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 C. BLACKETT ROBINSON 
 
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 Herbert Fairbairn Gardiner, 
 
 Hamilton, Ontario. 
 
HESSEN6ER PIGEONS: A NATIONAL QUESTION. 
 
 UNTIL fifty-three years ago there was no more rapid means 
 of conveying intelligence than was supplied by pigeons. 
 It is only within the last half century that electricity and 
 steam have come into competition with the messenger pigeon; 
 and even in the present day there are innumerable conditions 
 under which the bird is ?>\\\\ facile princeps. 
 
 Prior to the development of railways and telegraphs, travel- 
 ling was so slow and transportation had so many difficulties 
 with which to contend that the training of pigeons could only 
 be carried out by a very few individuals for short distances ; 
 and the places at which they were employed were so remote 
 from one another as, with few exceptions, to preclude arrange- 
 ment for their reciprocal connection by pigeon post. 
 
 What is known of the employment of messenger pigeons 
 prior to the early years of the present century may be related 
 in the words of a Reviewer in the Royal Engineer fcumal of 
 June, 1885. 
 
 *• The employment of carrier pigeons for transmitting in- 
 telligence was known to the ancients ; early navigators, when 
 they nearcd their native shores, used pigeons to advise their 
 friends of their coming home. In Greece the carrier pigeon 
 was the messenger employed during the Olympian games. 
 When Greece became a Roman Province, carrier pigeons 
 served to convey to the Romans news of the gladitprial fights 
 and of races. In Egypt, of old, the carrier pigeon post was a 
 public institution. The African traveller, De Volney, writes 
 on this subject : ' The state columbaries were distributed all 
 over the country in towers specially built, and it was owing to 
 constant communication between the several stations that 
 public order and safety could be preserved in the extensive 
 
 'ro- Egyptian Empire.' 
 
"John Moore asserts that these oriental carrier pigeons 
 were brought by Dut<?h mariners to Europe. They were called 
 Bagadettes after ]3agdad, and it is probable that the Belgian 
 carrier of the present day is a descendant of the oriental bird. 
 It is quite surprising into what a variety of services the carrier 
 pigeon has since then been pressed. Instances of its successful 
 employment in the interests of speculation, politics, the saving 
 of life, public safety and war are numerous. 
 
 "In 1770, an Italian is said to have had recourse to having 
 the winning numbers in lotteries sent him by carrier pigeon.s. 
 It is a well known fact in this country (England) that the 
 London house of Rothschild used carrier pigeons in 1 8 1 5 to 
 obtain information of the course of events on the continent, 
 and thus was able to receive the news of the defeat of Napoleon 
 at Waterloo three days before the English Government did, 
 and to buy up largely English Government stock at its then 
 depressed price, and sell at an enormous profit after the rise 
 which took place when the news became generally known, 
 thereby realizing an immense fortune. ... It appears 
 from the wrii'ngs of Pliny that the Roman armies in all 
 probability made use of carrier pigeons, otherwise the great 
 rapidity cannot be explained with which Julius Caesar received 
 information of risings in Gallia, enabling him to descend the 
 Alps with his legions at the least sign of disturbances. It is 
 also, stated that during the siege of Candia by the Venetian 
 admiral Dandolo, at the beginning of the 13th century, the 
 latter received important intelligence from the island (Crete) 
 by carrier pigeons, which facilitated its conquest. The siege 
 of Harlem by Frederick Toledo (1572), the siege of Leyden 
 by the Spaniards (1575), the bombardment of Antwerp (1832), 
 supplies also examples of the successful employment of the 
 carrier pigeon post." 
 
 The foregoing sketch of pigeon service carries its history 
 down to times when railways and telegraphs originated and 
 began spreading into the wonderful net work they now present 
 on maps of the civilized world. For a time the employment 
 
I\ 
 
 of pigeons appeared to be doomed to extinction. Love of 
 sport, however, came to the rescue, and with the assistance of 
 railway and telegraph the systematic rearing and training ol 
 birds were carried on to an extent that had hitherto not been 
 dreamt of, until in 1870, at the siege of Paris, a most powerful p 
 impetus was imparted to the movement, and to-day the area e 
 of the civilized world over which organized pigeon post is 
 established, the vast flocks of birds employed, and the vital 
 importance of the reliance placed upon them are nothing short 
 of marvellous. 
 
 But, in Canada, where is the organization ? Where are the 
 birds ? How many of its people have even heard of them ? 
 
 It is the aim of this article to awaken interest in its subject, 
 to make known what the power of the messenger pigeon is, 
 to show what services the bird may render, and to demonstrate 
 that to encourage, to support and to actively co-operate in 
 developing pigeon posts throughout the Dominion are, for 
 government and people, national duties. "" 
 
 Amongst the names of the numerous varieties of pigeons, 
 , t/ie Carrier is perhaps most familiar to the public ear. This 
 name is popularly misapplied to birds used to convey 
 messages. The Carrier, however, is not suited to this purpose. 
 It is essentially a fancier's show-bird — tall, erect and bold in 
 carriage. It is specially marked by what the uninitiated 
 might regard as warty excrescences around the eyes and above 
 and below the beak. An excessive and regular development 
 of these apparently abnormal growths or wattles, is considered 
 by the professional fancier as an important criterion of excel- 
 lence. If of perfect form and full size the wattles interfere 
 with the birds vision in the direction of its beak. The homing 
 faculty, or power to satisfy a desire to trace its way homewards 
 is not possessed in any high degree by Carrier pigeons. 
 
 Birds used in messenger service are common-looking pigeons 
 undistinguishabie by sight from the ordinary house pigeon 
 bred for the table. They cannot claim, as Carriers may, to 
 be a distinct species. In olden times— pigeons being used for 
 
comparatively short distances — many varieties were available : 
 but, as time has passed, the principle of the survival of the 
 fittest has been in constant operation ; and now there are 
 classes of birds in which the homing faculty, with great powers 
 of wing and endurance, are highly developed. 
 
 Such pigeons are known in German as brief taiibcn — letter 
 pigeons : in French as voyageurs — travellers ; and in English 
 variously as travellers, couriers, homing and messenger 
 pigeons. 
 
