The homing pigeon is a variety of domestic pigeon ( Columba livia domestica ), selectively bred for its ability to find its way home over extremely long distances. Because of this skill, homing pigeons were used to carry messages, a practice referred to as " pigeon post ". Until the introduction of telephones, they were used commercially to deliver communication; when used during wars, they were called " war pigeons ".
65-755: The Former Marine Police Headquarters Compound , completed in 1884, is located in Tsim Sha Tsui , Kowloon , Hong Kong . From 1884 to 1996, the Compound served as the headquarters for the Marine Police , which moved to Sai Wan Ho in 1996 and became a branch in the Hong Kong Police Force . The compound is a declared monument since 1994 as it is one of the four oldest surviving government buildings in Hong Kong. The Compound and
130-537: A South African IT company based in Durban pitted an 11-month-old bird armed with a data packed 4 GB memory stick against the ADSL service from the country's biggest Internet service provider, Telkom . The pigeon, Winston, took an hour and eight minutes to carry the data 80 km (50 miles). In all, the data transfer took two hours, six minutes, and fifty-seven seconds—the same amount of time it took to transfer 4% of
195-497: A bay in between in the south. The west cape, Kowloon Point , the proper Tsim Sha Tsui, coincided with the small hill where the Former Marine Police Headquarters is sited, while the east cape was the hill that is today known as Blackhead Point . The bay between the capes extended as far north as the present-day Mody Road . Today, Canton Road marks the western edge of Tsim Sha Tsui, and Chatham Road
260-617: A day reliably, covering round-trip flights up to 160 km (100 mi). Their reliability has lent itself to occasional use on mail routes, such as the Great Barrier Pigeongram Service established between the Auckland , New Zealand , suburb of Newton and Great Barrier Island in November 1897, possibly the first regular air mail service in the world. The world's first "airmail" stamps were issued for
325-406: A heritage hotel with food and beverage outlets, and retail facilities. The project was the first private sector-led preservation project in Hong Kong; under the terms of the land grant, specific furnishings and features were required to be preserved and restored. The project opened as 1881 Heritage in 2009, and was criticized for removing most of the trees from what was once a grassy hill. In 2010,
390-754: A number of locations in the area though an extensive pedestrian subway network. On 27 June 2021, the Tuen Ma line replaced the West Rail line . The Star Ferry connects Tsim Sha Tsui to Central and Wan Chai . Various hydrofoil services out of the Hong Kong China Ferry Terminal on Canton Road link Tsim Sha Tsui to Macau , Guangzhou , and several other places in the Pearl River Delta . They depart from China Hong Kong City, located near Harbour City. Since Tsim Sha Tsui
455-417: A role as well. A message may be written on thin light paper, rolled into a small tube, and attached to a messenger pigeon's leg. They will only travel to one "mentally marked" point that they have identified as their home, so "pigeon post" can only work when the sender is actually holding the receiver's pigeons. With training, pigeons can carry up to 75 g (2.5 oz) on their backs. As early as 1903,
520-466: Is a major tourist attraction in Tsim Sha Tsui. Georgetown Parade is well known for its dog nose biscuits. These recognisable buildings were featured in the film Chungking Express , and are full of inexpensive guest houses, Indian restaurants, and money changers. Tsim Sha Tsui is one of the main shopping areas in Hong Kong. Shopping malls in the area include: The Park Lane Shopper's Boulevard
585-580: Is a piece of land reclaimed from the Hung Hom Bay now east of Tsim Sha Tsui. The area is bounded north by Austin Road and in the east by Hong Chong Road and Cheong Wan Road. Geographically, Tsim Sha Tsui is a cape on the tip of the Kowloon Peninsula pointing towards Victoria Harbour , opposite Central . Several villages had been established in this location before Kowloon was ceded to
650-492: Is also called a mail pigeon or messenger pigeon , and colloquially a homer . Perhaps most commonly, the homing pigeon is called a carrier pigeon ; this nomenclature can be confusing, though, since it is distinct from the English carrier , an ancient breed of fancy pigeon . Modern-day homing pigeons do have English carrier blood in them because they are in part descendants of the old-style carriers. The domestic pigeon
715-671: Is another popular attraction for tourists, and the Avenue of Stars is also popular with photographers. East Tsim Sha Tsui or Tsim Sha Tsui East (尖沙咀東 or simply 尖東) is an area east of Chatham Road South reclaimed from Hung Hom Bay in the 1970s. The Tsim Sha Tsui East Promenade links the area with the Hong Kong Cultural Centre near the Clock Tower. In 2004, the East Rail line returned to Tsim Sha Tsui with
