The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1872-03-14

|
OF attention, 10y reason of the great i'm
provements in this mode of letter trans
potation which French ingenuity de-
vised and perfected, aud it is matter O.
surprise to us that more publicity ha.
not been given to tho subject. The
pigeons were made to supplement the
balloons, by bringing back to the city
answers to letters sent OFF By the latter
and to this end every balloon sent from
Paris carried in its chr number oj
plgcons, raiBed and trained in tho CITY,
which upon reaching their destination
were frsighted with messages and let
loose to fly back to Paris. Those which
escaped the birds of prey and the Prus.
sian balls, soon returned to their dove.
ootes In the citx, whero they were re-
lieved of their precious buiden, and kept
In readiness for another balloon voyage.
But with the ordinary writing aud paper.
each OF these messengers could carry but
q sninil number OF sentences without bo-
ing er-burdened. To send long docu.
ments and numerous messages by this
mode OF conveyance. it was necessary
that some mode should be devised for
Tightening the medium of correspond.
ence. The happy idea was conceived of
photographing the messages microscopic
cally. upon very thin substance, and
thus condensing great amount Of mail
matter into II very small compass and
weight. The success of this scheme
when put i'll practice. was most remarka.
ble, aud it gave nn entirely new impor-
tance to correspondence by carrier
pigeons.
Iu carrying cut the schcuc, nll the
communications for single provinces or
department. destined for Paris were sent
by means of telegraph to some cnntral
point, where they were put in type iu
close columns. like newspaper, with
out blanks or interiinos, aud IN imprcs.
sion printed the:eiron. From this sheet
microscopic photograph WAS taken
upon an exceedingly thin peliiclc of col
lodion. measuring nbout an inch-nnd u
helf square. In this way, nbout 1,GOO
dispatches were photographed in minia-
tnre upon each pcliclo, and owing to the
llBhtness OF the material, twenty of these
little squares rolled up and placed in a
quill, could be attached to pigeon, with
out embarrassing its flight. Que bird was
thus enabled to carry upwards Of 80, 600
dispatches, averaging fifteen words ench.
10 diminish their chances of miscarriage,
some thirty or forty proofs OF each pho
tograph were taken, and ns lnnuy pigeons
sent on, each one bearing like sct Of
proofs. Arrived 1T Paris, the roll Of
peil'c!cs was taken from !s quill. each
one placed In Il basin OF vnter with IL few
drops nf uinmonin, aud tins made to un-
roll readily. They were then dried.
placed between two plates Of glass, mud
subjected to a powerful microscope ia IA
magic lantern, illuminated by the ciec-
trio light. The magniiied imngo thu. OBJ
tanned was photographed anew, aud thu
restored dispatches were forwarded to
the anxious eXpectant5.
The onrliast pigeon despatch from
!Er provinces nuccacd-d oftau ia rcrain
ing Paris, bat during the latter pnrt Of
tho siege, owing to bad weather and
snow, many OF them wandered away or
were lost, SD that their precious burdens
never came to hand. For greater sccu-
rity they were carried as near to Paris as
possibie before being set loose. many bo-
ing conveyed from other points to Dloisc
and liberated there. During tho last
two weeks in December aud the first in
January. though many pigeons hnd been
sent of i'll balloons, not single ono ur-
rived il tho city, and there was III en-.
tire lesrth OF news from the provinces
Ou tuG o. u ot Ou1uutJ lollOWluS, que cl
these modest little messengers winged
his way over the roofs of Paris, utterly
unconscious of the anxiety with which
its arrival was look, Il for by thousands
of people. and delivered up u freight oi
80, 600 messages, to cheer the hearts of
the desponding Parisinns and give them
news from their friends without the city.
1t appears that during tho period in
which Tho carriar pigeons were employed
i'll this service, some $50, 600 dispatches
were photographed aud sent off, Of which
abont CO.00D arrived in safety. These.
ut ten francs each, about the nvarnga OF
the price charged to individuals by the
Government. produced quite IL rcsp.ciu-
ble amount Of income.
FINANCIAL OUTLOOK. The financial
condition IF the country was presented
by MIR. Dawes, Chairman Of the Com
mittee on Ways aud Means in the House
Of representatives. on Friday. The
estimated expenses for tho year, without
reference TO the public debt, he said.
nre S273. GOO. 900; to this amount, tue
House has already added enongh, III the
way Of deficiency appropriations. corpo.
ration taxes to bu refunded, paid for
public bindings. etc, to make u grand