| Description | Bears at its centre a small and indistinct photograph of a copy of the Times newspaper, and the inscription:
'A memento of the great war of 1870-1 when Paris, for several months, depended solely on the carrier pigeons for all information from the outside world. 'The Times' containing several columns of French advertisements, &c., to relatives in Paris. This photograph was sent to M. Gambetta for transmission by pigeon from Bordeaux. When received in the bureau at Paris, it is magnified, by the aid of the magic lantern, to an enormous size and thrown upon a screen. A staff of clerks immediately transcribe the messages, and send them off to the parties indicated.' |