 " Homing pigeon " may be the name in most general use. 
 It refers to the faculty which when highly developed renders 
 the bird useful. 
 
 " Messenger pigeon " would appear to be the most appro- 
 priate name, as it implies the service to which the bird is put. 
 The facility this bird has in directing its flight homewards has 
 been variously accounted for. Some ascribe it to an exerci.se 
 of highly developed intelligence, others to perfection of sight, 
 and yet others to instinct or intuition. In keeping with these 
 opinions we find that in selecting birds some people consider 
 that the form of the head is of special importance — breadth 
 between the eyes, and development backward from the eyes 
 indicating large brain. Others pay more attention to the eye 
 itself — looking to its brightness and prominence as evidence 
 of power of vision ; and even the colour of the eye is noted by 
 some. Again, others deem pedigree to be the only reliable 
 guide in selection. 
 
 It might be supposed that all would agree with regard to 
 strength being indicated by size. Yet, there are those who 
 prefer gracefully outlined slight birds — while many prefer 
 robust and sturdy-looking pigeons. Long tails and short 
 tails have their admirers. 
 
 With regard to the wings there is a near approach to 
 unanimity. Length of wing, breadth and firmness of pinion 
 webs and perhaps the straight alignment of the wing feather- 
 tips when the wing is fully expanded, are generally accepted 
 as desirable conditions. 
 
s 
 
 There is perfect agreement in the view that trial in flight 
 affords the only conclusive test, and that birds which do not 
 pass through the ordeal satisfactorily should be removed from 
 the loft, since their inferiority may be repeated in their progeny. 
 
 With a view to ascertaining whether sight enabled the 
 messenger pigeon to trace its way homewards, birds have been 
 blinded before being thrown for flight, and they failed to find 
 their way. On the other hand they have been able to steer a 
 correct course through the darkness of night — and there are 
 innumerable instances of their passing directl)'^ homewards 
 over hundreds of miles by lines they had never previously 
 explored. It is difficult to conceive that any development of 
 what the five senses are understood to be, could enable a bird 
 to accomplish what the homer does. 
 
 From Berlin to Paris is, roughly, 500 miles. It is authenti- 
 cally recorded that a French bird captured near Paris was 
 conveyed to Berlin, kept there for four years, and then, on 
 escaping, returned to its loft in Paris. The writer of this 
 article purchased two birds at Toronto, eastward of which 
 place they had never been flown. From Toronto they were 
 conveyed to Kingston, 150 miles eastward, and there kept 
 prisoners in a breeding cage. Through an oversight they were 
 subsequently sent northward forty-seven miles to be flown 
 from Sharbot Lake. Instead of returning to Kingston they 
 went westward 1 50 miles direct to their old loft at Toronto. 
 These birds had been sent from Toronto to Kingston, and 
 thence to Sharbot Lake in a closed basket, and they had not 
 previously seen the intervening country. Neither sight nor 
 a combination of all five senses could have helped to guide 
 them. There are cases without number of birds being sent in 
 training 100, 200 and 250 miles beyond a point to which they 
 had previously been. 
 
 Whatever the homing faculty may be, it is one which is 
 present at a very early age and rapidly develops. It is 
 potentially present at the bird's hatching, and needs only 
 opportunity for development into activity. Very young birds 
 
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may be removed from the loft in which they have been hatched, 
 domiciled in a new home, and there liberated without much 
 risk of their deserting. Older birds cannot be so treated. 
 
 The rapid development of the homing faculty is illustrated 
 in the following experience : " The Scamp," when a squealer 
 three weeks old, was removed from the loft where it had been 
 hatched in Utica. New York, to a loft in Northampton, Mass- 
 achusetts. Thence it was being trained in a southwesterly 
 direction until White Plains, New York (105 miles) was 
 reached. From this station, instead of returning to Northamp- 
 ton, it made its way direct to its native loft in Utica, 153 miles 
 north-west of White Plains. From Utica it was returned by 
 express to Northampton and there kept a prisoner until 
 apparently redomiciled. Presently, however, accompanied by 
 a mate, it deserted and at noon of the same day the pair was 
 found to have turned out the occupants of the nesting place in 
 which the Scamp had been hatched at Utica, and to have 
 taken possession of his old residence. 
 
 Again, in 1882, Major-General Hazen, of the United 
 States Signal Service, and Major-General Breckinridge, of 
 the Department of the Pacific, had their attention directed 
 to the use of messenger pigeons for communicating between 
 signal stations and in Indian warfare. The War Department 
 enquiries resulted in an adverse report by Lieut. Birkhimer, 
 based upon information, not upon experience. Mr. E. H. 
 Conover, of Keyport, New Jersey, thereupon undertook to 
 prove that birds could be used for distances of 1 50 miles " be- 
 fore October of the year in which they were hatched," and 
 needed no gradual training. He tested the case with nine 
 young birds, with one exception under five months of age on 
 the 1 5th August when the experiment began, and none of 
 them had previously been more than sixty miles from home. 
 
 The successive flights were : 100 miles from Elkton, Mary- 
 land, 15th August; 117 miles from Havre de Grace, 19th 
 August ; 183 miles from Washington, 26th August ; 338 miles 
 from Lynchburg, Virginia, ist September. 
 

 7 
 
 The start from Washington was arranged under the super- 
 intendence of the United States chief signal ofificcr. The 
 return of the birds from this trip to Keyport was announced 
 at New York by message bird, and the result telegraphed to 
 Washington by noon, and received at Keyport by bird at 
 12.45 P'"- '" the flight from Lynchburg (338 miles) the start 
 took place at 6.10 am. The first bird home arrived at 6.01 
 p.m., having flown at a rate not less than a mile in 2 min, 7.6 
 sec. None of the birds were lost in these journeys. 
 
 In Belgian training, after attaining fifty miles, birds are 
 commonly sent to greater distances by successive stages of 
 fifty, 100 and 200 miles and even more at a time. Amongst 
 the regular long single day courses may be mentioned : — 
 
 Libge, from Toulouse 505 miles. 
 
