The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-05-29

been going on. and cote at Key West was
established and Lieutenant Harlow was placed
in command of II. AS soon as the strained
relations between this country and Spain
seemed to Indicate the probability OF war, tbs
navy department made inquiries about the
pigeon service and found that large num-
Ter CT inpid, accurate pigeons could be placed
at It's disiosal. The btrls were taken 70 Key
West. which is only ninety miles from iIa-
Nana, aud located In lieutenant Harlow ;.
cote there, They have been taken out IRON,
TINS cote 10 sea and released time and aEaiu
within the last fc, weeks and always with
the srentest success. Scarcely ever has
riscun failed to rctrIn home.
In the torpedo flotila Which is now being
EQUIPPED to matcn SPANS Go,iila there nave
been menns PROVIDED every boat for the
aeconmodsticn OF the cair,er piseons, aud
wren the fotilla starts out II will take with
II inany Of these winged messengers.
The value OF the pigeons in time OF blockade
y great as the navy department can Ne mott
ned OF the blockade and can send ships to the
relief OF those In distress a scout boat IN
the gulf with pigeon service is OF even more
value The scout ship can communicate with
ihle space OF time, and the navy can thus be
Kept IL constant acquaintance with the move
ments of the enemy.
Wien the Spanish torpedo hotilia OF hornets
set salt from the Canary isles two weeks axu.
the news was made known 20 the navy de-
paf,ment by means OF the carrier pigeon
oNHt. WHICH wan released from tir STOUT
taat lying m the Csnars isles. At the tame
timo the news vas tablcsl To Madrid, 10 kry
West and to Washington. hut. the first ints'li
Ecncr was received through the pigeon.
Rlihourl the United States owns a great
msny Of these swift birds still there are too
few &c supply the watships, and for that ren.
son hcining pigeon faneierS have offered their
birds to Secretary Long. Some of .hese birds
hold great championship records Loft, own
cd by w. = Torkinstun Jc.. OF West fhila.
deiphia, holds tho championship IN zoo 800
l.Off bep pM n
toe government, Hlone With bird that nm
ished in 500 mile race.
Charles VI. Jones of clifton Heights. secrc-
tary OF tho National Association OF tiomnU
Pigeon Fanciers, has 1s5 swift birds that eau
to Placed at tho disposal o. the navy.
M'n nSr Mshen mr. ,,d w hmewn cpnhrator
OF them being Gainesville, the celebrated
homer who finished second IN the world
fan Gus race when the winner New SOL miles
from sunrise to sunset
With thtse birds, messages eau be sent TO
Washington In the mtdst OF battle at SEA,
giving tie full details OF the conflict The
Washington authorities could act upon the
ntws and supply mcro ships or otherwise re-
leve tho situation.
So hishl, does France estimate the value of
riftors in case of war that II recently passed
= law that homing pigeons from other coun
tries should not admitted to France EXCEPT
under the strctes. conditions. The French
army ard navy authorities realize that IN case
OF war these pigeons could he released and
could carry to the opposing country correct
news of the doinss IN France. II VIII, ther,-
fore. not allow any trained foreign pigeons
10 become residents of France.
The instinct of the hopng pigeon is always
for home. You may take II away aud weep
II for siA months, yet on lite release u will ny
up into the air. circle round and round for
moment. then dart in the direction OF its own
home. That is instinct.
Scientists claim that there is nothing won
deriul In the instinct Of the noinins pigeon.
They say that the pigeon flies high enough to
get view of the landscape and that IL has
au eyesiIht which is phenrmenally powerful
in proportion to its siZa When 1t reaches
sufficient height 1t takes in the situation, ana,
seeing it's familiar shores from tho distance.
darts rapidly In that direction. In this way
II can regain its home.
should the pigeon at times be mistaken and
NJ slightly out Of its course. II Will alter It's
figh, and reach Its home uncrringly II given
the proper time.
Take the case of the Andree pigeon which
made q long trip from the balloon. II was
shot while resting on vessel The bird had
Travelled 100 miles from AnGree's balloon to-
ward Stockholm. then. seeing no land, had
turned and came twenty four miles north
again. Naturally exhausted, u sank to rest
u;.on the stan Of a vessel and was so tired
that II put its head under its wing. Fearing
that 1t would fly II disturbed. sailor shot
tie bird took II up out Of the water and read