The following letter dated December 5, 1899, was addressed to The Deputy Minister of Marine & Fisheries, Ottawa, Ontario.

Sir,

During the past season, the training of the Messenger Pigeons has been entered into more thoroughly than during any previous season since the birds have been located here, and the results on the whole, have been more satisfactory than those hitherto attained.

I am however again forced to the conclusion that we cannot hope by such means to secure communication between here and Sable Island, which would be to the smallest extent reliable, or of service to your Department.

Birds have been flown as in the accompanying statement.

On the 28th of October, six birds were sent to Guysboro, and flown from there, but of these only one returned to Hazel-Hill. Upon my return journey from Guysboro to Hazel-Hill on the 29th, I saw two of these birds in the woods about 8 miles from Guysboro, but they flew off in the opposite direction to their home. This is the longest distance we have flown them, and considering that the distance was only 30 miles, I do not think the result promises well for the much greater distance to Sable Island. On the 4th of October, the Halifax Agent of your Department wired me that the S.S. "Minto" en route to Sable Island would call here for birds. Sixteen well trained birds were promptly got ready for transportation to Sable Island, but as the "Minto" failed to call, the only result was that the birds were kept in cramped quarters for 48 hours. It is much to be regretted, that such an opportunity to make a valuable test should have been lost.

Captain Kelley of the S.S. "John L. Cann", has rendered valuable service in taking birds across and flying them from the opposite side of the Chedabucto Bay, and in this way the most satisfactory results have been obtained, but I have found difficulty in getting the birds taken in other directions, as whilst people do not mind carrying a basket occasionally, they demur at doing so as a regular thing and consequently, a systematic long distance training in all directions, will necessitate your Department defraying transportation expenses.

If your Department wishes the training to be continued, I must ask them to vote a more liberal amount for the purpose. During the past two years, my time has been so fully occupied, and business has called me from home so often, that I have been able to devote but little of my time to the pigeons. Mr. F. Lawson who manages them very thoroughly, has practically had complete charge of the birds, but they occupy the whole time of one person, and your Department can scarely expect to receive the services of a competent male for Eleven Dollars per month.

Whilst dealing with this subject, you will perhaps pardon me for expressing the opinion, that I think your Department might profitably direct its attention to wireless telegraphy, as a means of establishing communication with Sable Island. Within the past few months, Signor Marconi has amply demonstrated, that his system of wireless telegraphy is both practicable and reliable, as a means of obtaining communication between points separated by considerable stretches of water. Within a distance of about 80 miles, it is no longer an experiment, and Signor Marconi firmly believes that he can increase this distance. I consider Hazel- Hill a very favourable point from which to operate such a system, as it stands at an elevation of about 150 feet above sea level with no intervening high land between it and Sable Island, and thus initial elevation would prove decidedly advantageous. I am quite sure that the Company which I have the honour to represent, would render the Government every possible assistance in endeavouring to establish such a means of communication, and its maintenance could from this point receive the attention of expert electricians and telegraphists. The system of wireless telegraphy as installed on and operated from our cable repairing steamer "Mackay-Bennett", for the purpose of reporting the reporting the recent International Yacht Races was quite a success.