SECTION 10
#1732801486727780-556: Is around 97 km/h (60 miles per hour) and speeds of up to 160 km/h (100 miles per hour) have been observed in top racers for short distances. Homing pigeons were potentially being used for pigeon post in Ancient Egypt by 1350 BCE. Messages were tied around the legs of the pigeon, which was freed and could reach its original nest. Pliny the Elder described pigeons used in a similar fashion as military messengers around
845-480: Is based on a "map and compass" model, with the compass feature allowing birds to orient and the map feature allowing birds to determine their location relative to a goal site (home loft). While the compass mechanism appears to rely on the sun, the map mechanism has been highly debated. Some researchers believe that the map mechanism relies on the ability of birds to detect the Earth's magnetic field . A prominent theory
910-442: Is derived from the wild rock dove ( Columba livia sspp.); the rock dove has an innate homing ability, meaning that it will generally return to its nest using magnetoreception . Flights as long as 1,800 km (1,100 miles) have been recorded by birds in competitive homing pigeon racing ; birds bred for this are colloquially called racing homers. Homing pigeons' average flying speed over moderate 965 km (600 miles) distances
975-640: Is in the heart of Kowloon Peninsula, the area is served by an extensive network of bus routes to many parts of Hong Kong. There are major bus terminals beside the Star Ferry terminal and atop East Tsim Sha Tsui underground station on Chatham Road. Tsim Sha Tsui is in Primary One Admission (POA) School Net 31. Within the school net are multiple aided schools (operated independently but funded with government money) and Jordan Road Government Primary School. Carrier pigeon The homing pigeon
1040-540: Is located along a section of Nathan Road . The flagship stores of several luxury brands are located in the Tsim Sha Tsui section of Canton Road . The largest park in Tsim Sha Tsui is Kowloon Park , a popular destination complete with swimming pools, aviary, children's playground, kung fu corner, sculpture garden and the Hong Kong Heritage Discovery Centre. Other parks and public open spaces include Signal Hill Garden at Blackhead Point ,
1105-723: Is no evidence for this, and it is very unlikely; the pigeon post was rare until the 1820s. During the Franco-Prussian War pigeons were used to carry mail between besieged Paris and the French unoccupied territory. In December 1870, it took ten hours for a pigeon carrying microfilms to fly from Perpignan to Brussels . Historically, pigeons carried messages only one way, to their home. They had to be transported manually before another flight. However, by placing their food at one location and their home at another location, pigeons have been trained to fly back and forth up to twice
1170-538: Is that the birds are able to detect a magnetic field to help them find their way home. Scientific research previously suggested that on top of a pigeon's beak a large number of iron particles are found which remain aligned to Earth's magnetic north like a natural compass , thus acting as compass which helps pigeon in determining its home. However, a 2012 study disproved this theory, putting the field back on course to search for an explanation as to how animals detect magnetic fields. A light-mediated mechanism that involves
1235-631: Is used in at least two novels set in Hong Kong: Soldier of Fortune by Ernest K. Gann , published in 1954; and Dragon Flame by the house author Nick Carter , published in 1966. In 2002, the Hong Kong Government announced a competitive tender for an adaptive reuse concept for the former Marine Police Headquarters, which had been vacant since 1996; to entice tenders, the conditions included permission to create up to 7,213 m (77,640 sq ft) of floor space below
1300-551: The South China Morning Post reported the estimated floor space in the existing buildings had not been correctly surveyed and was 5,610 m (60,400 sq ft), instead of the 4,300 m (46,000 sq ft) originally submitted for the tender; in addition, the finished project added 7,413 m (79,790 sq ft), an extra 200 m (2,200 sq ft) above the tender, for which Cheung Kong paid an additional HK$ 94.5 million. Because
1365-661: The British Empire in 1860. The name Tsim Sha Tsui in Cantonese means sharp sandspit . It was also known as Heung Po Tau ( 香埗頭 ), i.e. a port for exporting incense tree . Tsim Sha Tsui is a major tourist hub in Hong Kong, with many high-end shops, bars, pubs and restaurants that cater to tourists. Many of Hong Kong's museums are located in the area. The name Tsim Sha Tsui ( Chinese : 尖沙咀 ) means 'sharp sandspit' in Cantonese . Before any land reclamation , Tsim Sha Tsui consisted of two parallel capes with
