The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-03-11

The newest and most Interesting use to which the carrier pigeon has been put Is photography. For some time aerial picture-taking has been done by means of cameras connected with balloons and kites, but now the pigeon bids faif to become more use fui. A tiny apparatus is attached by rubber bands and straps to the body of the bird. and as 1t flies the busy lit- tic kodak Is taking pictures of the country which is traversed in the flight.
 The arrangement is composed of two minute. self tainei. automatic cameras, the Tense of one turned for ward and the other back. so that no one view of the ground may always be obtained. Attached to the shutter is a spoon shaped lever which Is worked by means of tiny rubber ball. As the air escapes through a little hole. the ball collapses, allow ing the lever to loosen its hold upon the shutter. The whole apparatus is fitted in an aluminium frame and weighs less than two and a half ounces, the greatest load that can be carried by a pigeon. The tiny cam era takes thirty views. one and half inches square.
 The honor of this invention belongs to pr. Neubrohner, of Cronberg. Ger many, who evolved and constructed the miniature camera. The military au- thorities of Germany are greatly in- terested in the invention, and have invited Dr. Neubronner to conduct a series of experiments In conjunction with their balloon corps at Tegel near Berlin. These photographer pig cons will probably prove invaluable in warfare. as both the besiegers and the besieged can thus get correct in- formation as to the lay of the land in the enemy's lines. Tn all likelihood pigeons will be used in connection with ,iirigible 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 pig cons in Europe were in 1874. during the war between the Dutch and the Spaniards. The city of Leyden was be- sieged by the enemy and the inhabi- fants were dying of hunger and plague. When conditions were beyond endurance the frenzied people assem- bied In the street. demanding food and relief Just at this critical moment the Bur4omaster. who was as power less to help as the people themselves. received a carrier 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 Zeland and his fiotilla, who brought food and relief.
 During the siege of Paris, fin 1870, carrier pigeons were employed exten- sively to convey messages. and as 1t was necessary to have as small a bur den a possible clever idea was con- ceived. The letters and dispatches were set in type and printed on small cards. which were then photographed ed to minute proportions. the films two inches by one and a half These were put in small water proof quills and at tached to the tail of the pigeon, On it's arrival at it's destination, the ko- daked messages were magnified and by means of a projecting lantern, thrown upon a screen, where they were easily read. It is told that one bird. on one trip. carried as much mat ter as would make sixteen large newspaper sheets. A huge price was asked for this service, the postage
 amounting to s6O.o00.
 The value of the pigeon to the mill itary is attested by the fact that ev- | cry government has extensive services. | It is probably of less use to England than any country because of its fogs. fn which the pigeons are unable to find their way. The United States has numerous lofts along the Atlantic Coast. and moro are proposed. Gen. eral Miles tells of the services per formed by carrier pigeons during In- dian wars. when lines were broken
 by the savages, and necessary conn., munication was kept up by the car riers. Foreign nations. however have expended large sums of money in training nocks Of carriers. Russia has appropriated as much as s10.000 at one time for that purpose: while England, Italy and other Continental powers have maintained hundreds of these pigeons to supplement other de- vices used by their armies.
 Pigeons were used by mercantile companies before the time of the tele- graph. The regular couriers were too slow for great spectators and many of them used this means of conveying the news of the market. The Roth childs established pigeon service with places of reception on both sides of the channel. One of the business houses to employ these winged post men was the Turkey Company. of Eng land. A story is told of a man in Al eppo. where there was a branch office of this company. By some accident this man killed one of the birds be- longing to the company and on read ing the message that 1t carried. found that there was & great scarcity of gals In England. With an eye to the main chance, he at once bought up all the available article in his part of the country. and made what was fin those days an immense fortune.
 Stories are told of pearl synugglers who make pigeons their accomplices in slipping large quantities of val uable stones across the boundaries of certain countries. Some of the leading newspapers of this country have re- gently established pigeon services for the rapid conveyance of news. The late George W. Childs of Philadelphia was a great lover of pigeons He presented full cote of these birds to