 Ghent '• Morceux 545 " 
 
 Malines (Mechlin) from Tarbes 554 " 
 
 Ghent from Bayonne 560 *' 
 
 Litjge " Lourdes 565 '* 
 
 The distance between San Sebastian in Spain and Liege 
 in Belgium, 615 miles, was traversed by a bird in 1862 in one 
 day. This is probably the greatest distance which has been 
 passed over in a single flight. Fifteen other birds thrown at 
 the same time arrived at their loft early the following morning. 
 
 As instances of long rapid flights, may be mentioned that in 
 1885 a bird liberated at Abington in Virginia flew 508 miles 
 to Brooklyn at the rate of a mile in i min. 42.1 sec. ; and 
 35 1 /i miles between Chatellcrault and Verviers were passed 
 at the rate of one mile in i min. 12.87 sec. 
 
 The following are instances of rapid short flights : — 
 
 One mile in 60 seconds, 180 miles, Paris to Moulins. 
 
 " 59.6 " 177 miles, 1665 yds., Dijons to Blois. 
 
 " 58.8 *' loii " Albert to Shaerbeck. 
 
 " 58.5 " 243 " Cresson, Penn., to New York. 
 
 «* 57 *' 63 " Quievrain to Antwerp. 
 
 ♦• 56 " 54I " St. Quentin to Boussu. 
 
 •♦ 55 •• 70I " Noyon to Flenu. 
 
 " 50.4 *' 215 " Etampes :o Louvain. 
 
 « 48 '♦ 80 " Arras to Antwerp. 
 
 i 
 
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8 
 
 Amongst these instances two are exceptionally noteworthy : 
 In 1879, in the United Slates, the 243 miles between Cresson, 
 Pennsylvania, and New York were passed over at the rate of 
 1,805 yards in a minute. 
 
 From Etampes to I.ouvain, 215 miles were flown at the 
 rate of 2,095 yards in a minute. 
 
 A fair idea of the performance of a good bird may be 
 gathered from the result of a race from Orleans to St. Nicholas, 
 243 miles, on 6th June, 1875. Out of 1,445 birds thrown, the 
 214 which accomplished the distance in the shortest time 
 travelled at rates varying between 1,469.7 and 1,362 yards in a 
 minute, the slowest of these being 23 minutes later than the 
 swiftest in completing the flight. 
 
 When distances greater than can be flown in a continuous 
 period of daylight are attempted, the rate of flying is not 
 ascertainable, and the time occupied varies extremely. For 
 the present Canada is not interested in these longer flights ; 
 but it may be noted that the 1,600 miles between Aix-la- 
 Chapelle and Rome was passed in 10 days and 7^ hours, A 
 case of 1,500 miles having been passed over in three days is 
 somewhere mentioned. 
 
 A noted bird, Arnoux, that belonged to Mr. A. P. Baldwin, 
 of Newark, U.S., in the course of four months in 1885 flew as 
 follows, successively : — 
 
 Trained up to 150 miles. 
 
 Raced 130 " 
 
 " 196 " 
 
 *♦ 272 " 
 
 «♦ 372 " 
 
 " 535 " 
 
 515 '• 
 
 *• 1,010 " 
 
 Total 3,180 miles. 
 
 Later it was sent to Boutte, Louisiana, 1,154 miles; but, 
 news of its return had not been received by the publisher of 
 the paper from which these details have been taken. 
 
It is observable that for its last finished race the bird had 
 been sent out 475 miles beyond a point to which it had pre- 
 viously been sent. 
 
 Hitherto mention has been made of flights over land only ; 
 but the bird's faculty enables it to find its way home across the 
 sea for distances but little short of those which it can accom- 
 plish over land in a single continuous flight. 
 
 There is reliable evidence of their conveying news from 320 
 miles, outside Sandy Hook. The United States Signal 
 Department place the sea limit at about 500 miles. Dr. 
 Johnson, of Keyport, one of the leading authorities on the 
 subject in the United States, is of opinion that 450 miles may 
 be regarded as the limit of reliance on the bird's power from 
 seaward. 
 
 Birds of the Plainfield Club have been successfully flown 
 from 100 miles at sea — 3CX) miles to their loft. 
 
 The regulations of the United States Government loft at 
 Key West Island — established for naval and military purposes 
 — intimate that their birds are to be trained to 100 miles in 
 their first year, an additional distance in the second year, and 
 to 400 miles in the third and subsequent years. 
 
 In the regulations just mentioned it is noted that " successful 
 flights have been made during storms of wind and rain, and 
 even during the night," but, a warning is added that only 
 tested and thoroughly reliable birds should be placed under 
 these disadvantages. 
 
 Count de Bury, of St. Johns, New Brunswick, has flown his 
 birds successfully through 12 miles of dense fog, and in snow 
 storms. 
 
 On the 30th of July, 1883, 650 pigeons sent from Verviers» 
 Belgium, to Calvi, Corsica, 560 miles, were there liberated. 
 They passed in a direct line homeward over Monaco, where 
 they were seen after crossing 93 y^ miles of sea from Corsica. 
 These birds, had they made for the nearest mainland to avoid 
 the sea would have followed a N.-E. course, instead of one to. 
 the west of north which they followed. 
 
 f !■ 
 
 1 
 
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10 
 
 Mr. R. Stevens, of the Plainfield Club, New Jersey, flew 
 birds from Manassas, Virginia, about 23 1 miles, which returned 
 to his loft in heavy rain and fog, having moved at a rate not 
 less than 695 yards in a minute. 
 
 Between the Island of Maddalena — north coast of Sardinia 
 and Rome — 149 miles, all sea — communication has been kept 
 up by pigeons in all weathers. 
 
 Naples and Cagliari, Sardinia — 2793^ miles across sea, are 
 immediately connected by pigeons. 
 
 From what has been remarked, the power of the messenger 
 pigeon to endure the fatigue of long flights, and to select its 
 direction homewards, will readily be admitted. It is a matter 
 of general knowledge that these birds are prolific. A pair 
 may be counted upon to rear three pairs of young ones in the 
 course of a year. As many as nine pairs of young ones have 
 been reared by a single pair of birds in twelve months. The 
 birds are hardy and need no exceptional treatment apart from 
 training. Training is nothing more than giving them practice 
 in the exercise of their homing faculty. 
 