SECTION 20
#17328014867271430-723: The Clock Tower of the station was not demolished and was kept in place. It is all that remains standing of the station. The clock tower is forty-four metres high, surmounted by a seven-metre-high (23 ft) lightning rod. It is now surrounded by the public piazza of the Cultural Centre and has become a landmark of Hong Kong. Six pillars of the railway were relocated to the Urban Council Centenary Garden in TST East . The Avenue of Stars starts at
1495-805: The Confidential Pigeon Service were airdropped into northwest Europe to serve as intelligence vectors for local resistance agents. Birds played a vital part in the Invasion of Normandy as radios could not be used for fear of vital information being intercepted by the enemy. During the Second World War, the use of pigeons for sending messages was highlighted in Britain by the Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret as Girl Guides joining other Guides sending messages to
1560-550: The Old Kowloon Fire Station have been re-developed into a heritage hotel with food and beverage outlets and retail facilities in a project headed by architect Daniel Lin of A+T Design, opened in 2009. The site is now officially renamed as 1881 Heritage . The compound was completed in 1884 and served as the headquarters of the Water Police (as they were originally known) until late 1996. The main building
1625-518: The Star Ferry offered regular transport between Central and Tsim Sha Tsui, and the area has flourished ever since. Until the 20th century, Tsim Sha Tsui was a leafy suburb that contained numerous facilities of the British garrison in Hong Kong . Whitfield Barracks , converted into Kowloon Park in 1970, ran to the west of Nathan Road , and Kowloon Naval Yard occupied the waterfront to the west of
1690-587: The Time Ball Tower or Round House , was constructed to provide time signals to ships in the harbour. A ball was hoisted each morning and dropped precisely at 1 PM. Its use diminished in 1907 when the time ball apparatus was removed to Signal Hill , Kowloon. The Old Kowloon Fire Station , also known as the Former Tsim Sha Tsui Fire Station , was originally completed in 1920; a charity shop selling handcrafts occupied
1755-545: The Tsim Sha Tsui Waterfront Revitalisation Plan was shelved due to public controversy. Tsim Sha Tsui remains tertiary sector from colonial days to present. In early colonial days, transport, tourism and trading are main business of the area. As port and rail facilities moved out of the area, the major industry falls on the later two. Tsim Sha Tsui, like Central , contains several centres of finance. After Kai Tak Airport closed,
1820-692: The Urban Council Centenary Garden in Tsim Sha Tsui East, Salisbury Garden, Middle Road Children's Playground and the Tsim Sha Tsui Promenade, which includes the Avenue of Stars , along the Victoria Harbour waterfront. Half of the major museums in Hong Kong are situated in Tsim Sha Tsui. The Hong Kong Space Museum , Hong Kong Museum of Art and the Hong Kong Cultural Centre are located at
1885-464: The West Rail line , from Nam Cheong station to East Tsim Sha Tsui station was opened. Simultaneously, the segment between East Tsim Sha Tsui station and Hung Hom station was transferred from the East Rail line to the West Rail line, so Hung Hom station is now the interchange station between the East Rail line and the West Rail line. East Tsim Sha Tsui station is connected to Tsim Sha Tsui Station and
1950-528: The World Chief Guide in 1943, as part of a campaign to raise money for homing pigeons. The humorous IP over Avian Carriers (RFC 1149) is an Internet protocol for the transmission of messages via homing pigeon. Originally intended as an April Fools' Day RFC entry, this protocol was implemented and used, once, to transmit a message in Bergen , Norway , on 28 April 2001. In September 2009,
2015-512: The " New World Centre " shopping centre near the Cultural Centre. There is also the attraction of shopping at a clothing store frequented by famous people from all over the world, at Sam's Tailor . The Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront is another popular destination for locals and tourists alike. It is especially popular for photographers, as it offers an unobstructed view of the Central area of Hong Kong across Victoria Harbour . The Star Ferry terminal
Former Marine Police Headquarters - Misplaced Pages Continue
2080-1054: The American G.I. Joe and the English Mary of Exeter all received the Dickin Medal . They were among 32 pigeons to receive this award, for their gallantry and bravery in saving human lives with their actions. Eighty-two homing pigeons were dropped into the Netherlands with the First Airborne Division Signals as part of Operation Market Garden in World War II . The pigeons' loft was located in London, which would have required them to fly 390 km (240 miles) to deliver their messages. Also in World War II, hundreds of homing pigeons with
