Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-04-17

.n the present emergency, no more eff
lent corps has been placed at The ser.
ice of the navy that the flights of car
.,r pigeons which are now at the dis
.osal OF Secretary Long. For TWO years
ODD, Naval Academy has been experiment
.ae with carrier pigeons as messengers
,.,h remarkable success, and now that
..ers is need for the pigeons, 1t is found
CHAT tht navy has al its disposal 900 OF
The neetest little messengers ever placed
.t the cali of a country.
The organization of carrier pigeon
..r,ice for use i'm time of war began
...fb Professor Marion of the Naval
academy. Lieutenant Harlow, L. > ~
..-. began active experiments with Inc
I..G- some years ago, and TO these TWO
..utIemen is due the credit when now
.ttaches itself 10 the pigeon service oil
th, navy.
The urst practical use TO which the
birds was put was on the hasshlps oil
the Naval Academy off the coast. lhey
carried out with them carrier pigeons
which were released and sent TO the navy
department. In this way the boats al Sc"
kept the navy department at Nashlhs'o
and the Naval Academy informed OF Ih,
movements. Professor Marion, VINO ta1
.psrre Of the birds at the Naval Acad-
.,,,, soon demonstrated the value of their
..ryice. lie invented a quill TO be USED ID
sending messages by the pigeons, ana Sc, Sc
cured great many orders TOT the yum
from priyate and public concerns.
For TWO years the most active training
has beeu gazing on. and a cote AT Key
West was established and Lieut.. Harlow
,yas ulaced in command of II. As soon
AS the heated discussion began between
this country and Spain, the Navy bepdl'
ment made inquiries about the pigeon SCI .
vice and found that large huiilpeI %
rapid accurate pigeons could be- plactu al
It's DISMISSAL The birds were taken 10 heS
West which is only ninety miles from
Havana and located i'm Lieut.. HarIo" >
COT. there. They have been take" ""'
from this cote 90 sea ana reledN'u ''"',
and again within the last few weeks "u"
ALWAYS with the greatest success. ScaI'tE
ever has pigeon failed to ie'u'" 10 '''
home. ... IN
Inn the torpedo notilla which is no" be
inc eoutpped 10 match Spain hotllla'
there have been means provided on every
boat for the accommodation OF the car
,t.r uiq.ons and when the rotilla starts
out il will take with II many oil theS'
winged messengers.
m. value of pigeons In the time ol
nIo,kade is great. as the Navy beP"l'
mont can be notified of the blocka"V "'i'
can send ships TO the relief OF lho9V "
distress 4 scout boat in the gun VIII
,ioeon service is even of more value l'
-.ottt ship can communicate WIN uH
Navy Department within an almost III
-,.5itle space of time. and the navy car
tbus bc kept in constant acqud'"'
with the movements of the enemy.
when the Spanish torpedo ho'l'a v
bornets set sail from the canary ~
Two weeks ago the news was n'"u
known To the Navy Department 10y ...l
90 I,. carrier pigeon swift, when W"
- rom the scout boat lying of IN
..,,'.-,. isles. AT the same time the ne"
..... c,hted 10 Madrid 10 Key west an
~. vvsshlngton. but the first inteillsen0
80 received through the pigeon
I,boueh the United States OWNS
-, many of these swift bros ."
- ora too few to supply the war SNIP
IN - that reason homing pigeon ian
- have offered their birds TO oecr1
,.rong some OF these birds hoiu sIV'
's,,tonsbip records. Loft, oWheu
: Harrington. Jr.. of West Fhliaue
nina holds the championship III -
En- and 400 mile race. The Lott mas 80. pe'
orered to the government aions WI"
LIrd mat finished in 500 mile rae,
charles II. Jones, of Cilitoh ii ',4n
secretary of the National Assoc,a''om
looming pigeon Fanciers' mas 10 -, s"i
binds that can be placed at the u''P09'
of the navy. -, ,..,o,,, On,
Arthur McKenna, wei