 One gramme, equal to 15.432 grains or .032 oz. avoirdupois, 
 is the weight which the French — during the siege of Paris by 
 the Germans — considered might be carried by pigeons with- 
 out affecting their flight. Two and one-quarter inches in 
 length of large turkey quill weighs about ^ gramme. Foreign 
 post note paper 14 sheets to i oz, gives about 43 square inches 
 of writing surface to the ^-gramme. A strip of such paper 10 
 inches long by about 2-^^ inches broad, rolled up and inserted 
 in the quill, would form what was held to be a pigeon load. 
 
 With this low limit of carrying power the resourceful 
 ingenuity of the French enabled them to send over one million 
 words by a single bird at one time ; and, not only this, but to 
 despatch the news received to the persons for whom it was 
 intended in a readable form, in a time beyond compar'ison 
 shorter than that in which the work could have been 
 accomplished had one or even .several telegraph wires been 
 available to them. 
 
II 
 
 The small pictures, transpare^.cies, which, when passed be- 
 hind the lenses of a magic lantern, have their enlarged 
 duplicates cast on a screen, are familiar to all. The effects of 
 photographic slides used in magic lanterns are nearly as well 
 known as those of the old coloured slides. The photographic 
 slides are made of glass, and the pictures they bear are 
 shadowed on a transparent, sensitive medium, covering the 
 surface of the glass. The glass slides could not be carried by 
 pigeons; but sensitized films of collodion, having photographic 
 impressions on them could well be carried. The results 
 obtained were so remarkable that a few more details of the 
 subject may be given here. During the investment of Paris 
 messages were received by the postal authorities in London 
 for transmission to the beleaguered city, '"ertain conditions 
 were attached to the privilege of using this channel of 
 communication. A message might not contain intelligence 
 affecting the war proceedings. A message was limited to 
 twenty words. Postage at the rate of $d. a word, and a 
 registration fee of 6d. per message had to be prepaid. 
 
 By steps the method of conveying the messages gradually 
 improved and finally took the following shape : 
 
 On receipt of the messages in London, they were set in type, 
 and printed off on pages, including 200 messages each. 
 
 Assuming that correspondents took full advantage of their 
 opportunities — each printed page included 4,000 words — upon 
 which the charges would be : — 
 
 Postage £83 6s. 8d. 
 
 Registration 5 os. od. 
 
 Total for each page £88 6s. 8d. 
 
 The matter contained on sixteen of these pages was, by the 
 process of microphotography, depicted upon a transparent film 
 of collodion, measuring 2 inches bv i inch. 
 
 Each film might consequently have had the messages upon 
 which sixteen times ;^88 6s. 8d. or ;^ 1,4 13 6s. 8d. was payable 
 for postage and registration ; 18 of such film's rolled together 
 
 Iff 
 
 ill 
 
12 
 
 and inserted in a quill, made up a pigeon load of one gramme,, 
 upon which ;^2 5,440 were the charges. This sum at $4.86 =£1 
 — is equivalent to $123,638.40 for freightage on each bird 
 load. 
 
 Postal communication between London and Tours was not 
 cut off during the war. Tours is about 132 miles S.W. from 
 Paris. 
 
 Pigeons carried out of Paris in balloons, were collected at 
 Tours. The quills with their charges of photographic films 
 were attached to the tails of the pigeons, and by them carried 
 into Paris. On receipt in Paris the films were opened out and 
 spread on plate glass slides. Screens to receive enlarged 
 pictures of the slides — through the intervention of the magic 
 lantern — were made of sensitized material, and thus were at 
 once obtained enlarged photographs of the matter on the 
 micro-photographic films. The screens were then cut up into 
 their separate messages, and these despatched to whom they 
 were addressed. 
 
 From the figures given it may be deduced that one full 
 pigeon load might have included 1,152,000 words. Supposing 
 these to have been received for dispatch by telegraph from 
 Tours, the following steps at least would have been entailed : 
 The messages would have had to be read and checked and 
 charged for ; transferred to the transmitting clerk, and by him 
 spelt over and transmitted ; the receiving clerk would have 
 also to spell over the whole and transcribe it, and possibly 
 duplicating for record purposes might have been required. 
 
 Allowing an average of four letters to a word, the number con- 
 veyed from Tours to Paris in less than three hours by a pigeon 
 would have been 4,608,000. By the telegraphic process these 
 must have been spelt over at least twice, and thus transcribed 
 at least once before being sent out for delivery. Against this 
 I set the photographic process by which the reading, spelling, 
 and transcribing is effected by light, mechanism and chemicals, 
 I almost instantaneously, and one may faintly realize the 
 economy effected in this case through the use of pigeons. 
 
13 
 
 I have purposely left out of the account the type-setting 
 element in England, for I assume that the type-setting might 
 have been dispensed with by taking micro-piiotographs of the 
 messages as they were received in manuscript. Moreover it 
 was not always necessary in Paris to despatch the messages 
 to addresses. In a large darkened chamber many people 
 assembled and read on the screen the news intended for them. 
 Copies of the Times were thus published in Paris, and adver- 
 tisements from friends in England were readily picked out by 
 the spectators. 
 
 On the authority of the Century Magazine, for July, 1886, 
 the carrying power of the pigeon, under some circumstances, 
 would appear to be much in excess of i gramme. The Maga- 
 zine, relating that during the United States yacht races in 
 September, 1885, a pigeon service was extemporized by Mr. 
 Arnoux, states : 
 
 " The messages then sent from sea were each not less than 
 ten pages of manifold note, and were carried upon the middle 
 feathers of the tail, to which they were fastened by fine copper 
 wire wound about and pressed flat, to hold the messages close 
 to the feather. The editor of a newspaper served by these 
 pigeons said : ' It gives me a peculiar sensation to receive copy 
 from the hand of one I know to be out of reach upon the 
 water, and to feel that he may talk to me, but I cannot answer 
 him back. It is a wonder to me, after this experience, that 
 the officers of any vessel, excursion steamer, yacht, sail or tug 
 boat, should be willing to leave the shore without this means 
 of communicating with it.' " 
 
 What has been remarked will have sufficed to show that in 
 the homing pigeon we have a reliable, easily maintained and 
 readily multiplied messenger for distances within 400 miles in 
 all but extremely bad weather. The birds may be distributed 
 to a system of scattered centres, and thence transported with- 
 out difficulty by those who desire to avail themselves of their 
 services. 
 
