The Savannah morning news., 1904-08-20
WAR PIGEONS OF JAPAN.
Electric Bells Announce Winged
Messengers From Distant Warships.
r,,o,,, r21acIx and White

Such is the eXigency or war Ihat
even the gentle dove of peace is press
ed into its service. The part played
nv these birds, and the yeoman service
hey rendered in the South African
War. will still be fresh in many mem
cries; and notwithstanding the ad-
vent and progress of wireless tele-
graphy 1.-The faithful messenger" is
again seeing active service, this time
with the japanese and Russian
forces.
with a far seeing forethought, the
necessity of which is only now ap-
uarent the Japs some five years ago
established their military and naval
lofts: and by repeated experiments
since then they have organized sys-
tenn calculated to bring forth the high
est qualities of the pigeons with which
their lofts were stocked. Many cen
+uries before the winged messenger"
found its way into England, bird
known as the ORIENTAL pigeon was used
i'm Eastern Asia, and descendants of
this race are still to be met with in
China.
Recourse was at first made by our
allies to this strain, but the ORIENTAL
pigeon was almost instantly discard
ed in favor of the bird now used by
England and the continental powers.
High officials in the Japanese navy
visited this country and returned with
MANY of the choicest birds London
and fanciers 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 become acclinfatiz-
ed. and with the clearer and less humid
atmosphere have accomplished per-
formances even more favorable than
in the old country.
A great obstacle and one which at
first was considered fatal to the forma-
ton of a reliable service of messen-
gers has melted away. The neutral
enemy of the pigeon, the hawk, has
made havoc among the Chinese pig
cons. and the remedy adopted in that
country of soaring off these birds of
prey by attaching a light bamboo
whistle to the pigeons tail feathers
was not within the bounds of con-
sidera ton from a military point of
view. The shrill sound made by these
whistles as the birds darted through
their air in their efforts to escape cap
ture would have been fatal to their
use. The remedy came with the adop-
ton of the English racing pigeon. This
bird. being built on more speedy lines
was found to outdistance the hawk in
a stern chase, and unless the latter
was in the upper reaches of the air
and was thus enabled to swoop down
on it's prey, its terror no longer ex-
listed.
The actual pigeons imported by
Japan were of necessity kept prison.
ers, and We're used entirely for stock
purposes. Had they been given their
liberty they would, in all probability
have been lost in a vain attempt to
regain their old homes. Being prolific
breeders, however, it was but a few
months before their young were domi-
oiled at numerous small lofts situated
near the western coast line, and to
these lofts a regular service of "hom-
ers" now carry dispatches from the
warships. Each vessel leaving port
is now furnished with a supply of
birds. packed in fat wicker baskets
with openings at the side for feeding
and watering. When it is required to
send a message ashore, the birds lib
Grated are those belonging to the loft
which is nearest to the vessels posi-
ton.
1t has been found that birds liberated
at sea will rise to a hight of 1,400
feet. this being far in excess of the
altitude reached by a pigeon when fly
ing across land. They moreover sha pc
more direct course, and generally
make away without the numerous cir
clings so noticeable under different
circumstances. This, doubtless, is
largely due to the particular strain
of birds in use, many of those i'm
ported from the Midland fanciers hav-
ing for generations been trained to fly
across the English channel from the
French coast. The principle of the
survival of the fittest adopted by Eng
fish breeders would doubtless lead to
a strain especially adapted for flying
under the conditions mentioned.
The arrival of bird carrying a dis
patch at the Japanese naval loft is
announced by an ingenious arrange
ment of electric bells. After entering
an outer cage the bird passes through
long box, opened at each end, be-
fore entering the loft itself. When
an arrival is expected the loft end of
the box is closed with glass DOORS
and the weight of the bird on enter
ing the box causes it to tiff sufficient
~ TO allow a shutter to drop behind
the pigeon, which is thus. held cap
i've At the same moment an cleo
trlc bell rings and does not stop I'M
I'll the bird is removed from the box
and relieved of it's dispatch. the lat
Ter being at once sent to headquar-
ters, where its code is deciphered As
these birds are often kept i'm the
basket aboard ship for several weeks
the messenger on it's arrival is allow
ed TO remain undisturbed in the loft
for an equal period, in order that its
loVe OF nome may be unimpaired; other
wise there would be an element Of
uncertainty when it was called upon
Tor future service.
With an army on the march the Use
OF pigeons as messengers has so far
proved failure, all experiments to get
these birds to return to a loft contin-
ually on the move having been void of
success. Japan has, however, with the
tenaclty of purpose for which she is
famous, scored a success with travelling
Io1tS, or which the illustration will give
general idea. Such lofts are stock
ed with birds as soon as they are old
enough to leave the nest, and the birds
are kept confined within it until re-
CURED for use.
The whole loft is then transferred TO
the military base, or temporary post
near the scene of operations. and the
n,rds, then several months old, have
noerty for the first time. Not having
IoWn to another locality. they quick
~ settle down to their new surround
l"gs, and in a few days are familiar
WIN the country for miles around
livery opportunity is seized to give
mem additional experience before he
ing actually used i'm the service and
10 keep open communication with an
auNance column, or for scouting work.
lhese travelling lofts have proved in
Ndluable. Should, however, the base
ul operations be advanced, or a tenn
porary post abandoned. the birds are
a. once discarded and a new loft
= g n y