2145-566: The British Section of the railway was opened for traffic on 1 October 1910, the construction of the railway station in Tsim Sha Tsui started in 1913. Construction on the railway station and its clock tower were completed in 1915. The main building of the Tsim Sha Tsui station was demolished in 1978. The station was relocated to Hung Hom to make way for the Hong Kong Space Museum and the Hong Kong Cultural Centre . But
2210-525: The German apothecary Julius Neubronner used carrier pigeons to both receive and deliver urgent medication. In 1977, a similar system of 30 carrier pigeons was set up for the transport of laboratory specimens between two English hospitals. Every morning a basket with pigeons was taken from Plymouth General Hospital to Devonport Hospital. The birds then delivered unbreakable vials back to Plymouth as needed. The carrier pigeons became unnecessary in 1983 because of
2275-568: The Great Barrier Pigeon-Gram Service from 1898 to 1908. In the 19th century, newspapers sometimes used carrier pigeons. To get news from Europe quicker, some New York City newspapers used carrier pigeons. The distance from Europe to Halifax, Nova Scotia, is relatively short. So reporters stationed themselves in Halifax, wrote the information received from incoming ships, and put the messages in capsules attached to
2340-467: The Main Building. The Government announced on 23 May 2003 that Flying Snow Limited, a subsidiary of Cheung Kong Holdings , had won the 50-year land grant at a tendered price of HK$ 352.8 million, out of six competitive proposals. The approval allowed the developer to preserve and redevelop the historical building into a heritage tourism facility. Flying Snow has transformed the building into
2405-589: The Mariner's Rest bar allowed patrons to drink in a former jail cell. In 2017, Harbour Plaza Hotels and Resorts assumed the management of Hullett House. FWD Group leased the hotel and renamed it House 1881 in 2019; FWD renovated the ten suites, ranging in size from 82.4 to 87.3 square metres (887 to 940 sq ft), and five dining concepts. The Stable Block is immediately north of the Main Building. The Signal Tower ( Chinese : 大包米訊號塔 ; Jyutping : daai6 baau1 mai5 seon3 hou6 taap3 ), also known as
2470-527: The Superintendent of the Water Police. The Main Building also includes a small jail and carrier pigeon coops on the walls of the courtyard to the north. After the 2003–09 renovation, the Main Building was renamed to Hullett House to honour Richmond William Hullett . It included a small boutique hotel offering ten suites and five restaurants and bars; each of the ten suites had a unique theme, and
2535-494: The area. Incense trees ( Aquilaria sinensis ) from the New Territories were gathered at some quays in Tsim Sha Tsui and transferred to Shek Pai Wan in southern Hong Kong Island to be exported to the rest of the world. It was thus known as Heung Po Tau, the fragrant quay. Shortly after the land was ceded to Britain, construction began on the first section of Tsim Sha Tsui's major thoroughfare, Nathan Road . In 1888,
2600-515: The army encampment. In the early 20th century, Chinese people were allowed to live in the area to attract more people to trade in the colony. Garden houses were replaced with crowded residential blocks. Wharves and godowns were built along the west shore. Major developers like Hormusjee Naorojee Mody and Catchick Paul Chater actively participated in the development of Tsim Sha Tsui. The Kowloon–Canton Railway (British Section) commenced service on 1 October 1910. Kowloon station in Tsim Sha Tsui
2665-741: The buildings. In 2005, there were 15 office buildings and 5 hotels in Tsim Sha Tsui East: Streets in Tsim Sha Tsui include: Tsim Sha Tsui is served by the MTR Tsim Sha Tsui station , on the Tsuen Wan line . Another station, East Tsim Sha Tsui station , opened in late 2004 as a southern extension of the East Rail line from Hung Hom station . On 16 August 2009, the Kowloon Southern Link of
Former Marine Police Headquarters - Misplaced Pages Continue
2730-585: The closure of one of the hospitals. In the 1980s a similar system existed between two French hospitals located in Granville and Avranche. Birds were used extensively during World War I . One homing pigeon, Cher Ami , was awarded the French Croix de guerre for his heroic service in delivering 12 important messages, despite having been very badly injured. During World War II, the Irish Paddy ,
2795-509: The eastern edge. The area is hilly, although many hills were levelled for reclamation. Historical maps in Ming or Qing dynasty named the channel between Tsim Sha Tsui and Central as Chung Mun (Pinyin: Zhong Men, 中門, lit. the middle gate) as it is located in the middle of the two other channels, Kap Shui Mun in the west and Lei Yue Mun in the east, in the harbour. Before Kowloon was ceded to Britain in 1860, many villages were present in