 % 
 
 i'l 
 
 m 
 
 ft' 
 
 ! I ' 
 
 i 
 
14 
 
 It is not an easy matter in these days of steamboats, rail- 
 ways, telegraphs and telephones to persuade people unaccus- 
 tomed to the use of pigeons that their employment can be 
 beneficial. Perhaps the task may be most easily approached 
 by some references to what has occurred within a few years in 
 almost every country in Europe. 
 
 There — as here — there were neither railways, steamers, 
 telegraphs nor telephones in the year 1800. The first railway 
 engine, only a comparative success, was ULjd at a Welsh 
 colliery in 1804. ^^ was not until 1830 that the first general 
 traffic railway was opened between Liverpool and Manchester ; 
 and there was no telegraph service before 1837. Preceding 
 those days messenger pigeons were scarcely heard of They 
 had been used, but only exceptionally. The London Stock 
 Exchange employed them between London and Paris. News- 
 paper and betting men used pigeons, and there were races in 
 Belgium. But, as said before, while Europe was without rail- 
 ways and telegraphs, messenger pigeons were not generally 
 heard of. Since 1830 the face of Europe has become a net- 
 work of railways and telegraph lines. It is desired to bring 
 forcibly under the notice of those who consider that railways 
 and telegraphs entirely dispense with the utility of pigeons, 
 that within the last fifty years, while railways and telegraphs 
 have been extending and multiplying beyond what would 
 have been considered sane expectation in Europe, it may be 
 said that pigeon service took its birth there, and has grown 
 to proportions that cannot fail to excite wonder. In France, 
 in Germany, in Austria, Italy, Russia, Spain and Portugal, the 
 governments now maintain numerous large pigeon service 
 establishments. Four of these countries employ the birds in 
 connection with the defence of their coasts ; all of them include 
 pigeon service as important departments of military organiza- 
 tion ; and all of them, with Denmark and Belgium added, 
 encourage the civil population to maintain lofts. 
 
 Belgium — the cradle of homing bird sport — is peopled, it 
 might almost be said, by loft-keepers. In 1885 it had over 
 
 1 
 
15 
 
 1,000 pigeon associations. Yet there in the midst of universal 
 spontaneous action amongst the people, the Government 
 extends encouragement to breeders and trainers by awarding 
 liberal prizes for competition, and by affording special facilities 
 with regard to transport over the railways. 
 
 The Secretary of the London Amateur Pigeon Society notes, 
 that in seven provinces in Belgium there are records for 1873 
 of 1,045 races, receiving 22,656 prizes ; 1874, 1,225 races, 
 receiving 27,494 prizes. From only 12 places, and during the 
 short period of only 35 days in 1874, 7,787 birds were started, 
 the maximum length of course being 545 miles, and the average 
 length 330^ miles. In four races in 1875, an average of 1,654 
 birds started in each race for a mean distance of 246^ miles. 
 
 More than 1,500 races are held annually in competition for 
 900,000 francs in prizes. 
 
 The Century Magazine relates that at Ixelles, one of the 
 most enthusiastic centres of sport — a national sport in which (|s 
 even children and ladies may take part — a company of militia 
 was at drill early in the morning, to be free at the time the 
 'birds liberated in the races of the day should arrive. All went 
 well until the cloud of returning birds appeared on the horizon, 
 when there was an instant uneasiness in the ranks ; then, as 
 if with one impulse, the company broke, and rushed at full 
 speed to their lofts in the town. The officer, having his back 
 towards the birds, was speechless with amazement, until he 
 saw the cause, when he too joined in the stampede, regardless 
 of his accoutrements. The Morning Press, in comment, hoped 
 " if this should reach the ears of the authorities, they would 
 recognize the exigency of the occasion, and be lenient." 
 
 Russia began pigeon establishments in 1874, at Warsaw, 
 Moscow, and Kieff. Now, in small Poland alone the Govern-'] 
 ment maintains the following lofts : — 
 
 Brest Litevski i ,000 birds. 
 
 Warsaw ^ 750 '* 
 
 Ivangarod 500 " 
 
 Nova Georgiensk 500 " 
 
 Louminetz 250 '* 
 
 At an annual cost of $3,742,20. 
 
 I. 
 
i6 
 
 The staff superintending these consists of : i Lieutenant- 
 Colonel, 4 Subaltern Officers, 1 2 Trainers, 24 Servants. 
 
 Half a bushel of grain is allowed daily for every 100 birds. 
 
 The Russian vote for pigeon service is $io,cxx) annually. 
 
 Successful experiments were made in grand manoeuvres of 
 the Russian Army in using pigeons to keep up communication 
 between a detached turning force and the main body. On 
 such occasions telegraphs would be extremely exposed or 
 might be impracticable. 
 
 Russian cavalry scouting parties will probably be supplied 
 with birds. 
 
 A few years ago three millions of pigeons were taken into 
 France in the course of one season for training, from Germany 
 and Belgium. 
 
 The German Government in 1885 had nine military lofts. 
 Now it has lofts at Strasbourg, 600 birds, Metz, 600 birds, 
 Wurtzburg, Mayence, Cologne, Wilhelmshaven, Kiel, Dantzig, 
 Tonning, Schwetzinger near Manheim, Thorn, i,icx) birds, 
 Posen, etc. The whole of the German frontier is connected by 
 pigeon post with the interior and army headquarters. The 
 whole of its northern coast is studded with pigeon stations 
 under the control of the Minister of Marine. 
 
 Experiments have proved that pigeons bred on board ship 
 have no difficulty in recognizing their own vessels amongst a 
 number of others. 
 
 An ordinary German loft has 200 birds. In 1883-4 the 
 German vote on this account and visual signalling was $8,500. 
 
 The German pigeon service is now the most extensive and 
 complete in Europe. 
 
 There are 350 private pigeon societies in the country. Of 
 these many train in directions indicated by their War Minister. 
 The Emperor gives annually gold medals for competition in 
 races if not less than 248^ miles ; the Minister of War and 
 of Agpculture also grant prizes. 
 
