Nearly all the European governments have recognized the value of homing pigeons for land and sea service, and have established numerous military pigeon posts in the interior and along the coasts, under direct control of the Government.
In France, Germany, Austria, Italy, Spain, and Portugal, the organization of military pigeon posts is very complete. It has been extended to Russia, Denmark and Sweden; and even Africa has been brought into communication with Spain by stations at Ceuta and Mellila. England has recently established a station of considerable strategical importance at Gibraltar, insuring communication with Tangier and vessels cruising in the vicinity of the Straits of Gibraltar. The chief columbary of the Admiralty is situated at the Scilly Islands.
Italy has been particularly active of late in establishing pigeon posts for naval purposes to be used in connection with the maneuvers of her new fleet. For example, there is a military pigeon post at Rome, and another at the Island of Maddalena, and the birds belonging to them alternately fly from one loft to the other in very good time. The total distance is 170 miles, and that over water 150 miles. These pigeons have flown on several occasions at the rate of 28, 29 and 30 miles an hour. A longer distance at sea has also been made by them.
Another military loft is situated at Cagliari, Sardinia, which constitutes part of the Cagliari-Napoli line. The distance between those two places is 294 miles. Birds liberated at sea from Italian vessels have made a distance of as much as 287 miles over the sea at about 31 miles an hour.
Canada has followed the example of the European countries by establishing a connected system of pigeon stations throughout the Dominion, extending from Halifax to Windsor, and connecting her principal seaports with the interior.
The accompanying chart I., showing the system of military pigeon posts in Europe, gives an adequate idea of the importance of this new branch of the service. Each one of the lines upon the map shows a pigeon route. In most cases there is a double post, that is to say, there are relays of pigeons at each end of these lines, so that, by exchanging birds, a double service is insured. Other lines are still more perfected, the same birds performing a double duty, being used for a "there-and-back" flight. The employment of pigeons for military purposes, therefore, may be considered as established, and the value of this service as no longer requiring to be proved.
We have frequently urged in these Proceedings (Nos. 47, 48 and 54) the adoption of a similar system at the principal seaports and naval stations of the Atlantic coast. So far no organized system of pigeon posts has been established in the United States, although numerous experiments made in this country have fully demonstrated the great value and usefulness of such a service, especially for naval purposes.
The most important of these experiments, and the most successful in its results, was made under the direction of Commander C.M. Chester, U.S.N., during the last summer cruise of the U.S.P.S. Constellation.
We quote, by permission, some extracts from the interesting and most carefully prepared report of Lieutenant W.S. Benson, U.S.N., who took an active part in the experiments.
"On June 6, the day the Constellation sailed from Annapolis, ten pigeons from the Naval Academy loft were taken on board and released at different distances down the Chesapeake Bay, the last at a distance of 35 miles, and two and a half hours later the messages were received in Annapolis. One of these birds carried an important message to the Superintendent of the Naval Academy requesting that certain stores that had been omitted from the outfit be sent down to the ship by the Phlox.
"All of the birds liberated returned in good time, and all messages were safely delivered.
"On the return of the Constellation in August, some of these same birds were used at distances of 60 miles, in each case carrying important messages regarding the Constellation to the Superintendent. A few days later these same pigeons were liberated at a distance of 75 miles from Annapolis; all returned, delivering the messages sent in each case. Subsequently they were successfully used at a distance of 100 miles. Nine pigeons were taken on board June 6, belonging to the loft of R. B. Caverly, of Washington, D.C. They were liberated at points in the Chesapeake Bay, and at sea, the last batch being liberated in latitude 38° 6' N., longitude 74° 10' W. (180 miles from Annapolis, 200 miles from Washington). All of these pigeons returned to their lofts carrying messages.
"Previous to the departure of the Constellation from Newport on the return trip to Annapolis, in August, through the exertions of E.S. Starr, of Philadelphia, at the request of Professor Marion, pigeons were sent to the ship from lofts in Philadelphia, Woodberry, N.J., Atlantic City, Providence and Fall River. During the six days the vessel was at sea, several birds were liberated at 9 A. M. each day (except one when the weather was threatening, with a strong breeze from northward), bearing duplicate messages giving the ship's position, condition of weather for the past twenty-four hours, and other items of interest. In nearly every case these messages were delivered at the respective lofts the same day and the messages repeated to the Superintendent of the Naval Academy by telegraph. The greatest distance from land any birds were liberated was about 90 miles; and those liberated to the northward of their lofts had previously only been flown from the southward, and the owners were under the impression that they could be used successfully only from the southward. Their success showed that pigeons could be flown from any direction."
