New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-08-29
THE BIRDS NOT To BLAME.
CARRIER PIGEONS FAILED ~ TIE WAR Pc
CAUSE xoT KEPT ~ TRAlaING.

From Tho Baltimore sun
The reported failure % tho carrier pigeons In war
"f%c has caused local fanri-rS speculation AZ 20
the reason o. th"ir apparent non -a",''S' III '''
Jlst before the declaration of wa The naval an
thorcs made extensive pi'. "a ions "r l."tint ~,
srv.rai cote, al leading nnva. stations Ih"tc II
was declared would Prov Fr''sS' ni. o hoIg
sI,ra one % the principal rules llli down - be
s'I,t, Iy tto On -. on board the various ships
;oi,"tta ~ yn nl.ro,s wrre not 20 b, hep, ca.cd
NOR fhan three weeks at tim". and should be
released whenever possible within iw" weeks.
iir violation Of this rule j. sail by many local
ea0,rr Of some OF tho birds 20 successfully perform
" e. r gu laker president Of the Na'oGa As.9cia
W. An.rtrls Fly.ng club. o. Baltimore. sad last
nisht II the pigeons are not iakcn GIr' o. In@y
viii ian AZ critical moments lh'N arc Tx" aihlct"s'
and cannot bc worked unless "rpt II, training
hen OF one man. who will ltcra'c them upon
T,s,c,0ns from the proper officer None should
n w. re- and cven though no message were sent.
The hirls should be liberated II ms IS n9l don"
hoy cannot make IMP without Incoming eH-
AZ placed on tho auxiliary cruiser D!xle cese Of
s'ruct1d and contained water tank and r"rcpia-
cIca for food. 1t was 9uii 20 fiv ,ne b.ds AR
nartments All Of these rca he'd the cote success
dis,snre - two hundred miles. mir I'm within few
t~nre Twcnty-onc had messages. while the others
,1rt ibrratci purely FOR exercise
WA iatcr batch wls shipped to Captain Davies
I'll, 100 succcssf,.ily reported from distance 81 two
hundred miles AZ sen on" had message for Mrs
Ipavi's which transmitted to her.
q nave several letters from Il. y. bradford.
chief ~ the Bureau Of Equipment. COMMUNICATING
,,iven the Southern feet been carried out none or
he birds would have failed The cot" ai Key West
or one AT Tampa could have been kept posted AZ TO
The doinge Of The blockadirg Meet At Havana by
the pigeon system. had 10" oHlr"iS on the noAt
taken pains 20 keep tho birds H. iraning.
"A lack ~ knowledge as 10 the r. aim.nt or inc
pigeons is really th" cause for their failure The
cote at Ssn FIanc.c9 " 10 na'r NV w'r r,h
similar success The pigeons can furuass any dis
pstch boat II kept IN training but when tn" birds
are expected 10 prr,orm inclr du'ies successfully
The Invariably return. Int frequently become
cxbausted won the way. This IS frequently
$40 bea1v,lnds 10 fight We have practically
/ DEMONSTRATED that the birds are safe ana swift
/ rnrsrcnEers II taken care o. hH' " h"El''l'h 'h"y
4noHcr promincn, raiser Of carrier pigeons said
/ Il understand that the laiiur" of IN" pigeons 10
~ ,ta rotr at Key West was not the fault Of the
lirls because they wor" never liberated \ mum
her ~ Instances have com" 70 my notice where the
f riV.nrs were killCd and eaten on board th" shns
,rhis oucs,ion will be investigated by the Navy De
pertinent thoroughly
birds we~c used FOR target practice 10y some of the
b different vessels crews We canno' say thdt there
IS any truth IN The matter although everything
"Anothcr reason for an unfavorable report is
that fanc!cr desired the Government To- establish
cotes in various parts OF the country ana put him
in charge ~ an enormous salary. another political
swindIc lie called upon several Raltimofeans TO
/ ncsotiai" for the purchase OF birds. Al these
| matters came TO the notice Of the officials in
Washington. and they decided to let the question
as 20 the usefulness ~ the birds alone When this
friends to talk against the carrier pigeon system
In Baltimore II Is difficult TO demonstrate the
! two hundred miles direct air ire from he coasi
uowe'er at Norfolk or at one Of the ca9es at the