 In Austria the first private loft was established in 1873. 
 The Government began work in 1875 at Komorn, and then 
 
 '1 
 
17 
 
 '0 
 
 in 1882, at Cracow. Up till lately Austria had chiefly directed 
 attention to pigeon service for mountainous districts where 
 military telegraphs could not be laid with sufficient rapidity, 
 and visual signalling is constantly obstructed by intervening 
 elevations. 
 
 In Italy, the military pigeon system is extensive. The coast 
 lofts train from seaward with a view to cruiser service. 
 
 During the squadron manoeuvres pigeon reports had been 
 received many days in advance of advices sent at the same time 
 by despatch boat. 
 
 Italy has, moreover, connected Massowah and Assab in 
 Africa by pigeons. 
 
 The twelve principal Government lofts in continental Italy 
 are controlled by the Engineer in territorial command at Rome. 
 
 In Portugal there are Government pigeon stations at Lisbon, 
 Oporto, Setubal, Tameas, Vedras, Novas, Elvas and Mafra. 
 
 In Spain there are coast-guard pigeon stations to receive 
 messages from cruisers intercepting enemies' vesseL and to 
 check smuggling. 
 
 In Denmark the War Office grants prizes for competition 
 amongst private loft owners who are very numerous. 
 
 France has taken the subject up thoroughly. In 1885 
 France is said to have had 75,000 trained birds in her postal 
 service. Every one of her great fortresses has now about 400 
 birds, the Engineering Corps superintending their maintenance 
 and training. 
 
 The different pigeon societies, of which there are not fewer 
 than 300 in the country, are subject to military authority and 
 requisition. They are required to train their birds in direc- 
 tions conducive to military ends. At periodical contests the 
 Government awards Sevres vases, medals, diplomas and vari- 
 ous other distinctions. At the instance of the Government 
 societies' birds are carried at half ordinary fares, and empty 
 hampers are returned free of charge. Besides the large 
 societies there are small clubs, and individual loft owners — all 
 of whom have to make annual census returns of their birds. 
 
 (i 
 
 \..«3 
 
i8 
 
 The Colombophile Society at Paris has a loft of 1,500 pairs 
 of birds, and supplies fortresses. 
 
 In 1885 France had eight military pigeon stations — Paris 
 with its central loft at Mont Valerien, Vincennes, Marseilles, 
 Perpignan, Lille, Verdun, Toul and Belfort — 100,000 francs 
 being appropriated for these. 
 
 Now her inland system is complete, a recent article in a 
 P'rench military paper remarking : " In a word, all dispositions 
 are made, so that when war breaks out, the service of messenger 
 pigeons will not have to be improvised as in 1870. An 
 exchange of correspondence between the central authority, 
 the governors of fortresses and intrenched camps is insured." 
 
 The United States took the question up in 1888, and the 
 Army Signal Office established a loft on Key West Island, 
 aiming amongst other objects, at communicating between 
 cruisers in the neighbouring seas and the mainland. Another 
 loft was established on board the Newhampskire at Newport, 
 Rhode Island. 
 
 Early last year it was reported that from Key West birds 
 had already been trained to bring messages from any easterly 
 direction 100 miles seaward. 
 
 It is now time to submit to those who argue that railways 
 and telegraphs make it unreasonable to promote the estab- 
 lishment of an organized system of pigeon lofts throughout 
 the country — and to others who take no interest in the matter 
 because it has no detachable coupons — it is time to submit to 
 such that they should reconsider their opinions, for it has 
 been shown that during the last fifty years, over the continent 
 of Europe — not the least intelligent and not the least experi- 
 enced quarter of the world — there has spread an amazing 
 system of railways and telegraph lines, and with these has 
 developed the most wonderful use of messenger pigeon service. 
 It has been shown that this has been arrived at through 
 unanimity of opinion amongst the vast majority and most 
 influential of technical experts in national defence, and with 
 the assent and concurrence of the leading statesmen in Europe 
 
 » 
 
19 
 
 t 
 
 
 and the United States, who are not any of them ignorant of 
 the uses to which railways and telegraphs are applicable. 
 
 Is more needed to prove that our feathered messengers 
 should not be neglected by those of us wishing to strengthen B 
 our country's position ? 
 
 The patriotism of every Canadian will accord ready ^ 
 approval and praise to the motives and aims of the enlightened 
 governments and officials who have been endeavouring to f 
 increase their national security. Are the approval and the ' 
 praise to be accorded, but the example disregarded ? 
 
 Men whose thoughts have dwelt on the circumstances of- 
 warfare need no reminder of the importance of keeping con- ! 
 trol over supplementary and alternative methods for rapidly 
 transmitting intelligence. A word, however, may not be out 
 of place here to others who have not considered the character 
 of the slender thread which conveys tho'^ght and even voice 
 to unlimited distances, with almost unmeasurable rapidity and 
 nearly uninterrupted regularity. So well nigh perfect is its 
 action that many have ceased to reflect that it has its weak 
 points. 
 
 In warfare it is not solely reliable. The message it carries 
 may be drawn off at any point in its length. False and mis-|l 
 leading information may be designedly passed through iti 
 from any point at which an expert can get hold of it. Its 
 vitality is at the mercy of the elements. Snow may break it 
 down, wind may throw it over, lightning may shiver its 
 supports. The scout and the secret agent can destroy it when 
 and where they choose. 
 
 In the case of an attack, the invader, at the cost of but 
 trifling pre-arrangement, might give many an idle hour to] 
 telegraph operators at the very instruments where the safety 
 of their country most needed their whole energies. 
 
 By pre-arrangement any wire or any sets of wires might be 
 severed at the instance of the enemy at a given hour if 
 desired. What would be the effect ? How would any large 
 and active firm be situated if it found communication between 
 
 ''■■■ *;a 
 
20 
 
 its manager, heads of departments and clerks suddenly cut off? 
 The normal smooth clockwork movement of the organization 
 would inevitably be replaced by confusion and impending 
 disaster. 
 
 How much more numerous are the vital parts in the 
 machinery of national defence, and how much more exposed 
 than those in the detached mechanisms of commerce ? 
 
