The Washington herald., 1909-03-11


put is photography For some time
aerial picture taking has been done by
means OF cameras connected with bal
looms and kites. but now the pigeon
bids fair to become more useful. A tiny
apparatus is attached by rubber bands
and straps to the body OF the bird,
and as it flies the busy little kodak is
taking pictures OF the country which is
traversed in the flight
The arrangement is composed of two
minute. self contained. automatic cam
eras. the lense Of one turned forward and
the other back. so that no matter what
position the pigeon takes. one view Of the
ground may always be obtained. Attach
ed 20 the shutter IS a spoonshaped lever
which is worked by means OF a tiny rub
Der bali. AS the air escapes through a
little hole. the ball collapses, allowing the
lever to loosen its hold upon the shutter.
The whole apparatus is fitted in an alum
mum frame and weighs less than two and
half ounces-the greatest load that can
be carried by a pigeon. The tiny camera
takes thirty views. one and half inches
square.
The honor Of this invention belongs to
DR.. NeCbronner OF Cronberg Germany.
who evolved and constructed the minia-
ture camera The military authorities
et Germany are greatly interested In the
invention. and have invited DR.. NeubrOn-
ner TO conduct a series OF experiments in
conjunction with their balloon corps at Te-
gel, near Berlin These photographer pig
cons viii probably prove invaluable in
warfare as both the besiegers and the
beseged can thus get correct information
as to the lay OF the land in the enemy 5
lines. In all likelihood pigeons viii be
used in Connection with dirigible balloons,
the birds can mount higher and higher
and obtain the desired pictures. while the
balloon stays at safe distance from the
earth.
The earliest account Of military pigeons
IN Europe was IN 1874 during the war be-
tween the Dutch and the Spaniards. The
city OF Leyden was besieged by the en-
emy, and the Inhabitants were dying OF
hunger and plague When conditions
we're beyond endurance the frenzied peo-
pie assembled in the street demanding
food and relief Just at this critical mo-
ment the burgomaster, who was as pow
erless 20 help az the people themselves.
received carried pigeon bringing news
Of succor at hand. These joyful tidings
gave the famished people fresh courage
TO withstand the attack until the arrival,
a few days later. Of the Admiral of Ze-
and relief.
During the siege OF Paris. in 1870. car
rier pigeons were employed extensively
TO convey messages and as IL was neces- /
sary 20 have as small a burden as posi-
bic q clever idea was conceived. The let
ters and dispatches were set in type and
printed on small cards. which were then
photographed 10 minute proportions. the
films 2x1Ia inches. These were put IN
the tail Of the pigeon. On its arrival at
its destination. the kodaked messages
were magnihed, and by means OF a pro-
1ecting lantern, thrown upon a screen,
where they were easily read II IS told
that one bird, on one trip. carried as
much matter as would make sixteen
large newspaper sheets. A huge price
was asked for this service, the postage
amounting to $4,000
The value Of the pigeon 20 the military
is attested by the fact that every gov
ernment has extensive services. II is
probably OF less use to England than any
country because OF its fogs, IN which the
! pigeons ara unable to find their way. The
United States has numerous lofts along
the Atlantic coast. and more are pro-
posed. Gen. Miles tells OF the services
dian wars. when lines were broken by
the savages. and necessary communlca-
tion was kept up by the carriers. For
eign nations. however, have expended
large sums Of money in training hocks Of
carriers. Russia has appropriated as
much as $4,000 at one time for that pur-
pose. while England, Italy, and other
continental powers have maintained hun
dreds Of these pigeons 10 supplement
other devices used by their armies.
Pigeons were used by mercantile com
panies before the time OF the telegraph
The regular couriers were too slow for
Ggreat spectators. and many OF them used
this means Of conveying the news Of the
market The Rothschilds established
pigeon service with places OF reception
on both sides Of the channel One OF the
business houses 10 employ these winged
postmen was the Turkey Company Of
England. A story is told OF a man in
Aleppo, where there was a branch Office
Of this company. BY some accident this
man killed one OF the birds belonging to
the company. and on reading the message
il carried Cound that there was a great
scarcity Of gals in England. With an
eye 70 the main chance. he at once
bought up all the available article in his
part OF the country, and made what was
IN those days an immense fortune
Stories are told Of pearl Smugglers who
make pigeons their accomplices in slip
ping large quantities Of valuable stones
across the boundaries Of certain countries.
Some Of the leading newspapers OF this
country have recently established pigeon
services for the rapid conveyance OF news.
The late George W. Childs. of Philadel-
phia, was a great lover OF pigeons. He
presented a full cote Of these birds 20 the
United States cruiser New York.
The sport Of flying pigeons IS conf
paratively popular in the United States
The first incentive to distance flying was
in lSIS, when a prize Of 800 was offered
the owner Of the first pigeon returning
from station 500 miles away For two
years no prize was won, but finally II
was captured by a fight from New York
20 Steubenville. Ohio. A distance Of $40
miles The winning bird made the double
trip IN one day, TO the astonishment Of
all interested
Experts are divided in their opinions
as 10 how the carrier pigeons find their
way 20 the home cote. When released.
the birds rise several hundred yards into
the air. circiing as they 20. Suddenly
they dart of in the exact direction OF
home. never failing 10 correctly divine
that direction. except at times, when con-
fused by fog. rain or snow. The record
short flight G. a carrier pigeon is l7S0
yards in a minute-eighty-sev feet more
than a mile, Pigeon racing is a favorite
sport OF many fanciers and birds are Of
ten carrier 20 Georgia from Washington.
baltimore, and New York and there re-
leased for the homeward race. The record /
long-dlstance fight Is 1000 miles in two
days and nine hours
In covering long distances. pigeons
eaI -