The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-01-02
TO CARRY WAR MESSAGES.
ACTUAL TESTS OF iaEoNs-PoSsI-
BILITIEa OF DOCS.
Reth the war asd Kavy Departments rnvcsti-
ratinE the Methods OF Conuunicntien OF
Other Recommendation CaEei Experiment
work the Birds Might no.

other Recommendation CAEet Experiment
work the Birds Might no.
WASHINGTON, Jan. both tho War and
Navy departments are Investigating certain
methods Of communication on land and seq
used in Germany and France for war purposes,
and from practical tests which have been made
1t seems fair TO assume that this new means of
field and ocean telegraphy will be put upon a
basis which after n time will render It 30 useful
as to become an established institution. Tho
naval experiments have boon carried somewhat
further than those Of the War Department, and
the carrier pigeon lofts which have been estab-
lished at Annapolis. Newport and other naval
stations now house birds that are capable of
doing all that is asked Of them. The expert.
ments Of the War Department in the use Of dogs
as q means of field communication for the army
have been limited, but studies of the methods
of training used in Germany have been made,
and IL is possible that before long practical tests
may be made in this country.
This is not the first time in the history Of the
Government that the use of animals other than
the horse and OK as o means. of communities
ton or transportation has been attempted, for
as early as 1853 there was q bill passed In Con-
gress appropriating $4,000 for the purchase
and importation Of q number Of camels from
Egypt and Arabia for use on tho Western
deserts. Tho transcontinental railroad had
not been built, and as millions OF dollars in gold
were being mined in California and thousands
of persons were crossing the country from the
East to make their homes In the new El Dorado,
Lieut.. Edward f. Boale, afterward Gen. Beale,
devised the plan Of bringing into this country
tho ships of the desert" of the far East.
Tho entire history Of this experiment is set
forth at length In a document of the Thirty
fourth Congress-, which was printed here in
1857. Secretary Of War Davis appointed
Major G.. Wayne to go to Egg pit and Arabia to
buy seventy.flve camels. After consulting with
the prominent military men of the capitals OF
Europe. who had been in campaigns where the
animals had been under fire, and after inform
ing himself as to the habits. diet and uses of
the beasts in warfare, Major Wayne went to
Cairo. His experiences in collecting the camel
herd were somewhat arduous, as there were
many difficulties in the way of his getting the
beasts out Of Egypt and other Eastern countries,
which had laws prohibiting their export, but
the gallant Major seems to have been undis.
mayed by tho obstacles which presented them
selves and went about the business seriously,
ingratiating himself in q diplomatic manner
with the high official personages Of Egypt and
Persia By reason Of the unbounded affection
which the viceroy Of the Egyptian Khedive
bore to the United States he was content that
the Major should buy two camels at Alexandria.
Then six dromedarics were presented by the
Pasha- At Smyrna the expedition received
thirty.three camels from the interior. varying
In price from $l5 to 81. 900, which seems elastic
enough for any of the uses of Eastern diplomacy.
The Supply. the vessel upon which the cam
els had been embarked, reached Indianola, Tex.
safely. From there they were moved overland
at the rate OF forty or fifty miles q day, carry
ing Government stores weighing from a thou
sand to fifteen hundred pounds each, and it
seemed at first as though the experiment were
likely to be successful. but in a few weeks many
of them died of unknown diseases. and others
became unfit for work. The troopers and SOL
diers seemed to have taken an unRovernable
dislike for the beasts, and 1t was a difficult thing
to find hostlers who would look out fof them
with any degree of care. The horses disliked
them, and Reorganization was threatened.
By twos and threes the camels died or broke
away from their corrals and wandered away
during the night across the plains. There
seems to be Q record Of the existence Of a part
of this herd until the outbreak of the civil war.
Then, in the wild excitement of the times, they
were forgotten officially. Tho beasts travelled
out into the desert in small groups of three or
four. and many Of them died among the noun
tains or were killed by the Indians. There
are few of them left, but frequently during the
last few years travellers and troopers ha We
noticed some Of the descendants of this orig
inal herd wandering about the plains. They
are wild, and it is difficult to get near them, but
have reported them, and two Of the Beasts s" We're
seen recently running wild in Sonora county,
New Mexico, This was, the end, of the Gov.
ernment's attempt at a popular" experiment.
q new idea. for they have been a part Of the
Germany, and France since the Franco.P russian
war. It has therefore reached the dignity OF
an established tnstitStion and as such has the 3
its due, Secretary Herbert, convinced by the
practical results obtained in the last few years
napolfs. gave the matter some thought, and a
board was appointed. the duties of which were
S IS dsVis Ths g lR}a isp dSF proposal "a paSsl l gisssSS e S Sstae idfts
New, London. Conn; Brooklyn, PhiledeiP6ia,
Port Royal, s. c., and Key West and Pensacola
Fla. Secondary stations are proposed at Port.
laaa; TIM; F FIa.; i% jaPiter inlet nj mi FI%.; Tampa pa.
Fla, and GALVESTON. Tex. This Administrative
has done nothing further upon the matter, but
1t Is expected that very soon another plan which
would mako the pigeon establishment n part
also Of the lighthouse service will be put into
For sig or seven years there has been a pig.
con establishment at the United States Naval
Of this period By Prof. Marion. an instructor in
French, the money for which has come from
the private means Of officers at the Academy
"hO SAo ~ NV oih bO wv
Of the new boathouse was given to Prof. Marion
by the Superintendent for the work, and IL was
fitted out after the latest approved plans in
dove cotes.. In the last four or five summers II
has been the custom to take baskets of these
pigeons upon, the practice cruises. of the cadets
the birds being liberated at various points in
the Chesapeake Bay and at various distances
from the cSpcS; &C One pigeon released from the
about $50 miles from the home loft, made an
average OF twenty-one miles an hour, but wat
out overnight. The sWtftest flight was that o.
the home loft three and three-quarter hours
later, making an average of forty miles per
hour for $50 miles. Pigeons have been liber.
ated at different points of the coast Of Delaware
and New Jersey in order to discover II they
would mistake Delaware Bay for the Chesa.
peake and also to record their times OF flight
IRON points of a coast unfamiliar to them. In
all Of these trials excellent records were made
the more excellent when the fact is considered
that they few over land and water entirely un,
familiar to them. In a regular messenger
pigeon service when tho flights are known to the
pigeons, excellent time can be made, but the
flights of the pigeons Of the loft of tho Nayal
Academy are OF an experimental character. and
1t Is thought that much more satisfactory re-
suits will be obtained II the stations were stu
ated upon the coast.