These results show that the pigeon service from ship to shore was entirely successful.
Another experiment in the opposite direction, namely, from shore to ship, was less conclusive, as the birds used in this experiment had been put on board at short notice and were not yet thoroughly domesticated when used. In spite of this disadvantage, some good, and even unexpected, results were obtained. We again quote from Lieutenant Benson's interesting report.
"Before leaving Annapolis, ten pigeons (also taken from the Naval Academy loft) were sent on board the Constellation and placed in a cote secured on the spar-deck capstan on the quarterdeck. Nearly all these were young birds, two only one month old. The cote was left closed until the 19th, when it was opened and all were allowed to fly about the vessel, then at anchor off New London. The pigeons flew about the Constellation, other vessels in the harbor, and on shore. Before night all had returned to the cote except two, one old, the other young. . . . After this the cote was opened every day when the weather was good, and in a very short time the pigeons became accustomed to the unusual noises of the people about decks, flapping of sails, wash-clothes, etc., and would return to the cote even when the awnings were spread which concealed the cote from view. Four of these birds were frequently taken ashore, out in boats, and to other vessels, and they always returned. They were taken from three to four miles over land and out of sight of the shipping and still returned. It was observed, however, that they did not always go directly to their own ship, but would light on other vessels near. On several occasions they were taken ashore and not liberated till the ship had left her anchorage and was several miles out, under sail and light yards down, and yet they got back in very good time."
This experiment, however limited in its scope, opens a new field for the usefulness of homing pigeons for naval purposes. They might be used, for instance, to carry news from a landing party to a vessel stationed or cruising at a short distance from the shore or for communications between the different vessels of a squadron. In concluding his report Lieutenant Benson says:
"I beg leave to add that, from the successful employment of homing pigeons on land at all distances, and the work done by those on the Constellation, the conclusion must be accepted that their field of usefulness is unlimited. On land, where all points can usually be reached by telegraph, their employment is more in the nature of a pastime; though under certain circumstances they might be of great value even on land [as, for example, during the siege of Paris]. But to the navy and seafaring people they are simply of inestimable value. The idea advanced in Professor Marion's paper on the subject of establishing a regularly organized service with lofts at all our naval stations cannot be too strongly advocated. In order, however, to be successful, I am thoroughly convinced that the service must be well organized and the pigeons well trained. It is a well-known fact that the principal European governments not only have such a service, but offer every inducement to private enterprise in this direction. The frequent trips made by our different vessels along our coast offer every facility for training pigeons from all the various lofts that might be established. By sending a number of birds on every outward bound vessel the pigeons would have numerous flights over the routes for which they were intended, and could thus be relied upon in case of actual necessity, and the people using them would also gain experience in their use, which would be of no small importance; thus in time of peace giving them practice and training as well as often sending back valuable information. Their value in time of war cannot be estimated. Suppose, for example, that a small cruiser left one of our seaports and, off the coast, unexpectedly sighted an enemy's fleet; eight or ten hours notice might be given, thereby saving millions of dollars worth of property as well as the ignominy of defeat.
"The most important fact to be remembered is that when these birds are properly trained and used under a well-organized system they offer an almost sure means of quick communication where none other could possibly be employed. In order to be satisfactory there must be a well-organized system, men who understand handling and breeding the birds, and the best means of sending messages. Every effort should be made to secure and breed the best birds only, and they should be constantly exercised over the route it is intended to use them on, so that no time will be lost when they bear important messages in working out the nearest line of flight.
"The fact having been clearly demonstrated that homing pigeons can be successfully employed to carry messages from vessels at sea to shore stations opens a field of usefulness to the naval service that is inestimable. The numerous ways in which they can be employed is so apparent that it would be superfluous to dwell upon it in this report.
"As to their use in carrying messages from shore to vessels at sea there is not sufficient data to say positively how far they could be depended upon; but judging from what has been done, we are justified in believing that with proper training and care they could be fully relied upon as messengers."
