The Holbrook news., 1912-05-31

the motto of the signal corps
 in Uncle Sam's army. Literally
 this means to communicate by sight, hearing and touch, using all kinds of instruments, from the most sensitive and finely adjusted wireless telegraph outfit to the crudest and most hastily improvised method Of wigwagging.
 If they have no wires they can use either the wireless telegraph or the whistle at night, or If neither of these Is available, they can fall back on the flashing of light or of the wigwag- ging of beam from a searchlight During the light of day they have the means to talk with each other by flags and even by their arms and hands.
 The most important part of 1t all is that each member must become so ex- pert in the use of these various kinds of apparatus that be can act quickly and effectively at all times. And he Is trained to use his wits in an emer- gency. For instance, during the Span lsh-American war, while a signal corps party was reconnoitering a telegraph line in Porto Rico and keeping Gen. sral Miles in communication during his advance, they came to point where the Spanish troops had cut and carried away nearly a mile of wire. With the exception of few scraps their supply had become exhausted, and they could not keep pace with the advance unless immediate materials were at hand. Finally, one of the mem- bers of the party discovered barbed wire fence running in the same direc- don- Then they connected one end of the line to the top wire, ripped of Ehe second and third wires, and used them to bridge the remainder of the span. Thus, for over half of the dis tance they made the barbed wire fence Ierve as telegraph line.
 Duties Vary.
 The present complement of Uncle 5am's signal corps numbers about 1000 men and 125 officers. These are divided into ten companies of about 100 men and six officers each.
 The duties of these companies vary, though they are primarily used in maintaining communication. To full hll this mission they are divided among the various army posts of the country. Some of them are scattered among the wireless-telegraph stations In Alaska and along the cable and telegraph line which the army main tains from Alaska to the states, and there is still another portion provided with mounts and stationed at various posts, ready to take the field at a mo ment's notice.
 The great efficiency for which the signal corps has in late years be- change which came over the United States army with the outbreak of the spanish-American war. Prior to that time the while signal corps numbered hardly battalion, and about all of their duties consisted in operating the lew telegraph lines which the army owned, and few field experiments.
 At the outbreak of the war, con- gross provided for an increase in the corps to a full regiment There was Q rapid enlistment because it was con- sidered preferred job, and because of the fact that the men selected were either trained electricians or 
 Manner of Signaling
 Those few weeks before the corps took the field were strenuous ones for | the members. Tn military feature of | the training included bareback riding. loot and mounted drills, and drills | with small arms. The greatest fea- ture, however, was that which in- clud0d all manner of signaling. Every in both the telegraph and the departments, was impressed with the necessity of mastering the codes. They were told that old but affective story of how two of Crooks men. back in the Indian campaign lays. planned their escape from an Indian camp by signaling with their Dodo in the winking of their aTaA l