The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-08-14
5000.

plete possession of the ships or Wharves In
its native land it is a large, powerful ro-
dent, and upon the ships it attains even
a larger size. It's length is from to
inches, and its body is built on heavy lires.
Neither the black nor Alexandrian rat is
any match for it. So far this large brown
raj has extended its dominion largely over
cold countries, and ii has come in contact
chiefly with the English black rat. But
in the warm countries where it has been
artifcIally introduced At has quickly sup
planted all rivals. Thus it was taken TO
Jamaica to destroy the plantation" rats,
and it quickly subjugated them and then
proved as great a nuisance as the extcr-
minated rodents.
To-day the black rats are not found in
numbers on vessels sailing from any ports
where the brown or Norway rats have be
come established. Gradually they are be
ing forced inland by their more powerful
enemies, and, while we find the brown rats
mostly on ships, along wharves and in
the sewers, the black rats are met with
in houses under rafters and ceilings.
In this city all three kinds of rats are
found in considerable numbers, the Drown
rats predOmnating on the ships and
Wharves, the black rats in the stores and
warehouses, and the AleXandrian rats be-
ing limited to the holds of the ships that
come from Southern ports. Weasels and
ferTets are bred to keep down their NUN
bers. The fecundity of the rats is so
great that in a few years they would over
whelm a whole city if they were not kept
down by artificial means. One pair viii
rear four or five families of ten or fifteen
10 each litter in one year. and in six
months these young ones are ready to re-
produce. Thus one couple in the course
of three years could raise a population of
several hundred thousand if not restrained
by any destructive measures
+ Ships leaving port for a long cruise ex-
tending over a period of a year or Two
have been known TO come into port again
with a cargo of rats so large that the
seamen We're unable to to put them dOwn.
Others had been taken possession of by
the rats and the sailors forced to aban-
don their vessel at sea. So voracious and
ferocious are the big brown rats that they
do not hesitate to attack the sailors when
pinched for food Consequently, while
the sailors like to have rats as company
on board the ships, they exercise precau-
tion to limit their numbers. On sailing
vessels that are out at sea for a long
time there are rat-killing days, when all
the sailors join forces to destroy the too
numerous rodents. The rats not only
prove dangerous to human life when al
lowed to multiply a will on shpboard,
but they are a constant menace TO the
cargo. Usually there is a pet cat, weasel
or ferret carried on board of every salt
ing vessel, and the sailors have their
sport III getting up matches between the
fierce rats and their pet animals.
There is a relentless cannibalism pr&c-
ticed among the rats themselves, and this
also helps to keep down their numbers.
The largest rats do not hesitate to kiln
and devour the weaker ones. Thus, IL
the English black rats were shipped
board with the big brown rats, the latter
would soon Kill the former and eat them.
Similarly if a dozen brown rats were con-
fined in a cage, the stronger would soon
dcvour the weaker, and then fight saw
Ggely amcng themselves for supremacy.
I W hen drifting about upon the seas on a
disabled wreck, the sailors face a danger
from the ship rats that grows more me
nacing as the days go by. If the snip
becomes waterlogged the rats are forced
to seek safety Oh the upper decks. and
thus cut off from their food in the hold
they watch eagerly the starving sailors
They become holder and fiercer as the
| men grow weaker, and one day, If relief
does not come, a fearful tragedy is en-
actcd on the wreck.