HOSTILE BALLOONS.

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 149, 15 December 1870, Page 6

HOSTILE BALLOONS.

The following extraordinary statement appears in the " Nouvelles dv Joui '' a Belgian paper. The intelligence was conveyed in a note to that journal from one of their correspondents at the seat of war, which note was conveyed to Brussels by a carrier pigeon :—: — Paris, Oct. 1. " Nadav returned yesterday to Paris. His return was not, however, effected without much trouble, although his balloon was directed by a good wind and favorable currents since his departure from Tours. But let me relate the particulars of the voyage in chronological order. He left Tours at six o'clock in the morning, and the bold aeronaut arrived in view of Paris at 1 1 o'clock, floating about 3,000 metres above the fort of Charenton. At the same time as the Intrepide, which was the name of M. Nadar's balloon, appeared in sight, a second balloon was seen in the horizon M. Nadar was observed to display a long streamer with the French national coloiU'S.

* "Kvaxie" — "Suffocnterl mutton,*' i.e. the flesh, of sheep that have been smothered in. the snow. •f "Soor dook," i.e.— Sour stuff — buttermilk.

Inmediately afterwards a national flag floated from the car of the other balloon. Vigorous hurrahs and cries C'est Duroff" from the garrison of the fort, greeted the appearance of the two aeronauts, whose balloons approached. Suddenly, and when at a short distance from each other, a loud report "was heard in the air, which report was followed by a series of explosions. These were at first supposed to be victorious signals or demonstrations, until M. Nadar was seen to fling himself into the netting of his balloon and cling to its sides. During this time the other aeronaut continued discharging shots at M. Nadar and his balloon. Thelntrepide was descending rapidly, and it appeared evident to the spectators below that some incomprehensible event had happened above. But mark what the French flag of the neighbouring balloon came to. It was withdrawn, and a black and yellow standard was observed to be floating in its place. All was explained. " Treason "'lt is a Prussian balloon !' 'He has fired on the Intrepid e !' were the cries that burst simultaneously from the French people. Nadar was supposed to have been lost. He was seen to descend rapidly in his car, and his balloon had once more nearly reached the earth. He, however, casts out his

ballast, and he ascends. M. Nadar again clambers up the network of his balloon, and, by a marvellous effort, he succeeds in stopping the hole made in his by the shot of his adversary. The Tntrepide then becomes the assailant, and several .shots were fired from the cur into the Prussian balloon, which suddenly whirled about and fell to the ground with giddy velocity. As soon as it reached the earth a detachment of TJhlan3, who were on the plain, and who had been following the aerial combatants throughout this most exciting straggle, rushed forth and, surrounding the balloon, received their champion — God knows in what condition. They then hastened off at full speed to the Prussian advanced posts. In the meantime M. Nadar descended safely at Charenton, where he still is at this moment.'

The " Echo d\i Parloment " commenting on the recital, observes : — While the " Nouvelles da Jour " was publishing that extraordinary account of an aerial combat, we read in the correspondence addressed from Vers-iilles to the "Times " of the 30th of September the following paragraph : — ' An inexplicable phenomenon has just been witnessed at Versailles. Two balloons attached fco each other were seen hovering over Paris, moved by a strong east wind in the direction of the forest of St. Germain. While the gentleman who narrated these facts to me was gazing at the aeronauts, his littlo daughter asked him to let her view the balloons through his spyglass. Scarcely had she distinguished the objects in the air when she exclaimed 'They have fallen.' The balloons had disappeared suddenly behind the trees. The Brussels journal also states that a smaller balloon was perceived about the same time above Neffe, near Bastoguo, near which place it seemed to have slowly descended. It was supposed to have ascended from the garrison of Mctz.