Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-09-09

Thus II was taken to Jamaica to destroy
the plantation" rats. and II quickly sub
tugated them. and then proved as great
a nuisance as the exterminated rodents.
To-day the black rats are found In
numbers. on vessels sailing from any
ports where the brown or Norway rats
have become established. Gradually they
are being 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 raft
ers and ceilings.
In this city all three kinds OF rats are
oundi in considerable numbers, the brown
rats preoominating 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
ferrets are bred TO keep down their num-
bers. The fecundity of the rats Is so
great that in a few years they would
overwhelm a whole city IL they were
not kept down by artificial means. One
pair will rear four or five families OF ten
to fifteen TO each litter In one year. and
In six months these young ones are ready
to reproduce. Thus one couple. in the
course Of three years. could raise a
population of several hundred thousand, IL
not restrained by any destructive mea-
sures.
Ships leaving port for a long cruise
extending 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 were unable to put them
down. Others had been taken possession
of by the rats and the sailors forced to
abandon their vessel at sea. So voracious
m ferocious are the big brown rats
that they do not hesitate 10 attack the
sailors when pinched for food. Conse-
quently, while the sailors like 10 have
rats as company on board the ship, they
exercise p%recaution 10 limit their num-
bers. on sailing vessels that are out
at sea for q long time there are rat
killing days, when all the sailors Join
forces to destroy the too numerous
rodents. The rats not only prove dan
gerous to human life when SLOWED to
multiply at will on ahipboard, but are
a constant menace TO the cargo. Usually.
there Is a pet cat. weasel, or ferret car
ried on board Of every sailing vessel,
and the sailors have their sport in get
ting up matches between the fierce rats
their pet animals.
There is a relentless cannibalism prac-
NFNN1 1AAAbAA6 Aht AaA1 NA'iih'iANtE anu
also helps to keep down their num-
bers. The largest rats do not hesitate
to kill and devour the weaker ones. Thus,
If the English black rats were ship
ped aboard with the big brown rats, the
latter would soon kill the former and
them. Similarly, If a dozen brown
were milne in a cage. the stronger
would soon devour the weaker, and then
Tight savagely among themselves for
supremacy. When drifting about upon
The seas on a disabled wreck, the sailors
lace a danger from the ship rats that
more menacing as the days go by.
If the ship becomes waterlogged the rats
IRE forced to seek safety on the upper
iecks, and thus cut off from their food
n the hold they watch eagerly the starv-
ng sailors. They become holder and
iercer as the men grow weaker, and one
lay, If relief does not come. a fearful
is enacted on the wreck.