The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1897-09-30
CARRIER PIGEONS.

There has been quite a contro-
versary here with regard to the use
of carrier pigeons, and it has been
claimed that they will not cross the
channels. That though they will
perform journeys from one part of
an Island to another, as for instance
from Hama to Waikiki, they will not
fly from Kohala to Waikiki, or that
if they do, the cases are abnormal.
The contention is, as far as these
Islands are concerned, based on
facts, but it is not necessarily i'm
possible to get pigeons who will
cross an arm of the sea.
The recent experiments Of the
Germans at Dover and along the
South coast of England have been
quite successful, and the birds there
had quite as wide channel to cross.
The coast of Maui is readily visible
from Kohala and Hamakua and vice
versa, and if birds will cross the
English Channel to France and
thence wing their way to Germany,
it seems quite feasible that they
should cross from Hawaii TO Maui,
or from Maui to Molokai or from
the latter Island to Oahu. But
there will have to be considerable
experimenting as to whether when
a pigeon has crossed from Hawaii to
Maui, it will be willing to tackle a
second channel from Maui to Molo.
kai.
Recently the American navy has
made use of pigeons with success
The pigeons were let loose fifty
miles from Norfolk from the U. S. S.
New York, The pigeons went
direct to tie cote in the Norfolk
navy yard and the messages were
telegraphed on to Washington. The
messages were of some length. The
first was dispatched Sept. 7, the
second was Sent the following day.
The first message said:
Ship New York, 3 p. m. September
Z, fifty miles from Norfolk. Assistant
Secretary is on board Iowa engaged
in witnessing great gun exercise with
service charges. Brooklyn and Mass
achusetts will follow. Sub-caliber ex-
ercises suspended. Search and other
night signal exercises tonight.
The second message ran:
Ship New York, a. IN. September
S. southern drill grounds, fifty miles
from Norfolk. Commandant Norfolk
Navy lard-The squadron getting I'M
der way for evolutions before Assist
ant Secretary, who remains on Dol
phin Very successful target practice
by Iowa and Brooklyn yesterday.
Search light last night and attack on
drifting target by six and one-pound-
ers with aid of four search lights.
Weather hazy, light airs from east,
sea smooth.
In the latter case the time was
mentioned as being exceptionally
good, viz: one hour and tifty-fou
minutes from the time the pigeon
was released at sea.
There is one thing that is striking
about these messages. If so con.
siderable a message could be sent
by the pigeons from the U. S. S.
New York, why should the pigeons
bearing Andree's alleged messages
bring such meager news. Anything
that has purported to come from
Andree has never contained
more than his bare position and the
direction in which he was drifting.
On pure theory such a message
could be constructed in any part of
the globe. Separated from all the
rest of the world one would have
thought that Andree would have
aimed to give as full an account of
himself and his companions as pos
sible.
We shall soon have our own
pigeons here and some of the theo-
ries as to their travelling ability
will be settled by series of expert
nantc