The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-05-20

10 the fact that the forces engaged In
the decisive battles have become
far greater in number and the
distances to be covered. both IN
tie and in disposing them on the bat
tlefeld itself, greatly exceed those ~ the
past. This increase In numbers TO be
moved and in distance to be covered has
naturally increased the difficulties OF EN-
cient reconnaissance and timely report. and
at the same time has raised the import
ance Of the latter All This has led to
the efforts Of all nations to find new aids
TO reconnaissance and the transmission OF
reports and orders in the field.
The following IL q brief summary OF the
principal means which have been made
use OF recently for facilitating this inn
portant work:
Especially Trained Scouts and Order
lies.-Gen. Sheridan was the first on he
Northern side during the civil war to oh
ject TO having his cavalry frittered away
and worn out in outpost duty. and Ier.
Grant had the good sense 10 uphold aim.
To free the cavalry OF the smaller ele-
ments of its reconnaissance work, and
economize its fighting power as much as
possible. most Of the great nations are
now training n kind Of mounted infantry
In this work. In Germany each army
corps has a squadron Of mounted or Ser
lies" of this kind and they have proved
invaluable. In Russia a number az the
best men in each company are mounted
and trained in patrol and reconnaissance
duty. instructed in riding horses and bi-
cycles, and exercised by affording them
opportunities to engage in bear and tiger
hunts. In England each brigade of the
cavalry division sent 20 South Africa re-
ceived a battalion OF amounted infantry
with Maxim gun; In Austria mounted
scouts assist the cavalry IN their recon
noitering. AZ an incentive to training for
this work the various nations have intro
duced distance rides and walks. The tat
ter have developed some remarkable re-
suits. In Switzerland number of officers
taking part in these exercises walked ION
an average) at a rate OF SO miles an hour
for three consecutive hours: but this &C.
ord was beaten by a first 'ergeant from
Berne. who walked from Rerne to Thum
(seventeen miles, in two hours and TWEEN
ty-nine minutes. or an average Of nearl,
seven miles an hour The native messen-
gers In the Transvaai have also accom-
pushed wonders in this direction. In Ger.
many longer distances have been covered
by marching patrols In remarkably snort
times as from rrier TO New sky tous
mles) in twenty hours and twenty-five
minutes. including rests.
2-Field and Wireless Tolesraphy -The
improvements in field telegraph appara,-
accessory in the very front OF the outposis.
and the introduction OF the buzzer has so
far increased It's efficiency that with even
the poorest Insulation Il works well enough
for all practical purposes. our signal
corps in the Philippines has surpassed all
previous records IN this field.
Wireless telegraphy is siill IN the expert
mental stage, although It is now being
tested practically In the field in the Trans
vaal improvements are being constantly
made. and It's future cannot yet be pre-
dlcted one Of the latest applications IL
tn balloons but the difficulty II carrying
the apparatus properly In the basket has
led to a modification, consisting In leaving
the latter on table on the ground below
the balloon merely carrying UP copper
wire which hung down several yards be-
low he basket to send the waves received
by the apparatus on through epHce ia
this way IL was found po ssibie "a send
messages from n balloon In Schoneberg
TO a church steeple IN Friedman. swi 1rT-
land In Austria an anchored balloon, lf9
Yards high. algnalied successfully 20 81
free balloon at height OF .ses yards and
a distance Of twenty-five milea
a-optcaI Teiegraphy The helograpA
has been specially developed In sunny ch-
mates: by the British IN AfEha nistnn aHt
In Africa by the French ia Tonkin. by tna
Americans in the United States ami by
the Greeks IN crete. u has been LE~d
successfully over single stretches 81
over siXty-Hve miles In France ina
acctyIene lamp has greatly Increased ire
use q the apparatus 10y making u indc-
pendent q sunlight, and signals have been
read 50 FAR &s thirty-Seyea miles by DAY
and afty-six miles by night Ira Italy the
acetylene lamp flash has been read az a
distance ~ ~even,y-twc miles. Tho navy
s4archHRhts landed ga Cape Colony have
g. a.4-4- .sNIae md
greatly extended the range. At coast
forts and tn the navy the Ardols signal
Ngat "a combination ~ red and white siec-
trlc lamps hunk Ia The rigging ~ on a
rnRvu are extensively used for snort dis.
tancez. either between ships. or between
forts and ships
4-Searchlishts The uze = sesrcAhghts
By ships and by coast AMI other forts "a
wei known, but recently they have also
been APPLIED on batteaelds for hunting zip
the wounded. Aceylene sss Ia USED
where electricity - not available.
a-Carrier Pigeons. -Fae use g carrier
pizeons from dxed stations like cities and
forts has long been known nat recently
they have been used successfully IN the
French field uaneuvers, heir houses be-
fux carried along by the troops In Russia
IN 1855 cavalry patrols carried along no
carrier pigeons 90 the forts. ana Il ssse
found that IN returning - their nones
they Travelled at tae rate % ,iye-elknths
OF mite = minute. \ number % pigeons
have been sent from the bcselged city
Of LAdysInlth with dispatches TO Durham.
a distance OF % miles The great adYan-
tAge % carrier pigeons 20 the navy lies
In the fact that the scouting vessels OF =
fleet can send back information from long
distances without tnemseiF-s stunning
war Dogs.-PigeeEa mere y return 10
their homes or 10 their feeding places. but