The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1896-08-06


Senator Stewart. of Nevada, has his paper,
The Silper Knight, which is published in WASH
iugton. d. c., set up and printed at Alexandria,
Va, because he can get it done for lower wages
than in Washington.
In response to inquiries the Director of the
Mint says that the present facilities only per-
NIT the coinage of 100000 silver dollars
year. so that it would take IA years to replace
the present gold coinage with silver dollars. 1t
will be seen that he carefully limits his state
ment to "present facilities" If Free Coinage
should prevail there would be at once steps
taken to increase the present facilities" to
many times their capacity. This would not be
difficult. Stamps, dies and presses are easily
manufactured.
There are more interesting money stories
told by the clerks in the Redemption Division
of the Treasury Department than any other
branch of the Department. They tell one OF
ID ser who came there from Ohio to be redeemed,
for there was more money about him than any
thing else. 1t appears he began by stitching
every note that he got i'm his clothing. As time
plpSleSSto. MS ClhinluS WAS iihSa "'eAA "SsS'
three or four thick. 1t then began TO get
through his head that he had injured the
money, and he came on here for advice and
redemption.
On his arrival at the Treasury, it was ascer-
tanned he had over $4,000 stitched up in his
clothing. and be walk ed most of the distance
from Ohio to save his money. He was turned
over to the agent of the express company in
lower room. There he was stripped of his
clothing and another suit furn ished him. The
money-ined suit was then taken to the clerks
in the Redemption Division, the threads all
carefully cut, and the money counted in the
presence of the old man. Over $4,000 were
found sewed up in his clothing. 1t was re-
deemed aud new money given him, only, how
ever, on his promise that he would deposit it in
a bank or invest it. While the ladies were
counting up his money. he opened up his heart
enough to have brought in to them 20 cents
worth of fruit. The whole, thing was kept
secret until few days ago. AMI is only di-
winged now because word has been received
here that the old man died last week.
The excess Of expenditures over receipts in
the Treasury for the month Of July was
$I3 lbs, 79o.67. This is the largest monthly
deficit that has occurred under any tariff law.
The receipts for July were only $4,000 in ex-
cess of the receipts for the same month of 1895,
but the expenditures were nearly 100000
more This indicates that many payments
that should have been made before the close of
the last fiscal year were held back in order to
baff oh ,pn frv In and L
the deficit down somewhere near the amount
that the Secretary of the Treasury had guessed
at
It is now being contemplated by War Depart
ment officials to train dogs for use in the Army.
They have been found most valuable abroad in
campaigning, and many German regiments
already have canine contingents. In fact, the
animals are considered an essential part Of the
fighting organization, and are az carefully
drilled as the men. Before long all of the
great foreign military establishments! viii have
troops OF fourlegged soldiers, and it viii not do
for this country to lag behind.
Dogs, properly selected and educated, make
the best sort of scouts, and the most capable
carriers of orders in the field. They are par
ticularly useful for transmitting information,
in conveying messages from advance patrols,
and ia maintaining communication between
posts and pickets. Also they do excellent work
in hunting up missing men. Their natural
qualities of doclity, watch fulness speed, acnte-
ness of senses and affection for man render
them conspicnously adaptable for military serv-
ice. Several breeds Of dogs are found highly
t.bI f,r 60 lao
shepherd dogs, and bird dogs The kind does
not matter so much as the quality Of the breed
which must be pure. No mongrel makes good
war dog. All points considered. bird dogs make
the best war dogs. They mite the good quali-
ties of the poodle and shepherd dog and are
distinguished by lively sense of duty aud a
devoted attachment to their masters. Under
proper training they soon lose their inclination
for hunting. and take up their military duties
readily and with interest
r
The training of the dog detachment of q
battalion is managed by an officer who has
special expertness in such matters. He selects
assistants from among the Corporals and pri-
Yates, and gives them lessons in the art of
training 1t is his duty to buy tire dogs. to dis.
tribute them among the companies, to supervise
the breeding and rearing of pups, and to see
that the animals properly cared for and
fed.
The properly educated war dog must carry
messages with certainty, running back from
advanced patrols to detachments in the rear,
and then returning. 1t is required to do this
sort Of work with such efficiency as to MAIN
tain communications between sentinels and
stationary detachments The animal must be
taught 10 give notice to sentineis of the ap-
| proach OF strangers. Some dogs will show an
aptitude for hunting up missing melt, and may
! be trained for that particular duty.
4
! The work Of war dogs on land will he dupli.
ca ed to some extent by pigeons in the naval
| operations of the future. Already our Navy
| Department has established pigeon lofts at An.
| napolis and Newport. Scouting vessels cau
send messages by pigeons, giving notice of the
movements of hostile feet For years pasi
the French have carried pigeons OH their war.
ST. ips, and have made them accustomed TO the
noise OF the heavy guns, so that they might
rctnrn while firing was going on in battle
The birds readily pick out their own ships in a
SO uadren. aud will join them while the batteries
are laundering and the atmosphere is full oil
smoke. The French Ministry of Marine has
naval dove cote at Brest, containing 500 pigeons
trained for service. The British Govern.