Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1895-07-03
Webster, Day County, South Dakota, July 3, 1895.
ANIMALS in BATTLE.
MILL THE NEXT CENTURY SEE THEM
AIDING MEN IN WAR?

IL
Have Long Been Called On.
When the next European war comes,
it is more than probabk that it will
have a novel and picturesque point of
military interest about it in the employ
ment Of animals, 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 beginning Of things, that
is-horses have, of course, been militia
ry aids of the greatest value. Now it is
planned-indeed, several of the Euro
pean powers are actively making exper-
iments-to draft other animals into the
service, with the expectation thqt hey
will be of great help. lea
France, during the times of -" Fra2l
co-German conflict, brought the science
of carrier pigeons up to a high standard
of efficiency. Then it was thought that
no superior to this 1.-THE little bird could
be found as a carrier of dispatches. But
the French military authorities are be-
ginning to think differently now. Elk
periments have been made with the
swallow, and he has proved to be swift
er, surer and altogether more satisfacto-
~. There is the greatest probability,
therefore, that swallows will be part of
the army equipment for the next cam
paign.
a new idea has sprung up in French
military circles nevertheless that, after
all, il is rather imprudent for a great
army to intrust its messages. frequently
of great moment, to such small birds,
so subject to attacks from the great birds
of prey that are continually ON the out
look for such as they. 1t has been pro-
posed that storks be trained for dispatch
service, the theory being that the ''nest
instinct" in these birds, their swift, GER
tain fight, their tremendous wing and
leg power and their strength TO meet any
attack whatsoever in the air would rem
der them ideal messengers of war.
In Russia a theory a good deal like
this has already been put into practice,
and a number Of falcons have, this past
year, been put into training for the Rus
sian army dispatch service and have
proved eminently satisfactory. The fal.
con himself is a most warlike bird, and
ardently resists every attack made upon
him. Warsaw and Brest-L itewski, on
the western frontier, have been the seats
of these experiments.
As to animals pure and simple, the
elephant cannon drawers in use in the
British army in India are very familiar,
and from the days of the earliest British
possession there have done magnificent
service. In fact, they were Indispensable
in the sepoy campaigns. The camels of
the east are also valuable adjuncts in
the battles and forced marches around
desert regions, because of their tremen-
dous powers of endurance.
But it has been reserved for Germany
to bring forward dogs as war animals.
An exhibition OF ''war dogs" has recent
ly been held in Dresden, and some splen.
did specimens of canine warriors shown
AS an attacking column these dogs viii.
show a formidable front against the sol
diery of any other nation, and as dis
couragers of hesitancy during the retreat
of an enemy they will prove invaluable
to the regiment possessing them. Bri-
gades of dragons and hussars will
doubtless be superseded by dog ~platoons.
The only difficulty that the German Of
ficers foresee is teaching the dogs to keep
ranks until the order Charged is
given. Internal Discussions over bones
and rations are also to be feared. Yet,
at all events, there will be no difficulty
in getting the new fa-ged warriors to
advance upon the enemy in spite of shot
and shell.
Event that additionally stupid ami
NAL, the goose, stupid in spite of the facl
that she is reported to have saved Rome
at one time-nas a possibility of military
glory under the new ideas. There is an
authentic incident Of "a Bavarian regI-
ment Of light hussarS, stationed at In.
golstadt, Germany, who adopted ayouns
goose during their stay there and made
it, through kindness, become so tams
that it was quite the pet of the regiment.
It showed its gratitude by assuming the
responsibility of sentry duty and re,
manning faithfully in the vicinity Of the
sentry box each day from sunrise TO sun.
set.
There was no need whatever for the
sentry to keep careful guard, or even Il
walk mp and down, for the goose (this
is a historic incident) kept her eye open,
and when any n approached would set
up tremendous squawking. The sentry
could go to sleep if he pleased (and in
deed many of them did. Yet, strange
to say, no sentry during the goose's So
journ in the camp was ever caught nap
ping or found wanting. In fact, the sol
diers used to say that the goose did the
best duty in the regiment. Such are ami
NAL possibilities of the near future al
military outposts. New York World.
Unwritten law in England appears 70
be stronger than written law in some
other countries. 1t is said that no gen
eral election can take place there now,