The foregoing report has been strongly endorsed by Commander C.M. Chester, under whose direction these experiments were made, and he recommends that an appropriation be asked of Congress to carry out the proposed plan of such a service. No appropriation having been available for this purpose in the past, the expense has been mainly met by private subscriptions, which are not likely to continue.
A system of naval messenger pigeon lofts to be situated at the principal navy yards and stations of the Atlantic coast could be established at a very small expense to the Government and would be of great practical value, even in time of peace, as vessels cruising along the coast from Portland, Me., to Galveston, Tex., could thus keep in constant communication with the mainland and be located at any time during their entire course.
We suggest a connected system of twelve main naval messenger pigeon lofts to be situated at the following navy yards and stations:
- Portsmouth
- Boston
- Newport
- New London
- New York (Brooklyn)
- Philadelphia (with an annex at Cape Henlopen)
- Washington (Central Station)
- Annapolis (Naval Academy)
- Norfolk (with an annex at Cape Charles)
- Port Royal
- Key West
- Pensacola
The greatest distance being between the last four station, some intermediate posts would be desirable between them to insure a connected service. The system could be extended and completed by establishing secondary stations at Cape Hatteras, Wilmington, N.C., St. Augustine, Jupiter Inlet, and Tampa, Florida, and extreme stations at each end—Portland, Me., and Galveston, Tex.
Chart II shows the position of the U.S.P.S. Constellation when birds were liberated during the last summer cruise. It also shows the proposed naval messenger pigeon stations along the Atlantic coast with circles of 240 miles radius around each station, indicating the zone in which trained pigeons could be relied upon to return to their home station with a sufficient degree of certainty. The distance is equal to one day's run of a vessel making ten knots an hour, and it could be covered by a pigeon in about eight hours, at an average speed of 30 miles an hour, thus gaining 16 hours on the vessel. Although homing pigeons have flown twice that distance in a day, it is undesirable, for practical purposes, to exceed that limit. From these lofts a vessel leaving any of these stations could be supplied with trained pigeons to be liberated at intervals within the prescribed zone of the station to which they belong.
The message to be sent is written on fine tissue paper, which, rolled up, is inserted into a section of goose quill, then sealed at both ends and firmly fastened to one of the middle tail feathers of the bird by means of a thin copper wire.
To insure safe delivery, each message is duplicated, in cipher if necessary, and forwarded by two or more different birds, liberated at the same time, as they help each other in finding their way home. For long distance flights the birds must be liberated as early in the day as possible.
Advantages of an Organized Service of Messenger Pigeons.
A service of messenger pigeons for naval purposes could not be improvised at short notice, and the birds would require long and careful training before being of any use as bearers of messages.
In time of peace or war the occasions are innumerable when pigeons could be used with advantage as messengers when no other means of communication are available. In a recent article in Outing Mr. Gifford says:
"In peace vessels leaving or approaching the coast could report their own or the position of disabled vessels needing assistance; wrecks, broken machinery, mutinies, lack of food, water (or coal), fire, and thousands of accidents which are likely to happen to any ship at any time, could thus be made quickly known. It would in many instances influence the speculations of merchants, relieve the anxiety of ship owners and the relatives of sailors. They will then have no longer to resort to such uncertain means as signals, meeting of ships, or the floating bottles ashore with messages.
In war they would be of much greater importance. It is essential that the Government should always be able to locate exactly its ships. Great fights seldom occur more than two hundred miles from shore and thus valuable knowledge of skirmishes at sea and the approach of hostile forces and appeals for aid could quickly be communicated."
In order that this service may be successful it must be operated by the Government.
The fact that homing pigeons can fly several hundred miles a day at sea; that they can be bred and trained on board ship in all latitudes and climates; that they can be accustomed to the report of guns; that they can recognize their own ship among others; that they can be relied upon, as proved by numerous experiments, to carry news from the fleet to the shore, and, under favorable circumstances, from the shore to the fleet and from one vessel to another, when beyond the range of signals, should suffice to secure the support of the Government to this new enterprise, and thereby insure the speedy establishment of a permanent system of naval messenger pigeon lofts at the principal navy yards and stations along the Atlantic coast.