Pigeon mail on Cambridge Street?

The following article is from the SMH of 25 March 1901.  On first reading I was wondering why carrier pigeon messages warranted reporting in the SMH.  Were they novel?  But then it twigged it had something to do with the military.  You might be, as was I, wondering what military expeditions were afoot in 1901.  The answer is the Boer War, and in 1901 it was the 5th rotation of NSW troops off to South Africa.  The 'British Princess' and 'Ranee' were carrying much of the 3rd NSW Mounted Rifles.  They were more troubled by disease than the Boers, losing 32 to illness and 7 to the enemy out of their 1,000 strength.  They returned to Australia on 2 June 1902.  If you are interested here is a link to more of the 3rd NSW's history.  They had some nice kit back in the day.

Now I am not sure if the birds were meant for Victoria Barracks and were just intercepted at Cambridge Street, or if a local pigeon enthusiast hired out a few of his birds for government work.  However the system worked it appears a Mr A Bassetti, who lived at 13 Cambridge Street, received a number of birds back from the military transport 'Ranee'.  One from Capt. Copeland and another from Capt. Stokes. I couldn't really find out much more about our correspondents except for confirmation of their service.  At least the odds were in their favour that they made it back.  As for Mr A. Bassetti the Sands Directory records the main resident as a J. B. Bassetti.  This family was better known for its pub rather than its pigeons, being the proprietors of the Solferino Hotel on Sutherland Street.  The Solferino, which opened in 1878, is better known today as the 'Four in Hand'.  Gee you can learn a few things here!!