Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-07-11
TO HELP MAN IN WAR
eRuTEs AND BIRDS IN FUTURE MILL
TARY OPERATIONS.
Swallows Said to BE Surer Than Pigeons
as Messengers-How Elephants and Dogs
Are EmpIoyed-The Goose Not So stupid
When Performing Guard Duty.

4 as mesSeuRtTS-hV"A <fCPh"Hs7 "HN D"kS
Are EmpIoyed-The Goose Not So stupid
When Performing Guard Duty.
When the next European war comes ills
more than probable that 1t will have
novel and picturesque point OF military In
tercst about it in the employment Of ami
mails, which will play quite as important
a part In the campaigns in their way as
the generals and soldiers. Ever since the
earliest days of war-from the very begin
ming of things, that is-horscs have, OF
course, been military aids Of the greatest
value. Now it is planned-indccd several
of the European powers are actively max
| ing expcriments-to draft other animals
| into the service, with the expectation that
they will be of great help.
| France, during the times Of the Franco
German conflict brought the science OF
carrier pigeons up to high standard OF
| efficiency. Then II wps thought that no
superior to this 1.-THE little bird could be
found as carrier of dispatches. But the
French military authorities are, beginning
to think differently now. Experiments
have been made with the swallow, and he
has proved to be swifter, surer and alto
gether more satisfactory. There is tho
thtiOAoANr thho o"oa
lows will be part of the army equipment
for the next campaign.
A new idea has sprung up In French
military circles nevertheless that after all
it is rather imprudent for great army to
intrust it's messages, frequently of great
moment, to such small birds, so subject to
attacks from the great birds of prey that
are continually ON the outlook for such as
they. 1t has been proposed that storks be
trained for dispatch service, the theory be-
ing that the "nest instinct" In these Birds
their swift, certain flight, their tremendous
wing and leg power and their strength to
meet any attack what5oSveS in tho air
would render them ideal messengers Of
war.
The stork certainly could combat sue
cessfully any hawk and almost any eagle.
Besides, his splendid strength would make
1t possible for great bundle of dispatches,
of weight and size that a t!ozen carrier
pigeons or swallows would be unable to
convey, to be sent at once under one cover
In Russia "a theory good deal like this
has already been put into practice, and
number of falcons have been put into train
ing for the Russian army dispatch service
and have proved emincntly satisfactory.
The falcon himself Is "a most warlike bird
and ardently resists every attack made
upon him. Warsaw and Brest-Litewski, on
the western frontier, have been the seats
of these experiments.
AS to animals pure and simple, the ele-
plant cannon drawers in use in the Brit
ish army In India are very familiar, and,
from the days of the earliest British pos
session there hayo done magnificent serv-
ice In fact, they were Indispensable in
hN rrkn Of
east are also valuable adjuncts in the bat
ties and forced marches around desert re-
gions because of their tremendous powers
of endurance.
But It has been reserved for Germany to
bring forward dogs as war animals An
exhibition of war dogs has recently been
held III Dresden and some splendid speci-
mems of canine warriors shown. AS an at
lacking column these dogs will show
formidable front against tho soldiery of
any other nation, and as discouragors of
hestancy during the retreat of an enemy
they will provo invaluable to the regiment
possessing them. Brigades of Dragons
and hussars will doubtless DO superseded
by dog platoons The only difficulty that
the German officers foresee ~ aching tho
dogs to keep ranks unit, tho order
"Chargep' il given. Internal discussions
over bones ana ratlOnS arc also to 10
feared. Yet, at all events, there will be no
difficulty in getting the newfangled war
riors to advance upon tho enemy in spite
Of shot and she'll
Even that additionally stupid animal
the goose-stupid in spite Of tho fact that
she is reported to have saved Rome mt ono
timc-has a possibility Of military glory
under the new ideas. There is nm anthem
tic incident Of Davarian regiment OF
light hussars, stationed at Ingolstadt, Ger
many, who adopted young goose during
their stay there and made it, through
kindness, become SO tame that 1t was quito
the pet of tho regiment. 1t showed its
gratitude by assuming the responsibility
OF sentry duty and remaining faithfully in
the vicinity Of the sentry box each day
from sunrise to sunset
There was no need whatever for tho
sentry to keep careful guard or even to
walk up and down, for tho goosc-this is
o historic incidcnt-kcpt her eye opon, and
when any one approached would set I'D a
tremendous squawking. Tho sentry could
go to sleep if he pleascd-and indeed many
OF them did--yet, strange to say, no sentry
during the goose's sojourn in the calnp
was ever caught mapping or found want
ing In fact, the soldiers used to say that
the goose did the best duty in the repi-
ment.-New York World