The Institute has from time to time, during the past few years, published reports of the progress made at the Naval Academy, under the direction of Professor Marion, toward the development of a messenger pigeon service for use in connection with the defense of our coast, together with brief notices of the far greater progress made abroad in the same direction.
The following data and discussion are submitted for the purpose of bringing the record up to date, and' in the hope of arousing a somewhat greater interest than exists at present in regard to this important work.
Experiments in communication from the practice ships to the Academy were continued during the season of 1894, with results which fully confirm the conclusions of Commander Chester's report of the preceding years (see Proceedings of U.S. Naval Institute, No. 68).
Briefly summarized, the results of last summer's experiments were as follows:
The total number of flights was 100; the distance varied from 20 to 200 miles.
All of the birds included in the above table had had some training in flying over water, and all had flown before over a part of the route here involved.
During the whole summer, nine birds failed to find their way home. Of these, three were among the oldest and most reliable birds belonging to the Academy. They had been trained over Chesapeake Bay and were perfectly familiar with it. By chance, they were released (from the Bancroft) directly off the entrance to Delaware Bay. Without a moment's hesitation, they started up this bay, apparently mistaking it for the Chesapeake.
The following is the endorsement of the Superintendent of the Naval Academy upon the report of the work done by the Academy loft up to the spring of 1894:
United States Naval Academy,
Annapolis, Maryland, March 13, 1894.
Respectfully forwarded.
1. Experiments made with the homing pigeons at the Naval Academy have, in my opinion, demonstrated that their use can be made valuable in receiving communications from vessels operating near the coast, and that the pigeon service should be established on some recognized basis.
2. Professor Marion's voluntary aid in developing the usefulness of pigeons has been valuable because of his zeal in the cause, and his familiarity with the subject, and I think it merits commendation.
R.L. Phythian, Captain, U. S. Navy, Superintendent.
No one who thoughtfully considers the results thus far attained can fail to realize that a carefully organized and systematically trained pigeon service would be of great value to the Navy in time of war; but it seems worth while to consider somewhat in detail a few special points in connection with the subject, with a view to defining as clearly as may be, not only the possibilities but the limitations of such a service.
It will be observed that the greatest distance directly off shore involved in any of the above experiments is 62 miles, and there seem to be no records of birds having been released at distances greater than this from the nearest shore. It is, therefore, altogether uncertain from how great a distance they might be relied upon to find their way to the coast. This is probably only a question of the keenness of their vision, which is known to be marvelous, and of the height to which they can rise. It is not necessary that they should recognize the shore, but only that they should see it, for it is found that they make directly toward it until they recognize some landmark, when they shape their course for home. The birds released from the Monongahela off the Carolina coast, invariably headed for the nearest land.
There seems to be no reason to doubt that they can be trusted to reach the coast from the greatest distance at which they can see it. It is important that experiments should be made to determine what this limiting distance is. In the absence of such experiments, it seems not unreasonable, considering the height to which the birds can rise and the remarkable keenness of their sight, to assume that the distance will not be less than 150 miles. Professor Marion is of the opinion that it is from 200 to 250 miles.
It is necessary here to admit a limitation with regard to thick weather. Such weather is very unfavorable on land, but would of course be much more so at sea, where the first requisite of success is, as we have seen, ability to make out the coast from a considerable distance. On land, among familiar marks, a bird might make its course without seeing very far at any time; but at sea, clear weather would be absolutely essential. On the other hand, fogs are commonly low-lying, and it might happen in many cases of fog that the birds will rise at once into an atmosphere perfectly clear. Experiments here would be valuable.
Another limitation is found in the fact that the birds do not fly at night. For this reason it would probably be useless to release them at such an hour and such a distance that they could not reach the coast by nightfall. If they had time to reach the coast but not to reach a cote, their messages would not be delivered until morning. Under the general system which is proposed by Professor Marion, however, cotes would be distributed in such a way that a bird reaching the coast at nightfall would probably recognize and seek refuge in one of these rather than elsewhere. Thus its message might even be delivered earlier than if it had time to reach its own home. This system contemplates the establishment of cotes in conspicuous positions near all lighthouses and lightships, all to be built and painted exactly alike. This would almost absolutely insure the delivery at some station of every message; for not only birds in need of rest for the night, but those reaching the coast at unfamiliar points would be attracted to places so closely resembling their homes. It is assumed that telegraphic communication exists with all lighthouses, so that messages could be forwarded instantly upon receipt. In the case of lightships, and of outlying lighthouses, a relay pigeon service would be established with the nearest point of telegraphic connection.
