The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-04-22
King George and Queen Mary
Frown on Cruel
Sport.


Ing GEORGE and Queen MARY
x nave done much to Discourage
L n tne cruel sport of pigeon shoot
ing, an unsportsnanlike form OF
.'uSchent IN which tho part icipa nts
run no risk whatever and arc PIT to
no exercise or eXertion and where
Inc game has but little chance for
IT'S lie, as the bird that esrapes I'M
mediate death on rising from the tran
frequently wounded and falls Grip
titd ana helpless. in some ncighbor-
1ns neid or thickct, But George nnJ
Mary are great pigeon farciers. In this
respect following the footsteps Of I'd,
GGhTd vi. The pigeon houses ar
as n,tauFltsham are probably the finest
ana most elaborate in the country.
ana almost as much money and care
IS devoted to them as though they
We're thoroughbred horses
u was the enthusiasm OF Queen
ih ~, for pigeon breeding tina;
against their wholesale murder and to
mo abandonment OF pigeon shooting
As form OF sport at Nottingham.
800 year. IN the latter part OF juno.
~" great Pigcon Derby Of tho National
lying club takes place. over q courau
OF moro than 400 miles Only the
very finest homins pigeons bred In the
country compete. King Edward and
queen Alexandra were much interest
ca IN these rnces. in which they en-
tered many birds, and often carried
o.. on prizes. This annual grand na
L,
and Invariably starts from Lcr,vick,
the seaport and chief town o. tho Shot-
land Islands, only those pigeons being
allowed to compete whose home Is
ever 400 miles from the starting point.
me race IS decided OH the velocity
system The precise distance of each
lolt from the starting IOint Is cal
culated. and then the time is taken
from the moment that the bra ,i"' -
liberated from Lerwlck until ii reaches
its nome. y simple calculation gives
INC number OF yards per minute whIci
the bird has flown. and the prize goes
TO the birds tina, have displayed thu
greatest rate of speed. Queen Alcxan-
IRA haa a magnificent bird. which WAS
Il record breaker. 1t flew ali miles
at the rate of 1907 Yards per minute,
OF course. in calling this a record
orcakcr [ am referring only 10 tina
particular course, for this speed ha,
eeen far surpassed both in Europe and
the United states, tie American rec
ord, rs every homing pigeon fancier
knows. being until recently-I have
not the last performances before me
I.siS yards minute for old bras.
over course of 900 mileS. But tho
comparison Is hardly fair. as In CON
tests OF this kind everything depends
upon the state of the atmosphere IN.
ptVds making marvellous time in clear
Wca'her whilc on thick and stormy
Gays they may fly not much faster
tnan morse can trot. To tho United
states belongs the credit of Introduciu..
- t'''.'''t piiu OF clay DllG pig
cons" they are called-for the i've
piseons, and the ingenuity Of the me-
chanism for throwing up this inaui-
mat mate quar- In unexpected aud vary
ing directionA- gives as satisfactory =
Test of the skill Of tho iaarksman a.
the cruel use of live birds.
The Kaiser and his consort sont
their warmest CONGRATULATIONS and hest
wishes 10 Baroness Mathildc Won
hothschild thc other day Gil tn. ceia-
oratIon OF her ciChticth birthday and
other members Of the Emperors fam.
ily also remembered her ard contrib
utcd their warm greetings Tho bar-
ThcSs Is the widow of Wilhelm Won,
fothschild. who WAS the head Of the