The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1903-07-16
CARRIER PIGEONS DISPLACED.
Their Use In the Army Has Been
Abandoned for the Wireless
Telegraph System.

The adoption of the wireless tele-
graph systems for transmission of
messages apparently sounds the doom
of the carrier pigeons in army and
navy services both in this country and
Europe; but the relegation of the
birds back to the paths of peace and
goodwill cannot be regretted by their
breeders and lovers. 1t seemed like
an anachronism of nature ever to have
converted the innocent pigeons into
war messengers; but the exigencles
Of modern military services demand
that every possible agency contribute
toward the one great aim, says the
New York Times.
In Europe war pigeons have been
used on much larger scale than in
this country. On the boundary be-
tween Germany and France there are
more than two score pigeon lofts
where carrier pigeons are kept. These
birds are trained to fly twice week
| to Paris, and others liberated in the
city fly to their home in the lofts along
the border line. England, France,
Germany, Russia and Italy have car
rier pigeon services in their navy, and
at the regular fleet maneuvers mes
sages are constantly sent from the yes
sells to the shore and back again. So
carefully has the system been devel-
oped that it would be difficult to cut
| off communication between warships
and the main land, or between two
armies in the field.
| In several wars the services of the
carrier pigeons as messengers of inn
portance have been demonstrated.
| The first which excited unusual scien-
tific attention was at the siege of
Paris, when messages were carried out
of the beleaguered city repeatedly by
the birds. Even in the siege of Rich
mond few carrier pigeons were used,
and the old blockade runners en-
ployed number of pigeons to COM
municate with the shore at desirable
points. The United States army car
ried no pigeons in Cuba, but num-
Der have been in use in the Philip
pines, where they have shown their
value in number of ways. Some OF
the extreme outposts were connected
with by carrier pigeon messengers dur
ing the troublesome days of the war,
and since.the declaration of peace eff
forts have been made to improve the
system.
/ When the English invaded South
Africa they carried several hundred
pigeons with them, and these were
used in many ways. Pigeon quarters
were established at Cape Town and
Ladysmith, and from these places the
pigeons carried their messages
through the air.
So important were the pigeons be-
coming as war messengers that the
German and French armies were train
ing falcons and hawks to catch iber-
ated pigeons of the enemy. These
birds were taught to fly straight at
. the pigeons and kill them before they
!, could start forth on their mission.
The carrier pigeon when first released
, always flies high in the air, and wheels
around few times to get its proper
bearings before starting forth on its
swift journey. 1t is at this critical
moment that the falcon or hawk over
!. takes and destroys it. But the intro
: duction of wireless telegraphy il
changing all this. From late reports
nearly all the European nations are
:. talking of abandoning their pigeor
services. There is no longer any neei
of the birds. The line of development
in sending secret mssages will be II
the direction of electric impulses com
/. municated to the air. and the pigeons
: will return to their original field Of
? pleasure and sport.