War Correspondents.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume II, Issue 99, 23 January 1900, Page 1

War Correspondents.

Mr Julian Ealph, war correspond dent, has been contributing shorfc sketches of his career to somo Eng* lish newspapers. He has a great deal to say about war reporting and, to show that an element ot clanger enters into the life of anactiyo newspaper man on the battlefislJ he asserts there is an English wi artist who has witnessed m^re h^in two dozen campaigns, and, there fore, has ssen more of war than has any military officer or private inChristendoni. Prior and Villiers among the artists, and Knight and Williams among the writers, he says are many times more used than is any soldier to the roar of the cannon, the flash and crackle of rifle fire, the crash of opposing forces, and the sight oiT Lue dca,u and wounded on the battle-field, Since it has become the fashion foi> war correspondents to ride out with reconnoitreing parties, to take part in small skirmishes and to get as close to the main battles as paagiblc the life of the correspondent has become precarious. A good story about two well known correspond ■« ents comes from Santiago. When first they met in the war they were within the range of the Spanish sborpshooters, but they did not know it. Both were stout men and easy targets for the enemy, especially as the yellow road on which they met threw their dark forms into the boldest relief, " Why, hello ! " said one. " Hello !" the other replied. " Where are you going?" Crack, crack, tvfo shots rang out. Ping, ping spatteci two bullets on the road. And tbe correspondents, what of them ; i Each, with a common impulse, flung himself face downwards and rolled into the ditch full of mud and water. A campanion story i^ told by Villiers. In one- of the Soudan campaigns, he was taking his constitutional on horseback one morning, and rode out into the desert. Suddenly he saw two mounted natives circling like eagler about to swoop down on their prey, in the distance. It was he v/hc was expected to act as the prej Soon they commenced firing ai, him. He hesitated for a moment, then turned hi 3 horse's head toward them, jabbed in his spurs, and rushed furiously on. His onl. weapon, ho says, was an einpi.j revolver, but he brandished ibiand raced like a madman for th - enemy. It was now their turn t , hesitate, and after a moment the, hurriedly turned and fled. Ivl Ralph thinks that most persons. exaggerate the dangers of a wa> correspondent, which are generally made by the correspondent himse.t when he infringes the rules la* <?own for non-combatants in time o> action.

The speed of an otter under water i-, amazing. Fish have no chance again , them. In some places in India otters <m kept by the natives to fish for them. Tiie^ are tied up to stakes like dogs, when novrorking, wear pJaited-straw collars, r > <\ seem happy,