The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-04-29
THE WIRELESS MESSAGE.
The Dove of Peace as Messenger of
 War.

Norfolk Va.-A very notable feature of military development in Europe is the growing use of carrier pigeons, and these winged messengers are beginning to serve the navy as well as the army. The ex- pertinent, however. has never been tried in the United States. Once the plan of utilizing the pigeons was nearly put into effect, but for some reason abandoned.
 In 1898 the National Federation of Amer can Homing Pigeon Fanciers-a very long title to bestow upon society whose speciality Is pigeons-patriotically offered their birds for messenger service dur ing the war with Spain. Their proffer was accepted by the Secretary of War tenta- lively, but there was no occasion for utilizing the birds.
 The usefulness of the pigeon as a mes senger carrier was established beyond the shadow of doubt during the siege of Paris. It has been stated that more than 900 official dispatches were carried over the heads of the Germans who had walled the French capital more success fully than any investing army had done during historic times. In addition to the official dispatches more than one mil lion private messages were carried to and from the city. The number of official dis patches is no matter of conjecture, but of actual record while the private mes sages certainly outnumbered the official seven to one.
 At the Jamestown exposition the armies and navies of the world will assemble. The military display will not be on the same gigantic scale as the naval but regiments from almost every civilized country cn the face of the globe will be encamped on the shores of Hampton Roads in 1907. To few of the foreigners will the homing pigeon be a stranger. but our own pco- ,I1a s....f.. norant of the carriers value. Every thing connected with war will be shown at the Jamestown exposition, and certainly the carrier pigeon will be included among the exhibits.
 As an attraction to the public, pigeon races have always occupied a high posi- ton, and these have usually taken place from exposition cities. The races from Chicago during the Columbian exposition. from Buffalo at the Pan American. and still more recently the flights from St. Louis to Chicago, excited widespread in- terest throughout the country At the last exposition the authorities built and maintained a loft for pigeons, and much interest was manifested noteonly in the long race mentioned. but also in the smaller weekly contests.
 The east Is the center of the homng pigeon fanciers of this country. Every city from Washington northward main tains one or more clubs. and the number of birds racing annually runs well Into the thousands. The course is usually from the southwest, but during 1907 it will fol- low the coast and come to Norfolk. Clubs from Baltimore, Wilmington. York, Phil adelpha Trenton Jersey City. Patterson. New York. Brooklyn, Staten Island, Bos- ton Pttsburg, Cincinnati. Buffalo, AL bany, Utica, Syracuse and other places have been invited to participate.
 Several methods of conducting these races during the Jamestown exposition have been suggested. During the months of May and June the bird fanciers who live in the northern states are in the habit of racing their birds from points in Virginia and North Carolina. releas- ing them in the southern states for their homeward flight. The Maryland, Della ware and Pennsylvania birds are usually raced about the middle of May. while the more northern flyers do not begin their flights until June. There is no reason why the pigeon should not fly during the