As illustrating the value of such a service as is proposed, let us consider the case of a fleet entrusted with the defense of that part of our coast from Block Island to the capes of the Delaware. Whatever position might be taken up by such a fleet, there would be thrown out many miles beyond it a line of light, swift vessels as scouts, and upon the rapidity with which these vessels could communicate with the inner line and with the shore would depend, in large measure, the success of the defense. Suppose a vessel of this outer line to discover an enemy's fleet standing to the westward; she would hasten toward the squadron of defense or toward the nearest point of the coast from which it might be possible to communicate with that squadron, with Washington and with the cities threatened, and if not overtaken by an enemy's cruiser or by a shell from a battleship, and if she did not break down, she would ultimately communicate the fact that at a certain time—already long past—an enemy's fleet, of unknown strength, was standing in for some unknown point on the coast. Let us suppose, now, that instead of hastening off herself she could despatch a number of pigeons with the certainty that they would carry the news quite as surely as she could carry it, and far more quickly; and that then holding the enemy in view, she should follow his movements, and from time to time send off new messengers with particulars of his strength, his course and his apparent intentions. It is not difficult to see the immense value of a system which promises the possibility of such service as this.
Assuming, as demonstrated, that rapid and certain communication can be established from ship to shore, it is important to inquire whether it is also possible to communicate from the shore to a ship lying off the coast.
At the first thought, it seems altogether improbable that such a thing should be found practicable. Yet there is reason to believe that the idea is very far from being visionary. Undoubtedly, the limitations would be much narrower than in the reverse case; and it may be that they would prove too narrow to leave any practical value to the system. But this is to be demonstrated. It is certain that the birds can be taught to regard a ship as their home, and to seek it and regain it from shore, the ship being a considerable distance at sea; and this in spite of rather wide changes of position. If we consider, however, the case of a ship a hundred miles or so off shore, we must inquire whether the bird could see so small an object at so great a distance, and whether seeing she could recognize it. It is not inconceivable that, by gradual systematic training with distances slowly increasing, this might be accomplished; but the difficulties are great, one of them being the probability of confusion arising from the general resemblance of one ship to another. Experiments are needed here. But they would require much time, and could not be made without considerable expense.
An important question is how long the birds can be confined and still be trusted to find their way home promptly. One set of birds released from the Monongahela had been kept for 21 days. They should have reached Annapolis on the day of their release, but did not arrive until the following morning. It should be said, however, that their strength had undoubtedly been impaired by the closeness of their confinement, the Monongahela having no suitable arrangements for keeping them.
It has been proved by repeated experiments abroad that the birds, if kept under conditions such as will not impair their strength, may be trusted to find their way home promptly after weeks of confinement.
The speed of the best birds released from the Monongahela during the summer was about 30 miles per hour for the 200 miles covered. This speed, although excellent considering the opportunities that exist for training the birds, is far below what has often been attained, and what may be expected if a regular system should be adopted and money made available for the purchase, breeding and training of the very best birds.
In Belgium, where pigeon breeding and flying have found their highest development, a distance of 215 miles has been covered at a speed of over 70 miles an hour. This, however, is to be regarded as altogether exceptional. An average speed of 40 miles for short distances is recognized as very good.
With all the limitations which have been pointed out above, the value to the Navy and the country of such a service as that proposed is out of all proportion to the expense involved. This expense is estimated by Professor Marion at $5000 for the first year, and at considerably less for subsequent years.
Objections have been made to this trifling outlay on the ground that in case of necessity the hundreds of homing pigeons owned in the United States could be drawn upon. It will be clear, from what has been said, that this view of the case is utterly false, in that it ignores not only the months needed to domesticate the birds in new homes, but the fact that long and careful training is needed to teach the birds to fly over water. Such a system as is needed will require not days or weeks, but years for its development, and the work cannot be begun too soon.
It is much to be regretted that no appropriation for beginning this work is included in the Naval bill for the coming year.