Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-10-14
WAR PIGEONS OF JAPS
LOFTS WERE ESTABLISHED FIVE
YEARS AGO.
English Racing Birds Adopted-War
Vessels Now Supplied With
Baskets of Them.
From Black and White.

'oth DiaSh anu W Hlte
Such is the exigency of war that even the
gentle dove of peace is pressed into is
service The part played by these birds and
the yeoman service they rendered in the
| South African war will stu be fresh in
many memories; and Notwithstanding the
advent and progress of wireless telegraphy
''the faithful messenger is again seeing ac-
tive service, this time with the Japanese
| and Russian forces
With far-seeing forethought, the neces-
| sity of which is only now apparent, the
Japs some five years ago established Their
military and naval lofts; and by repeated
experiments since then they have organized
system calculated to bring forth the high
est qualities of the pigeons with which their
lofts were stocked. Many centuries before
the winged messenger found its way into
England, a bird known as the oriental
pigeon was used in eastern Asia. and de-
scendants of this race are still to be met
with in China.
Recourse was at first made by orr allies
to this strain, but the oriental pigeon was
almost instantly discarded In favor of the
bird now used by England and the contl-
mental powers. High officials in the lana
nese navy visited this country and returned
with many of the choicest birds London
ana 1anciers in the Midlands could supply.
These safely withstood the long Journey
east, and are the parents of the birds now
on active service. They have quickly be-
come acclimated, and with the clearer and
less humid atmosphere have accomplished
performances even more favorable than in
the old country.
Frightening OFF Hawks.
A great obstacle, and one which at first
was considered fatal to the forma ton of a
reliable service of messengers has melted
away. The natural enemy of the pigeon,
the hawk, has made havoc among the Chi
rnfo
| that country of soaring off these birds of
prey by attaching light bamboo whistle
TO the pigeons tail feathers was not within
the bounds of consideration from military
point of view. The shrill sound made by
these whistles the birds darted through
the air in their efforts to escape capture
would have been fatal to their use. The
remedy came with the adoption of the Eng
lish racing pigeon: This bird. being built
on more speedy lines. was found to out
distance the hawk in stern chase, and UNI
less the latter was in the upper reaches of
the air and was thus enabled to swoop
down on its prey it's terror no longer ex-
listed.
The actual pigeons imported by Japan
We're of necessity kept prisoners, and were
used entirely for stock purposes. Had
they been given their liberty they would
| i'll all probability. have been lost in a vain
! attempt to regain their old homes. Being
prolific breeders, however, 1t was but
few months before their young were domi-
ciled at numerous small lofts situated near
the western coast line. and to these lofts
regular service of "homers' now carry
dispatches from the warships. Each YES
sci leaving port is now furnished with a
supply of birds, packed i'll fiat wicker
baskets with openings at the side for feed
ing and watering. When 1t is required TO
send message ashore, the birds liberated
are those belonging to the loft which is
nearest to the vessels position.
1t has been found that birds liberated at
sea will rise to height of LOO feet. this
being far in excess of the altitude reached
by pigeon when flying across land. They
moreover. shape a more direct course and
generally make away without the numer
| Gus Greetings so noticeable under different
circumstances. This, doubtless. is largely
due to the particular strain of birds in use.
| many of those imported from the Midland
fanciers having for generations been train
ed to fly across the English channel from
the French coast The principle of the sur
vival of the fittest. adopted by English
breeders. would doubtless lead to a strain
especially adapted for flying under the con-
ditionS mentioned.
Announcing the Arrival.
The arrival OF bird carrying a dispatch
at the Japanese naval lofts is announced by
an ingenious arrangement of electric BELLS
After entering outer cage the bird passes
through a long box, opened at each end,
before entering the loft itself. When an
arrival Is expected the loft end of this box
is closed with glass doors, and the weight
of the bird entering the box causes 1t
to tilt sufficiently to allow a shutter to
drop behind the pigeon. which is thus held
captive. At the same moment an electric
bell rings and does not stop until the bird
is removed from the box and relieved of
its dispatch, the latter being at once sent
to headquarters. where it's code Is decipher-
ed AS these birds often kept in the
basket aboard ship for several weeks, the
messenger on its arrival Is allowed to re-
main undisturbed in the loft for an equal
T. hot ytc lava m
be unimpare6: otherwise there would be
an element of uncertainty when 1t was
called upon for future service.
With an army on the march the use OF
pigeons as messengers has SO far proved
a failure, all experiments to get these
birds to return to loft continually on
the move having been void OF success
Japan has, however, with the tenacity or
purpose for which she is famous, scored
a success with travelling lofts. Such lofts
are stocked with birds as soon as they are
old enough to leave the nest, ana the piroS
are kept confined within it until required
for use.
The whole loft is then transferred to
the military base, or temporary post near
the scene of operations, and the birds,
then several months old. have liberty for
the first time Not having flown to an
other locality, they quickly settle down To
their new Surroundings, and in Few days
are familiar with the country for miles
around. Every opportunity is Selzed 10
give them additional experience before
being actually used in the service, and 10
keep open communications with an ad-
vance column, or for scouting work these
travelling lofts have proved invaluable
Should however the base or operations
be advanced or a temporary post ADAM
doned the birds are at once discarded and
a new loft transferred to the altered sur
roundingS.
Carried by Scouts.
Scouts. both mounted and on cycle, each
carry from four to six birds in bamboo
cage. slung after the fashion of KNAPP
sack, and thus reports are sent back
without the necessity of their leaving
their post of observation. For great dis
tances two birds may be flown with the
same dispatch, but this is seldom requir-
ed the usual custom being to repaat each
message on subsequent birds. so that the
final pigeon liberated would not only
carry it's own, but also copy OF mes
sages sent by the birds first liberated.
II must be understood that the flight of
the pigeon would be seriously impeded
were it to be burdened with any great
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