2860-404: The extension of the line from Hung Hom to the new East Tsim Sha Tsui station , which serves as an interchange station with Tsim Sha Tsui station on the Tsuen Wan line . Unlike other East Rail line stations, it was built underground near Blackhead Point . An extensive tunnel system was constructed for pedestrians to access the most popular destinations in Tsim Sha Tsui, and to change trains between
2925-564: The eyes and is lateralized has been examined somewhat, but developments have implicated the trigeminal nerve in magnetoreception . Research by Floriano Papi (Italy, early 1970s) and more recent work, largely by Hans Wallraff, suggest that pigeons also orient themselves using the spatial distribution of atmospheric odors, known as olfactory navigation . Other research indicates that homing pigeons also navigate through visual landmarks by following familiar roads and other human-made features, making 90-degree turns and following habitual routes, much
2990-595: The first century CE. By the 19th century homing pigeons were used extensively for military communications. The sport of flying messenger pigeons was well-established as early as 3000 years ago. They were used to proclaim the winner of the Ancient Olympics . Messenger pigeons were used as early as 1150 in Baghdad and also later by Genghis Khan . By 1167 a regular service between Baghdad and Syria had been established by Sultan Nur ad-Din . In Damietta , by
3055-575: The height restrictions on buildings has dropped and now larger taller skyscrapers, parallel to those of Central, have been constructed. Some depictions of the cartoon cat Din Dong appear throughout the city. A statue in the Avenue of Comic Stars was built in Kowloon Park. Tourist hospitality is a major industry in Tsim Sha Tsui. The area has the highest concentration of hotels in Hong Kong. Some of
3120-517: The hotels include The Peninsula , Rosewood Hong Kong , Kowloon Shangri-La , InterContinental Hong Kong , The Mira Hong Kong , Baden-Powell International House , Hotel Icon , and the Hotel Panorama . The Hyatt Regency Hong Kong was closed on 1 January 2006 and the iSQUARE shopping mall was built at its former location; it re-opened in October 2009 on Hanoi Road of Tsim Sha Tsui within
3185-402: The lawn was returfed for the safety of public. In the 1970s, the compound lost a large part of its gardens, when the slope to the east was levelled to make way for the construction of Kowloon Park Drive . The station was colloquially referred to as T-Lands Police Station – probably a reference to Marine Police brevity code for a marine police station on "Land" at " Tsim Sha Tsui ". This name
3250-531: The legs of homing pigeons. The birds would then fly from Halifax to New York City where the information would be published. Homing pigeons were still employed in the 21st century by certain remote police departments in Odisha state in eastern India to provide emergency communication services following natural disasters . In March 2002, it was announced that India's Police Pigeon Service messenger system in Odisha
3315-711: The mouth of the Nile, the Spanish traveller Pedro Tafur saw carrier pigeons for the first time, in 1436, though he imagined that the birds made round trips, out and back. The Republic of Genoa equipped their system of watch towers in the Mediterranean Sea with pigeon posts. Tipu Sultan of Mysore (1750–1799) also used messenger pigeons; they returned to the Jamia Masjid mosque in Srirangapatna , which
SECTION 50
#17328014867273380-409: The nearby Old Kowloon Fire Station and the Fire Station Accommodation Block to the campus. The Main Building was originally a two-storey structure; an extra storey was added to the Main Building in the 1920s, and an ancillary building was added to the north. The south-east and south-west wings of the main building served as married quarters, while the top floor of the west wing was the residence for
3445-419: The new The Masterpiece skyscraper. Other hotels in virtually every price range and level of luxury can be found throughout the area; Chungking Mansions is known for providing cheap lodging for backpackers. Tsim Sha Tsui is one of many places to find exotic restaurants in Hong Kong. Hillwood Road at the north of Observatory Hill concentrates on restaurants of different national dishes. Knutsford Terrace on
3510-411: The other side of the hill is a terrace of pubs. Kimberley Street is famous for the Korean cuisine restaurants and grocery stores, especially after the advent of Korean Wave ( 韓流 ) in Hong Kong, giving the street the nickname of Koreatown ( 小韓國 ). From there, a string of Korean restaurants are located on Austin Avenue which circles Observatory Hill. Located on Nathan Road , the Chungking Mansions
