The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-05-07

SO of elephants during this period was
resented at tho battle Of Zama, where
| Hannibal covered his line with DO less
than so elephants. Scipio Immediately
changed the usual formation Of tho Ro-
man lines. Where the Romans had stood
before in a solid phalanx he left wide
! spaces like lanes between the manipuli OF
tho legions, masking tho arrangements by
throwing forward a number of skirmish-
ers and light troops.
Hannibal gave the usual order for the
elephants to charge tho Roman ines in a
body. AS they vent tearing down upon
tho army tho administers Tetreated through
tho lanes and the passages were left wide
open. Elephants onStho charge will keep
en- In a straight line. AS they sped through
tho passages Scipio's pikemen threw
spears, j~ayeiins and darts into their feet
and trunks. Thus tortured they soon
turned back and fed in fright upon their
own people. That battle taught the Ro-
mans tho value of the open formation.
The last Roman baltic with which ele-
plants were connected was the battle of
Thapsus, when Julius Caesar overthrow
the last army of the republic and it's Afri-
i can augiliaries. That the victory over
them was regarded MS important was
shown by the frequent appearance of ele-
! plants on Roman coins and medals.
Elephants were used in large numbers
in the wars of India as late as 1779, and
they form at this day a very important
factor in the British army in India, being
used for tho transportation of batteries
and supplies.
In discussing tho elephant as an engine
of war a noted circus man is reported as
saying: Ito begin with, he can go where
horses cannot. A Cuban thicket would be
nothing to an elephant who had spent
half his life in African jungles. Field
pieces could be strapped to his sides, or he
{ could be put in harness and made to draw
the heavier impedimenta. The average
person has nc idea OF the strength of a
l full grown elephant. In travelling about
tho country we use them in a hundred
ways. Very frequently 6 and heavy
wagons get stuck in the mud. Four and
five teams Of horses arc unable to start
them, and the elephants are brought up.
Two of them brace their heads against the
rear end and push. Out comes the wagon.
Consider what invaluable assistance they
; would be to an army crossing a low piece
Of ground with an equipment of cumber-
some artillery. When it came to carrying
and putting in place the heavy timbers
that arc often used in building temporary
Notifications, the herd could be utilized to
splendid advantage. The elephant is .
living derrick.
"Anotkcr point worth considering is
that the hide Of the pachyderm is practi-
cally bullet proof. He has vulnerable
spots, OF course, but they embrace but q
few square inches aroun the cars. As q
moving fort for a squad Of mon the animal
would be a great success. Five OF our
herd have seen actual service in the tribal
wars Of the Punjab. These. Of course,
tho warriors ride in the howdahs and
make effective battle on the enefny's
forces. The elephants enter into the spirit
Of tho thing and tramplo down or kill
with their trunks all who come within
reach. They come to be like old war
horses, wEo scent the battle from afar and
are eager for the fray"
1t is said that tho war department. at
Washington is seriously considering the
use of elephants in Cuba. They would BIO
! sensational adjunct to Theodore Roose-
velt's rough riders from tho plains.