 All the details of mobilization, concentration and tactical 
 movements in this country at this moment are dependent 
 upon our telegraph wires. What a slender thread to carry 
 our national safety ! 
 
 With wires between army headquarters, divisional and 
 brigade headquarters severed, we should be open to attack 
 where the enemy purposely confused our arrangements. 
 
 In such a pass it is not too much to say that in organized 
 pigeon service, and in that only, could there be found ground 
 for expectation that the tables might be turned against the 
 enemy. They would keep us informed of his movements, and 
 would maintain our power to transmit orders uninterrupted. 
 
 The circumstance which gave a first impetus to military 
 pigeon service was its improvised use at the siege of Paris, in 
 1870. In the course of a review of an article on messenger 
 pigeons by an Austrian officer, an English' military paper 
 thus refers to the subject : — 
 
 " On September 2, 1870, the day of the battle of Sedan, one 
 of the most experienced breeders of carrier pigeons in 
 Belgium, M. La Perre de Roo, made the offer to the French 
 war minister, basing it on the assumption that from the 
 information published by English journals, Paris would be 
 shortly completely invested by the Germans, to furnish him 
 'with a supply of carrier pigeons for keeping up communication 
 I between Paris and the Provinces. His letter was never 
 ianswered. 
 
 I "After the appearance of the German army before the 
 Icapital the Paris association for breeding pigeons — L'Esper- 
 iance — generously offered to the Government all their carrier 
 
 I 
 
ai 
 
 
 pigeons for aerial postal service, and to conduct the latter, 
 M. Gassier, the president of the association, asked for an 
 audience of General Trochu, but was received by a subordin- 
 ate who, after hearing the patriotic pigeon breeder, smilingly 
 replied that he, M. Gassier, was the sixty-second person who 
 had bothered him with carrier pigeons, and he hoped he would 
 be the last. 
 
 " Meanwhile Paris, to the consternation of the inhabitants 
 and the annoyance of the daily press, which had been con- 
 stantly trying to prove that the immense city could never be 
 properly invested by the forces at the disposal of the enemy, 
 was cut off completely from the outer world. 
 
 " Notwithstanding that there were a great number of carrier 
 pigeons in Paris, not a single bird had been sent out of the 
 capital, so that it seemed entirely impossible to keep up com- 
 munication with the Provinces. 
 
 " In this dilemma the French postmaster-general, M. Ram- 
 pount, hit upon the ingenious idea of sending off a number of 
 piffeons by balloon. On September 25, at 1 1 a.m., the balloon — 
 La Ville de Florence — rose amidst the plaudits of an enormous 
 concourse of people, carrying besides the aeronaut, M. Maugin, 
 three carrier pigeons and six cwt. of despatches. The wind 
 carried the balloon westward until it disappeared from the eyes 
 of the Parisians. But, on the same day, at five in the after- 
 noon, two pigeons arrived at their home in Paris. Attached 
 to the tail feathers of each of them was a label with the 
 following words : — ' We landed safely at the village of 
 Vernouillet, near Triel, and are on the point of leaving for 
 Tours with the official despatches.' 
 
 "The population of Paris, who for the greater part had 
 probably never heard of the capabilities of carrier pigeons,^ 
 were intoxicated with joy at such success. The newspapers 
 were full of illustrations of this breed of pigeons, and printed 
 most fabulous tales of their performances. Subsequently a 
 balloon was sent ofif every second or third day ; altogether 
 sixty-four balloons were despatched, and from the pigeons 
 
 <ir 
 
 f 
 
 V5| 
 
 m 
 
22 
 
 taken, some returned almost regularly to Paris. . . . Many 
 f)crformed the journey from four to six times." 
 
 The writer of the article states that seventy-three birds 
 returned with despatches to Paris, and thence argues that only 
 twenty pigeons really did the work. 
 
 The " Encyclopaedia Britannica " states that fifty-seven was 
 the number which actually did the work. 
 
 The bird which repeated the trip six times was named " The 
 Angel of the Siege." 
 
 In addition to 156,000 oiificial despatches, over one million 
 private communications were carried by pigeons into Paris. 
 
 In P>ench experiments with pigeons for naval use — the first 
 attempt — made at Toulon, was to domesticate the bird on 
 board the St. Louts, artillery practice ship. The pigeon house 
 wzs placed near two seven and a-half inch and two nine and 
 a-half inch guns, firing an average of 600 rounds weekly. 
 The aide-de-camp of the Vice-Admiral Commander-in-Chief 
 at Toulon stated that the experiment to establish communi- 
 cation between a ship at sea and a pigeon loft ashore 
 succeeded perfectly. The converse experiment was not so 
 successful, but was to be repeated. The results, however, 
 proved that the homing bird adapts itself perfectly well to life 
 afloat and breeds there. The pigeon house on the SL Louis 
 had an inside capacity of three cubic metres, accommodating 
 eight pairs of birds. 
 
 As to the use of pigeons for naval purposes, a sketch by 
 Lieut. Wainwright, U. S. Coast Signal Service of Defence 
 Arrangements, will give a fair general idea of their importance 
 as auxiliaries. Lieut. Wainwright says : " An ideal system of 
 transmitting intelligence coastwise and to seaward during a 
 naval war would be one in which observation stations, con- 
 nected by telegraph lines, were established at certain intervals 
 along the coast ; at each station trained men with the neces- 
 sary instruments for receiving and sending visual signals ; at 
 certain of these stations pigeon lofts for furnishing pigeons to 
 lookout vessels and receiving from them reports, and also for 
 
 i 
 

 t 
 
 23 
 
 despatching birds with information to the outside stations of 
 the fleet ; also lofts, at such stations as from the position of 
 the telegraph lines, are liable to have their connections inter- 
 rupted, the birJs being used to maintain communication when 
 the lines are cut. All coast lines to be connected with the 
 interior lines whenever practicable, in order to give additional 
 security. The instruments necessary are heliographs, electro- 
 graphs, semaphores, and at the most important stations captive 
 balloons. By means of observation vessels also, furnished 
 with signal instruments and pigeons, the point towards which 
 the enemy is making would be known, and his progress along 
 the coast followed by observers, so that the defending fleet 
 might meet him, or acting as a flanking fleet, follow up and 
 engage him at the critical moment. If the enemy's fleet 
 break up into detachments the course of each will be known 
 to the admiral commanding the defence, and he can oppose 
 the enemy with similar detachments or keep his fleet together, 
 and overwhelm the smaller bodies with his united force. 
 Thus at a comparatively small cost, the efiective strength of 
 the fleet would be greatly increased to the greater security of 
 the defence. 
 
