Waterbury evening Democrat., 1889-10-11
WAR DOGS AND PIGEONS.
How They Are Made to Serve
 Military Purposes.
Pointers and Poodles Acting hi the Ca. pacity of Sontinols-The Employment of Birds fin TiMc of yVar-Soldiors
 Mounted on Bicycles.

From toy to Q hundred-ton gun, nothing that can serve a military purpose comes amiss to the modern art of war, says the New York Evening Sun. In the maneuvers just ended at Hanover tho use of dogs as dispatch-bearers was 8 prominent feature, while the employment of pigeons for the same purpose received the personal super vision of Emperor William. In France 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.
 ing aud pack animals have 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 foe with 8 scimeter held in hls 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 howitzer camel corps for tho arid regions of the West. But to give a literal meaning to the phrase "the dogs of war" has been recent undertaking. Germany was, perhaps, foremost in 1t, and several years ago dogs were kept in the barraok yard at Goslsr for military training. Ten or twelve of them also were attached, about the same time, to the Fourteenth Light Infantry battalion at Schwertn, and were made to accompany the patrols and sentipels. When used as messengers penciled notes we're fastened to their col lars, the latter being marked with the com- panv and regiment to which they be- longed. As watch-dogs 1t is even said that they have been trained to distinguish 8 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. It is certain that the practical Germans would not have kept up military dog training for years and made 1t promi- nent feature of the present autumn maneuvers unless 1t were of some service.
 The Austrians also have 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 mobilized some years ego, Gen. 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 senti- nel, the latter would cover 0 great deal moro ground. The dog, of his own motion or at sign from his master, would creep forward stealthlly and scout in any direc- tion. Besides this the military dog carries Q sort of dispatch book on his collar, and he can take back message from sentinel to the main guard, leaving the former to rccupy his post of duty, and not creating an alarm.
 As to pigeons, their employment as mes- sengers of war dates back to ancient times. It's 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 @ balloon, and they carried back the news of it's safe arrival. Others were sent, and, being always carried first to Tours, they established Q pigeon post service between that place and Paris. When 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 military device had become unquestionable. Germany, France, Aus tria, Italy, Spain and Portugal have de- voted attention to military pigeon systems, and Emperor William last week communi- cated with several cities by means of these winged messengers from his military head quarters. Some of our officers in the West have urged the establishment there of a similar system, for use where telegraphs do not exist or are prostrated by storm or cut by an nemy.
 Other minor devices have been introduced into the military art. Bicycles have be. come familiar objects in practice ma. neuvers. Several years ago an organisa- tion for this purpose was tried at Q French corps mobilization, the wheelmen being armed with revolvers and having leather wallets for dispatches. The English have given much attention to this appliance. In with sncw shoes is a regular feature of the winter, and may obviously prove of prac. tical use in that climate, as the drill on skates may prove for Holland and some | other countries. The military art is omniv. orous, and from greatest to least it wei. comes every appliance which can be made