Evening star., 1896-03-30
BIRDS TO BE USED IN WAR
Adoption Of the Messenger Pigeon Service
in Coast Defense.
How It IL Proposed to Carry the sys.
tenn Into OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES OF
Some Experfments.

Some Experiments.
Secretary Herbert added a novel chapter
to our naval strategic tactics a few days
ago when he signed the order adopting a
messenger pigeon service for coast de-
fense.
Many hundreds Of hcming pigeons are
shortly to be distributed in groups among
about twenty different points along the At
lanttc coast. Here they will be kept in spe-
cfally designed coops until educated to re-
gard their new quarters as permanent
homes. to which they will always return
when liberated from vessels plying the sea-
board.
Having been thus domesticated they will
be placed aboard coasting vessels and care
fully trained to find their homes without
| losing time. The coops will all-be placed
in telegraphic connection with Washington.
In case of hostilfties with foreign powers
the authorities at headquarters will here
after be able to receive constant advices of
every move made by hostile vessels after
entering the waters within q hundred miles
or more of our Atlantic shore.
Within few weeks work will begin upon
pigeon lofts to be built at our more i'm
portant eastern navy yards and harbor
entrances. Additional ones will afterward
be constructed in continuous chain in
cluding many of the light houses, life-sav-
ing stations and fortresses, from Maine
along the Atlantic and gulf coasts to Texas.
Later the same system will probably be ap-
Piled to the Pacific and great lake coasts.
Inc most important stations in time of
ar would be those nearest Canada and 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.
Training the Birds.
The 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
taught to return each to the proper coop
from vessels off shore. The first lessons
Will be for short distances. These will be
gradually increased until the birds can re-
turn from three or four hundred miles out
anG sometimes further. 1t is estimated
that after six months Of training flights of
100 miles can be made at the rate Of from
thirty-five to forty miles an hour.
The seacoast being divided into equal
sections. with the pigeon stations in their
centers, each group of birds will be made
familiar will all Of the shore in that dis
trict. Charts showing the location of all
cocps will be issued to commanders of
cossting vessels cooper ating. These ves-
sells, 1t is also proposed, will contain coops,
spending to a pigeon station on shore and
labeled to that effect.
Supposing that scouting cruiser is to
leave New York for Key West. Baskets of
homing pigeons are sent by express to
New York from all OF the intermediate sta
tions. and placed in their proper compart-
ments on board. During the cruise it 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 compartment, attaches
duplicate messages addressed to the Navy
Department, and liberate3 them. In a few
hours they reach their coops Their ar
rival is noted by the light house tender
Ie-saV1ng crew, commander Of the fort
ress or navy yard The message is detach-
ed and telegraphed at once to the Secretary
of the Navy.
PrOvision Against Delay.
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
pisce. 1t is proposed that all of the cobps or
lofts along the coast be built and painted
alike. The bids would naturally follow
the shore until reaching the first familiar
abode Of this kind. Here they would find
other pigeons feedirg, and they would nat
uerally stop. Arrival at the wrong loft
would be noted and the message received
and forwarded Immediately.
The officers advising Secretary Herbert
concerning this new system are Prof
Marion Of the Naval Academy, Lieutenant
knight and Ensign Eberle of the navy all
of whom have been practicing with hominr
pigeons for year or more. To the last
named officer the writer is indebted for the
greater part Of his general information on
this subject. A large pigeon loft was sew
eral years ago constructed above the boat
house at Annapolis. and this has since
been Kept full OF valuable homers. Experi-
ments carried on with these from time to
time were what convinced Secretary Her
bert OF the value Of the new service both
for peace and war times.
Pigeons from the Annapolis loft have al
ready found their way home when liberated
from vessels $50 miles away One let loose
at Norfolk recently reached Annapolis. lJO
miles away. within three hours and forty
five minutes During last summer 40 trims
were made by eighteen pigeons. all of them
nnd1ng their way home although never
hying before over the coasts trayersed
An interesting experiment was made TO
learn now long pigeon can be kept aboard
snip without forgetting it's way home One
Kept below decks in a small basket was Ief
out on Winter Quarter Shoal twenty-five
Gays after 1t had left its home loft 1t re-
turned to Annapolis in nine hours over a
perfectly strange course.
Result Of Experiments.
loose from the Amphitrite, in Lynn Haven
bay, 125 miles from ANNAPOLIS. They left
the vessel after breakfast and arriye at
the Naval Academy in the afternoon. One
bore message to Admiral Bunce stating
that the Amphitrite was snow-bound. The
| message was received by the admiral at
| the New York navy yard on the same day.
From these and other experiments it is
estimated that well-trained pigeons will hy
over familiar routes at from forty to fifty
| miles per hour. One pigeon has been known
to ny at speed of seventy-five miles an
nour, or mile in forty-eght seconds
Pigeons trained for land flight have made
as high as 500 miles in one trip. 1t is
thought that sea flights of 400 miles may
be easily made. The best pigeons can be
saved as reserves for use in case scouting
vessels be chased far out to sea.
Uncle Sam will not be the pioneer in this
step. Pigeon stations for coast defense are
now located along the shores of France
Italy and Spain. Great Britain has an ex-
tensive system at Gibraltar. The strong
garrison there would by this means be in
FORMED almost Immediately of the approach
of a hostile vessel on either side Of the
gate to the Mediterranean. During recent