A hundred years ago
From the 'Spectator,' 3 December 1870— Science has done a great deal for the beseiged French, not only in the way of balloons, but in the way of photography. We understand that the messages by carrier-pigeon are usually written on a piece of thin paper, not nearly four square inches in extent, which is put into a quill and fastened to one of the tail feathers of the pigeon. Upon this little scrap of paper is photographed, in characters far too small to be either written or read without the most Powerful microscope, an immense number of messages. The little scrap is divided into four Columns, the first column describing the nature of the document, and the other three filled with Government messages. What a blessing it would be to have all despatches so sent even in the time of peace! Imagine the Colonial Office limited to three-quarters of four square inches, and compelled to read its despatches by the aid of a Powerful microscope. The Colonies would 60011 get quite friendly with us under such regime as that.
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