The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-05-06
PIGEON MESSAGES FROM TIE SEA
A Successful Experiment In Bringing Back
word From = Departing Steamship.

From the Boston Ertnino Transerip.
For the first time on this side OF the Atlantic
the utility OF a carrier pigeon postal service
between ships AZ sea and the land was demon
strated this morning in Maiden. Soon after
sunrise one of the pigeons which were liberated
from the steamship La Touraine Of the French
Line yesterday morning when the ship was
nearly twenty-four hours out from New York
arrived at the loft of its owner. George Hors-
man. in Middlesey street. Maiden.
The bird is one of Mr.. Horsnan's best and
its registered number is 4?s. This is its first
trip over water and undoubtedly IL has made
the longest water trip ever accomplished by
an American pigeon. To each OF its legs was
attached a quill sealed at both ends and con-
tanning a celluloid film. Each Of these films
is a Photographic negative Of twenty cards.
each containing a message from some person
on the ship. In addition TO the messages sent
from passengers there are among the cards
a report Of the condition Of the weather. the
time when the birds were released and the
number sent out. and messages from the cap
tain 10 III" manager Of the line in Boston.
As soon n the ullills were removed from the
birds the rrlluloid films were extracted, but
owing To the absence OF an EXPERT TO work
the "nlarelng machine the individual messages
could not be immediately deCiphered. They
will. however. be enlarged this afternoon and
the messages son, 10 their destinations by tele-
graph or by mail, n NAV have been directed
on the different cards. As sufficient care was
not taken by those IN charge of living the birds
in putting the messages into the quills, some
of The first batch rsceiv we'd were not in good order.
As all the other birds have the same messages
some of them doubtless will be- perfect.
This pigeon postal service over the sea IA
the idea of VI. Eugene Periere. President Of
the tompagnie General Transatlantioue For
several years he has caused experiments TO be-
made in France under the direction of Capt.
Reynard o. the general stan OF the French
Army, who has charge Of the military pigeon
service of France. The experiments in that
country resulted satisfactorily and n short time
ago Capt. REWARD Came here 10 ax Experiment
WIS first attempted 10 Use Now York birds.
hut they had To- he liberated on The sam dev
that the vessel sailed, Capt. Reward then
came to Maiden and made a contract with Mr..
Horrnan 10 provide birds for each outgoing
steamer. The first trial has resulted 80 salts
ta"toriIy that the service will be continued
and each shin OF the line sailing from New York
VIII carry several pigeons, As a ship sails and
arrives every week there will be a hi weekly
service from the ocean 10 Maiden. The birds
which are, on the way TO Havre on La Touraine
VIII. at that port, he transferred to La Gas
cogne. which sails from there on Nav S and ia
due IN New York on Nav i3 They will be lib
Grated on the l?t. and y 10 expected that the
messages will reach their destination AZ least
twelve hours before the shin reaches her dock.
ln. this wav friends Of incoming passengers
VIII be rO'ltted IN season SO that they NAV meet
the ssipin New York.