The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1898-01-30
Curtain Swiss.
WATT, &H1T~TE1XV s. CLAW

laws prohibiting their export, but the gal
liant major seems TO have been undis-
mayed by the obstacles which presented
themselves and went about the business
matte manner with the high official per-
sohaGes Of Egypt and Persia. by reason
OF the unboundcd affection which the
viceroy OF the Egyptian Khcdive bore to
the United States he was content that the
major should buy two Camels ut AleXan-
ara. Then siy dromednrtts were present
iion received tEirty-thrce camcls from the
interior, varying in price from SIS to 81 COO
winch seems elastic enough for any OF tho
uses or Eastern diplomacy.
The Supply, the vessel upon which the
Gameis had been embarked, reached In
uanaio Tex. safely. From there they
or MY miles day, carrying government
stores weighing from thousand TO M
teen hundred pounds each. and it seemed
nt ilrst rs though the experiment were
likely 10 Ea successful, but in few weeks
many OF them died of unknown Diseases
anu others became unfit FOR work. The
taken IN unSovernabie dislike for the
beasts. and 1t was II difficult thing TO find
hostlers who would look for them with
any degree, of care. The horses dislikcd
tneln, ana Decentralization was threatened
by twos and threes the camels died or
broke away from their corrals and wan
ccpcd away during the night across tho
plains. There seems to he II record OF the
c%iSlence OF a part Of this herd until The
outbreak i of the civil war Then in the
wild e%cltement Of the times. they were
forgotten officially. The beasts Travelled
ont into he desert in small groups of
three or four, and many Of them died
hmonS the mountains or were killed by
me Indians. There are few OF them left
put frequently during the last few years
travellers ana troopers have noticed some
or the descendants of this original herd
wandering about the plains. They are
Wild, and II is difficult 10 get near them
but passengers upon the Southern Pacific
nd nr
The l'2aStS We're seen recently running
wild IN Sonora county, New Mexico This
was the end of the governments nttcmpt
at 4 popular" experiment.
The use Of carrier pigeons for the navy
Is not a new idea, for they have been Il
mcnts OF Italy Germany ana France since
the Franco irussian war. 1t has there
fore reached the dignity of an established
ton 1T the Navy Department which is its
due Secretary Herbert, convinced by the
practical results obtained In the last few
years vi tn pigeons from the government
cote at Annapolis. gave the matter some
thought, and II board was appointed, the
duties OF which were to devise plan for
lions proposed for the main lofts are at
Portsmouth. n. H.. Boston, Newport New
london; Conn: BrookIyn; philahalphia
Port Royal, S. G., and Key West and
Pensacola, Fla. Secondary stations are
proposed at Portland, Me; Cape I!attcrns
y y
pitcr Inlet, Fla; Tampa, Fla, and Calves
ton, Tex. This administration has done
nothing further upon the matter but ii is
expected that very soon another plan
which would make the pigeon establish
mcnt part also of tho light house SER
vice will he put In operation.
For six or seven years there has been
pigeon establishment at the United
States Naval Academy of Annapolis, con-
Quoted during most of this period by
Prof. Marion, an instructor In French, the
money for which has come from the pri-
vatc means Of officers mt the Academy
who were interested in the work The
tower OF the new boathouse was given 10
Prof. Marion by the superintendent OF tho
work, and II was fitted out after the latest
approved plans in dove cotcs. In tho last
four or five summers 1t has been the GUS
tom to take baskets OF these pigeons ,ip-
on the practice cruises of the cadets the
birds being liberated At various points in
the Chesapeake Bay and AT various dis
tanccs from tho Capcs. One pigeon re-
leased from the Monongahela i02 miles
from Cape Henry, or about $50 miles from
the home loft made an average of forty
miles per hour for lao miles. Pigeons have
been liberated at different points OFF the
coast OF Delaware and New Jersey in
order TO discover II they would mistake
Delaware Bay for the Chesapeake. and
also TO record their times of nsIht from
paints OF coast unfamiliar to tAem In