 " In times of peace these signal stations could be utilized 
 by the Life Saving Service and Weather Bureau, and for the 
 purpose of sending the usual commercial intelligence. 
 
 " As will be seen the system adopted by the French 
 approaches very closely the ideal one." 
 
 In Lieut. Wainwright's lucid sketch one cannot fail to be 
 struck by the great importance attached by him to pigeon 
 service. 
 
 The writer in the Royal Engineer Journal whose reference 
 to the Siege of Paris has been quoted, remarks on the organi- 
 7ation of military messenger pigeon posts : — 
 
 '* If it is to be used as an auxiliary means, whether of oflence 
 or defence, it must be organized thoroughly, efficiently and on 
 a large scale. A large fortress or other suitable place in the 
 heart of the country must be selected as the ceitral station, 
 
 ! , '..J 
 
24 
 
 where the carrier pigeons needed for stocking the pigeor* 
 stations of the whole country must be bred. The selection of 
 the stations which are to be connected mutually by carriers^ 
 their housing, feeding and tending must be made the subject 
 of careful study. Of course only strategical consideration, 
 must be the guiding principles in selecting lines of flight, and 
 the organization of the carrier pigeon post must be left to the 
 general staff. 
 
 " Besides breeding pigeons in state columbaries private 
 breeders must receive every encouragement, so that in case of 
 war a large supply of those useful birds may be always 
 obtainable. 
 
 " The great military powers of Europe have recognized the 
 importance of this means of intercourse and have made most 
 extensive preparations," 
 
 Of the uses to which the bird is put in peace the Century 
 Magazine, speaking of the United States, says : — 
 
 " In our country of magnificent distances and tardy mes- 
 sengers, pigeons are more largely employed as carriers than is 
 generally known, inasmuch as the service is mainly for indi- 
 vidual convenience. Very many business men in cities com- 
 municate with home in the suburbs by pigeon post, or use the 
 birds between office and factory. Farmers use them as mes- 
 sengers through the neighbourhood and from the post-ofiice 
 and the town. Country physicians often have an apartment 
 prepared for the birds in their conveyance and carry the birds on. 
 their rounds as regularly as they carry their instruments and 
 their bottles, using them to bring word later on from their 
 patients and to send word home when there is need. And even 
 New York brokers promise to follow the example of Mr. A. De 
 Cordova, who says : — ' I use my birds to bring the reports- 
 from Wall .jtreet to me at Chetolah, near North Branch.' 
 Mr. R. D. Hume, of Fruit Vale, California, claims to use 
 pigeons with complete success between his factories some 
 three hundred miles to the north. Years ago certain of the 
 Wells Fargo agents in the mountains of Nevada used pigeons 
 
 \ 
 
fe- 
 
 :, 
 
 25 
 
 to bring them news from the nearest station the same day 
 that by the regular means would not have reached them until 
 the third day. There are many prominent men and capitalists 
 in the vicinity of New York to-day who owe their prosperity 
 to the foundation laid yea;*s ago through advices conveyed 
 by pigeons in advance of the mail by stage. . . . Very 
 many of the merchant marine, especially in European waters, 
 have pigeons on board for use in communicating with the 
 vessel from the small boats away from them, or from the 
 shore. The birds, it is said, never mistake another vessel for 
 their own at the dock or in the harbour. It has been 
 remarked of several flights that the birds in exercising, when far 
 out of sight of land, will go away for hours at a time, and 
 upon their return will have dried mud on their feet and legs, 
 shewing them to have been ashore." 
 
 The passage from land to land across the Atlantic by the 
 St. Lawrence is about 1,800 mile.s. Assuming that a vessel 
 on this line has a good Irish bird and a good Canadian bird 
 on board — then for only 900 miles will she be beyond com- 
 municating distance from the mainland. 
 
 The Newfoundland fishermen and vessels engaged in the 
 coasting trade and in navigating the inland lakes, explorers, 
 surveying parties, and sportsmen in remote districts, would 
 frequently avail themselves of the services of these birds were 
 there lofts whence they might readily obtain them when 
 required for use. 
 
 Who can estimate the mitigation of anxiety that pigeons 
 might have afforded to the passengers of the City of Pat is in 
 her recent accident ? At what a slight cost this relief might 
 have been supplied ! 
 
 Why should not all transatlantic steamers carry birds with 
 them to announce the approach to either coast ? 
 
 The Illustrated Daily Graphic in England has its pigeon 
 loft. Its birds brought to it a succession of sketches taken on 
 board a steam launch following the course of the Oxford and 
 Cambridge race ; and from the train in which the Prince of 
 
 i 
 
 i 
 
 \ 
 
 t)l 
 
•"^T'.''^,fm "T 
 
 26 
 
 Wales travelled to open the Forth Bridge its pigeons brought • 
 pictures of incidents en route. 
 
 Newspaper men here might receive early photographic copies 
 of European news two or three days in advance of the arrival 
 of the mails by vessels liberating messenger pigeons. The 
 eastern Canadian press might exchange news in a similar way 
 with the western press, and Canada generally exchange with the 
 United States. With well-tested, reliable birds, it might even be 
 possible to transmit official despatches between the British 
 Embassy at Washington and Ottawa — more rapidly far than 
 by mail. 
 
 It is earnestly hoped th . . not a few of those who read this 
 article will consider it a citizen's duty to encourage the breed- 
 ing and training of messenger pigeons as a means of furnishing 
 abundance of innocent :imusement to young and old alike, as 
 useful helps in domestic and personal affairs, as servants of 
 the press, as aids in the transaction of business, as assistants 
 in commerce, as invaluable friends of the merchantile marine, 
 and as indispensable auxiliaries to the navy and army in the 
 time of our country's need. 
 
 D. R. Cameron. 
 
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