3575-417: The prevailing market rate was HK$ 1 million per square metre, the under-counted existing floor space and below-market rate paid for the extra construction collectively were estimated to have provided an effective HK$ 1.5 billion bonus to Cheung Kong Holdings. The original Marine Police Headquarters comprises the Main Building, Stable Block and Signal Tower. The redevelopment into 1881 Heritage added
3640-592: The same way that humans navigate. Research by Jon Hagstrum of the US Geological Survey suggests that homing pigeons use low-frequency infrasound to navigate. Sound waves as low as 0.1 Hz have been observed to disrupt or redirect pigeon navigation. The pigeon ear, being far too small to interpret such a long wave, directs pigeons to fly in a circle when first taking air, in order to mentally map such long infrasound waves. Various experiments suggest that different breeds of homing pigeons rely on different cues to different extents. Charles Walcott at Cornell University
3705-410: The southern waterfront. Hong Kong Museum of History and Hong Kong Science Museum are situated in Tsim Sha Tsui East. The Hong Kong Heritage Discovery Centre and the Health Education Exhibition and Resource Centre , located within Kowloon Park, are housed in preserved and restored blocks of the former Whitfield Camp . Tsim Sha Tsui was once the terminus of the Kowloon–Canton Railway (KCR). After
3770-405: The space starting in 1986 until the 2003–09 renovations. The Fire Station Accommodation Block is immediately north of the Old Kowloon Fire station, and was completed in 1922. Tsim Sha Tsui Tsim Sha Tsui ( Chinese : 尖沙咀 ), often abbreviated as TST , is an area in southern Kowloon , Hong Kong. The area is administratively part of the Yau Tsim Mong District . Tsim Sha Tsui East
3835-406: The two lines. East Tsim Sha Tsui is the last district in Hong Kong to use a grid plan system before the Hong Kong government adopted its high land price policy, meaning that development in East Tsim Sha Tsui is less centralised than in newer districts. It is characterised by a large number of mid-rise buildings including hotels, offices and shopping centres. Pedestrian plazas are located in between
3900-458: Was able to demonstrate that while pigeons from one loft were confused by a magnetic anomaly in the Earth it had no effect on birds from another loft 1.6 km (1 mile) away. Other experiments have shown that altering the perceived time of day with artificial lighting or using air conditioning to eliminate odors in the pigeons' home roost affected the pigeons' ability to return home. GPS tracing studies indicate that gravitational anomalies may play
3965-428: Was approved to be constructed on reclaimed land in 1912. It was built on the new southern reclamation from 1913 to 1915. The rails extended along the western reclamation parallel to Chatham Road , with old Hung Hom station near the Gun Club Hill Barracks at the junction of Chatham Road and Austin Road . Another major road, Salisbury Road , was completed in approximately the same period. The landmark Peninsula Hotel
SECTION 60
#17328014867274030-406: Was built on the reclamation in 1928, opposite to the station. The Kowloon station was relocated to a new Hung Hom station in 1978. The whole station and rails were demolished except the landmark Clock Tower . Hong Kong Space Museum and later the Hong Kong Cultural Centre were erected on the site. The rails were replaced with New World Centre and other gardens in Tsim Sha Tsui East . In 2016
4095-494: Was his headquarters. The pigeon holes may be seen in the mosque's minarets to this day. In 1818, a great pigeon race called the Cannonball Run took place at Brussels . In 1860, Paul Reuter , who later founded Reuters press agency, used a fleet of over 45 pigeons to deliver news and stock prices between Brussels and Aachen , the terminus of early telegraph lines. The outcome of the 1815 Battle of Waterloo has often been claimed to have been delivered to London by pigeon but there
4160-422: Was originally constructed on the waterfront, and had a dedicated slip prior to the reclamation of land to create Salisbury Road. To the east, the headquarters faced a sandy beach. During the Japanese Occupation (1941–1945), the compound was used as a base for the Japanese navy . At this time, an extensive network of tunnels were constructed beneath the lawn but after World War II , these tunnels were blocked and
4225-461: Was to be retired, due to the expanded use of the Internet . The Taliban banned the keeping or use of pigeons, including racing pigeons, in Afghanistan in the late 1990s. To this day, pigeons are still entered into competitions. Research has been performed with the intention of discovering how pigeons, after being transported, can find their way back from distant places they have never visited before. Most researchers believe that homing ability
#726273