paris.
The first pigeons were taken out Of the be-
sieged city in a balloon, and they carried
back the news Of its safe arrival. Others
were sent, and, being always carried first
to Tours, they established u pigeon post /
between that place and Paris. |
the seat of Government was re-
moved to Bordeaux most of the birds were
lost on the long journey, but the value Of
The system as a military device had become
lnquestionable. Germany, France, Aus
tria, Italy, Spain and Portugal have de- |
voted attention to military pigeon systems, |
and Emperor William last week communi- |
lated with several cities by means Of these |
winged messengers from his military head |
Some OF our officers in the West |
lave urged the establish ment there of q |
similar system, for use where telegraphs do
,ot exist or are FRUSTRATED by storm or cut
'y an 9 nemy.
Other minor devices have been introduced
INTO the military art. Bicycles nave be-
familiar objects in practice ma
leuvers. Several years ago an organiza-
ion for this purpose was tried at a French
'orps mobilization, the wheelmen being
with revolvers and having leather
Wallets for dispatches. The English rave
,iven much attention to this appliance. In
;anada the drill Of a portion Of the troops
With snow shoes is a regular feature of the
winter, and may obviously prove OF prac-
zeal use in that climate, as the drill on
may prove for Holland and some
countries. The military art is omniv-
and from greatest to least it well
zones every appliance which can be made
II use.