The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-04-12
BIRDS TO BE USED IN WAR.
Adoption of the Messenger Pigeon
Service in Coast Defense.
From the Washington Star.

Service in Coast Defense.
From the Washington Star.
Secretary Herbert added a novel chapter
to our naval strategic tactics few days
ago when he signed the order adopting a
messenger pigeon service for coast de-
tense.
Many hundreds of homing pigeons are
shortly to be distributed in groups among
about twenty different points along the At
lantic coast. Here they will be kept In
specially designed coops until educated
to regard their new quarters as permanent
homes, to which they will always return
when liberated from vessels plying the
seaboard.
Having been thus domesticated they win
be placed aboard coasting vessels and
carefully trained to find their homes with
out losing time. The coops will all be
placed in photographic connection with
washington. In case of hostilities with
foreign powers the authorities at head
quarters will hereafter be able to receive
constant advices of every move made by
hostile vessels after entering the waters
lantic shore.
Within a few weeks work will begin up-
on pigeon lofts, to be built at our more
important EASTERN navy yards and harbor
entrances. Additional ones will afterWard
be constructed in a continuous chain, in
Guiding many of the lighthouses, live-sav-
lllB stations ana IOrtreSSeS, from Maine
along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts to
Texas. Later the same system will PROB
ably be applied to the Pacific and grear
lake coasts.
The most important stations in time of
war would be those nearest Canada ana
the West Indies. Our fast cruisers could
then scout the corners of the country,
keeping an eye upon the enemy from the
time they first approached us.
Inc pigeons will be confined at the new
stations for about a year, that they may
forget their old homes and become we'll ac-
quainted with the surroundings of the new
ones. After this they will be put through
an interesting training. They will be
taugnt 10 return each to the proper coop
from vessels off shore. The first lessons
VIII be Tor short distances These will be
gradually increased until the birds can re-
turn from three or four hundred miles out
and sometimes further. 1t is estimated
that after six months of training flights of
l 70, miles can be made at the rate of from
thirty-tive to forty miles an hour.
The seacoast being divided into equal
sections, with the pigeon stations in their
centers, each group of birds win be made
trict. Charts showing the location of all
coops will be issued to commanders of
sels ii is also proposed, will contain coops.
each divided into compartments CORES
ponding to a pigeon station on shore, and
labeled TO that effect.
Surprising that scouting cruiser is TO
leave New York for Key West. Baskets of
homing pigeons are sent by express to
tons, and placed in their proper compart-
ments on board. During the cruise 1t is de-
sired to communicate with Washington
The officer in charge notes what pigeon
district he lies opposite. He takes two
birds from the corresponding compart-
ment, attaches duplicate messages adj
dressed to, the navy department and liber-
ates Them In few hours they reach
their coopS. Their arrival is noted by the
light house tender, life-saving crew. com
mander Of the fortress or navy yard. The
message is detached and telegraphed at
once to the Secretary of the Navy
To provide against delay caused by such
pigeons as might go astray in foggy wealth
er, or which might be let out at the wrong
place, ii is proposed that all of the coops
or lofts along the coast be built and
painted alike. The birds would natural
ly follow the shore until reaching the first
familiar abode of this kind. Here they
would find other pigeons feeding, and they
would naturally stop. Arrival at the
wrong loft would be noted and the mas
sage received and forwarded immediately
The officers advising Secretary Herbert
concerning uhis new system are Prof
Marion of the naval academy Lieut.
Knight and Ensign Eberle of the navy, all
OF whom have been practicing with hom-
ing pigeons for q year or emore. To the
last named officer the writer is indebted
Tor the greater part of his general infor-
nation on this subject. A large pigeon
Ioit was several years ago constructed
above the boat house at Annapolis and
this has since been kept fun of valuable
homers. Experiments carried on with
these from time to time were what con-
WINGED Secretary Herbert of the value or
the new service, both for peace and war
times
Pigeons from the Annapolis loft have
already found their way home when lio-
Grated from vessels $50 miles away One
let loose at Norfolk recently reached An
napolis l50 miles away. within three hours
ana forty-nve mintes. During last sum-
lner 10 trips were made by eighteen Dir-
cons, ell OF them finding their way home
although never flying before over the
coasts traVcrSed. An interesting exDer;-
ment was made 10 learn how long a pig
con can be kept aboard ship without for
getuhg It's way home. one kept below
decks IN small basket was let out dff
winter Quarter shoat twenty-five DAYS
after Il had left It's home loft. II re-