Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1886-12-21
PIGEoN-FL
Tho Objects for Which the birds are
Trained by European Govsrnments.

The Objects for Which the BIRDS are
Trained by European Governments.
Modern pigeon-hying may be said to
have received its greatest impulse from
tho Franco-Gcrman war, when the only
messengers that could pass from with
out the iron girdlc that surrounded inn
prisoned Paris were the intelligent high
flying pigeons. As soon as the war was
over the military authorities Of the con-
tinent seriously took in hand the appli-
cation of pigeon-llying 10 military pur-
poses, In several instances there was
the familiar difficulty to be overcome of
driving new ideas into old heads. Ig.
norance Of the subject had to be con
tended against, but this did not prevent
the expression of opinions, and now
there are some fifty military pigeon sta
tons on the continent of Europe, and
fully half million of trained pigeons
available AT the present moment Eng
land stands alone among the leading
European nations in having no military
pigeon system.
In Germany, Austria, France, Italy,
Russia and Portugal such regular pig
con systems exist, and every encourage
ment is given to private breeders by Sc
curing reduction in railway rates and in
Offering prizes for the races, the socie-
tics that avail themselves of these ad-
vantages, howver, being required to
train their birds in such directions as
may be fixed by the Minister of War,
directions being selected solely upon
strategetical consdcrat onS.
Germany, France and Italy are some
what in advance of other nations in
these matters. Under the fostering
care OF the respective War Ministers
private flying clubs here have during
the past few years enormously increased
in number. In Germany alone there
are said to be $50 such clubs, while the
birds belonging to the War Department
number about 6,000. In France the
number of clubs is reckoned at 800, and
a census of all trained pigeons is made
annually.
At Lille there are 5000 trained pig
cons, which has enabled the War Depart
ment TO dispense with the military loft
which was formerly established there,
and to rely entirely upon privately
trained birds.
The primary object OF having these
enormous flights of pigeons is to secure
means of communication with invested
fortresses in the event Of siege. This
Is not, however, the limit of their use
iulness. They are intended to be used
as secret messengers, to be surrepti-
tiously liberated by agents or spies who
may be in the midst of any enemy,
either in an occupied district or in the
enemy's country. That it is the in
tention Of European powers to make use
of these birds for such purpose
does not admit of doubt. Ac.
cording to a paragraph which ap-
pcarcd in most Of tho French
newspapers few weeks ago, pigeon
bearing message inserted in a quill
was recently shot on French soil, and
from an examination of the message
and Of marks found on the wings of the
bird, il is reported that the War Minis
ter satisfied himself that the Germans
have established secret agencies in theil
nelghbors territory to enable them TO
carry out this scheme. 1t is alleged
"that between these agents and the
headquarter staff at Berlin correspon'
dencc takes place daily by those winget
messengers, and that Germany has or
ganized system of international com
munication which. in case ofwar. woulC
render her very valuable service" Th'
incident created great interest among
the French military authorities. and 1t
now stated that the French Minister o
| War is directing his attention TO thl
liberation Of foreign pigeons on Frencl
soil. II such an agency could be estab
lished by Germany in France, it woul'
be still easier for foreign power to d'
the same in England. where the countr,
more so than any nation among th'
western powers, abounds in foreigners
aud where the military authorities hav'
little or no knowledge of pigeon-nying
London Necs.