ODD WAYS OF GUARDING PRISONERS OF WAR.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXIV, Issue XXIV, 16 June 1900, Page 1129

ODD WAYS OF GUARDING PRISONERS OF WAR.

In the barbarons “good old times” it was as often as not the custom in time of war to get rid of prisoners as

soon as possible by adopting the most drastic means. A firing party was ordered out. and the unfortunate prisoners. after digging their own graves, were disposed of in the simplest of manners. And the same was the case with the misdemeanants. A man condemned for cowardice or insubordination was similarly’ treated. Nowadays all that is changed. Of course it is still the prerogative of the commanding officer to have a prisoner shot if the circumstances seem to demand such a course. but very seldom is it that

either captive enemies or court-mar* tialled misdemeanants are d isposed of by means of the final penalty. Our own men, if they should behave in an unsoldieriy fashion, are usuallysent to the rear. Captured foes are deprived of their weapons, frequently fastened together by means of handcuffs (if such are available), and placed under an armed guard. With these captives it is commonly the case for the guard to be about one-tenth in number of their prisoners. But very frequently, when misdemeanants, or captured individuals from the opposing rinks, show themselves to be unruly. less orthodox means of quieting them are resorted to.

Not so long ago a number of captured Dervishes in the Egyptian campaign were reported to have been hobbled to some of our horses in order to allow of a small guard only being reserved to hold them. Another somewhat similar ease is reported by a chronicler of the FrancoGerman war. He remarks that upwards of a score of French fugitives were imprisoned by the Germans in an old farmhouse not far from Sedan, the door of their prison being guarded only by a big regimental dog. a fierce

mastiff, who would undoubtedly have torn to pieces any of the eaptors who was daring enough to escape. In the same campaign a couple of French spies, taken by the Prussians, were fastened to hooks in a crazy garden wall, and supplied with the gratuitous information that their struggles would only la- instrumental in pulling the wall on to them and ending their respective careers of adventure. In the Russo-Turkish war a daring Russian spy was captured by a small force of reconnoitring Turks. In number the captors were so few that they could ill spare a single man to guard their prisoner while they scouted, and. since it was inconvenient to carry

their prisoner about with them, they adopted a very sim pie. but somewmtf barbarous, course. Procuring- a nail and something in the nature of n hammer. they fastened the luckless Russian to a tree by his ear. But they had reckoned without their host, for subsequently it was discovered that the spy. instead of refraining- from self-torture, had wrenched himself free, leaving a portion of his ear behind him. An Indian mode of guarding prisoners of war is interesting. The captives

are huddled into the centre of a ring of green brushwood, which is then ignited from several points, with tin* re suit that the prisoners are surrounded for hours by a circle of fire that absolutely prevents their escape, but in all probability does no more than severely scare them. At one time it was a common means among- srini-rivilisetf nations to fasten prisoners of war to horses, astride, their legs being se cured under tin* animals in such a wa\ that their escape was impossible. As the horses were generally spirited animals tin* experiences were not infrequently of a somewhat exciting nature.

A VETERAN TENNIS PLAYER. Photos taken on the Eden and Epsom Lawn.