New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-04-03

tyyo hundred miles distant from their homes. a
third. fourth fifth. sixth and seventh trial, cach
tine with longer flights, will be made. always
with the birds that have made the best per-
formances in the successive trials. These DiFhs
Of exceptional quality, speed and endurance VIII
then be employed on the regular transatlantic
pigeon postal service and they will be bred ana
inbred in such way as to produce speciai
race OF Transatlantic carrier pigeons
Captain Raynaud has also been instructed 10
make report for the French Government on
the piyeon-trainng establishments OF the uhi'ed
States Navy with special view 10 coast uc-
fences In France and in Germany great I'M
portance Is attached TO the carrler-piSeoh
branch Of the intelligence departments or the
army and navy. Every fortress and military
camp on the frontiers has its pigeon loft sup
piled with trained birds. housed and rcahy Tor
emergencies These Government birds NUMBER
In the aggregate about twenty thousand Dat III
addition there are over two hundred thousand
trained carrier pigeons in France all numbered
and registered. that they can be claimed py
the authorities ut n moments notice The frcnch
law of July o. 1886. provides that no foreigner
can own or train carrier pigeons on frchch ''t
rltory without the special permission of the MIL
lister OF War All owners or trainers oi pigeons
must be registered together with the huHnc'
and qualities and special routes of their biris
under 4 penalty Of 300 francs for each offence
No pigeons can be released In any Of the IRON
tier departmcnts nor near any of the military
or naval fortrcsscs. No carrier pigeons can 10
introduced into France except at certain desig-
mated points In France and In Germany Inc
pigeons. as well as the horses and mules. are al
inscribed on the military registers. ready TO b,
used In case Of mobilization.
PrGEON-TRAINING IN FRANCE.
The principal pigeon training establishments
OF France IS at the great military camp 81 'ha-
Ions but there are branch dcpots In all the from
tier towns and forts From these outlying
points regular pigeon post service 70 head
quarters IS constantly maintained In the highest
state of efficiency. Three times week a NUM-
Der OF birds are taken by train 10 certain points
on the frontier whore they are liberated y
careful record IL kept OF their number and ID,
time occupied In hing their destination
Owing 10 the regularity and method If the sys
TEN Of training tho percentage OF losses Is
small 1t IS calculated that II every Inc 81 rail
way and every telegraph wire on both sides OF
the Franco German frontier were destroyed. Tho
authorities could stll he kept thoroughly In
formed Of the pr grcss ~ events by the pigeon
post Carrier pigeons are also crlpl yed on out
pos, duty md IN cavalry rccornoisanccs. and
zach cavalry division has it, travelling pigeon
cote on wheels
Almost every town IN France has ~ society
or union .or rearing and training pigc ms. Th'
Government accorls handsome prizes io' i-e
periodical flying contests AT wA.h thousands 81
BIRDS are entered. scarcely sunday goes ID Ia
the surin, ana summer without hnf dozen
pigeon flights taking place between ;hc s"'.'t'.
OF the North OF France and me Mcdli'ff"nr'H
or the PyrcnCcs. Captain Kayrali cstlmht'
that there are nov in France otrr one hundred
thousand carrier pigeons capI lc - flying from
the British Chanuj To- Corsica between sun'is"
and sunset Captain HayutIi SAYS that IN r'nr-
Ing and training pigeons 1t is ~ ihc greatest I,n-
portance that the special routes and purpose
should be kept constantly "a y-w. For genera
ton after generation the French and Belgian
trainers accustom their birds o. flights from
east 10 west and bird 50 bred would be OF no
use on n route north and south. The English
bred birds are never Disconnected by the prcva-
lencc Of fogs The Russian and Norwegian birds
DO not mind snow which is always a serious OBJ
staclc FOR southern bred birds Carrier pigeons
Of white or bright colorcd plurnaGc arc meyer
seen because by successive generations OF
breeding these colors which expose them TO the
attacks OF hawks and other birds OF prey. have
been eliminated Carrier pigeons always NY AT
great height, for these Of low flight have been
eliminated by generations OF 'sportsincn" with
sho,Guns. The best breed OF a-carrier pigeons
has been produced by the pigeon fanciers OF
Normandy and Brittany. where the fishermen
employ them. as already described. FOR announc-