The Sun.
London, England, 1871-01-19 00:00:00

GUNNERY.

The besieged have been tolerably independent in the
matter of guns, for Paris contains some of the largest
military establishments in existence. There is a
celebrated cannon foundry, and factories of the first
order, and it has therefore been easy to get guns of vari-
ous calibre • to arm the forts and ramparts as well
as to supply what was more important—field guns for the
two hundred thousand active troops. These guns required
to compete in length of range and quickness of firing
with the far-famed Prussian artillery. Three

hundred and sixty 12-pound howitzers have been
converted into rifle breechloading 7-pounders by casting. a
new bronze cylinder inside the gun. This difficult work
was accomplished in the Paris foundries, which are
capable of carrying out the most delicate opera-
tions in gunnery. The converted . guns were
tried at Avron, and answered very well. Be-
sides the Government orders, every day guns come in
from private manufacturers, which are paid for by sub-
scription. The enthusiasm which prevailed a short time
since in this matter has a little abated, but so many designs
of the kind were set on foot that the numbers of the guns
now being completed form a considerable aggregate. It
was the fashion for every society, every trade, every
section of the citizens who subscribed, to offer one or more
cannon to the Defence, and, accordingly, every day the
guns are brought in State to the Hotel de Ville, speeches
are made, thanks are rendered, and there is general
cheering and satisfaction. There will soon, it is said, be
more guns than there will be horses to drag them. There
are now few surviving animals, and they are painful to
look upon. No more oats nor straw, nothing but bread,
which has become the common food of men and horses,
but the allowance is too limited to be satisfactory.

THE ESCAPE OF M. JULES FAVRE'S SECRETARY.
The recent escape from Paris of M. Frederic I: eit-
linger, private secretary to M. Jules Favre, will be read
with some interest. It was about nine o'clock in the
morning of Monday last that a balloon ascended
from La Gare d'Orl4ans, bearing away with it M. Reit- ,
linger, with five sacks of despatches for Vienna, St. ,
Petersburg, and London ; M. Cassier, who was entrusted
with instructions to establish a carrier-pigeon pest
between General Trochu and General Bourbaki ; an ex-
marine, who had formerly been a pupil of the celebrated
aeronaut Mons. Goddard ; twenty carrier pigeons, fool,
baggage, &c. After journeying a long time throngh
mist, they passed into a dense mass of rolling
clouds, and in ono moment it was quite dark,
with first a heavy dew and afterwards torrents
of rain. As soon as the sun shone out again it became
evident that they were rapidly descending. An observa-
tion of the parachute confirmed this, and the grappling-
irons were thrown out. In a few minutes the balloon had
fallen to a height of about 500 metros, and M. Reitlin 4er
then stood up in the car to survey the situation. He
found they were descending with frightful rapidity upon
a forest which extended in every direction as far as the
eye could reach. " Mon Dieu," exclaimed M, Reitlinger,
"poussons que nous puissons de passer la foret ; " but it
was too late. The words were hardly pronounced before
, the balloon, driven by a violent wind, rushed amongst the
trees, crashing the branches as though they were tooth-
picks. This was the most terrible moment of the whole
journey. Mons. Reitlinger jumped up and seized, the
wooden circle 'known as the " crown." By this means he
saved himself from injury, while his companion, M. Cas-
sier, WAS less fortunate, and is still in the hospital from
the injuries he sustained. The balloon rose and fell and
rolled about, and the travellers not only thought of
death, but of the terrible one of being torn to pieces.
At length the huge balloon dashed against a great oak,
breaking into pieces, and nearly suffocating the brave
aeronauts with its escaping gas. The car, however, had
become entangled between some branches, which for some
minutes kept it sufficiently steady to allow the gentlemen
to get out and descend to terra firma. After about a
quarter of an hour's walk they approached some peasants
who came out to meet them, and the voyagers then
learned that they had descended not tar from the
village
of Vigneulles, in the department of the Meuse, and not far
from Metz. It was one o'clock, and consequently they had
been four hours in travelling the distance between Paris
and Metz (about 300 kilometres), which it takes the railway
trains sixteen hours to accomplish. It was then found
that a quarter of an hour before the Prussians had passed
through the village, male a requisition, au d. gone away.
The party then proceeded to the mayor, who told them to
be gone as soon as possible, as the Prussians frequently
visited the place. M. Reitlinger selected two brave
ladies, to whom he entrusted the delivery of some of his
despatches, and a courageous and devoted citizen took
them in his carriage to the Belgian frontier. The party
went through village after village with the Prussians (who
had heard of the balloon descent) in hot pursuit. The
German officers, however, were misdirected by the vil-
, lagers, and in this way, after a very narrow escape at
Montmddy, the fugitives reached the frontier. They pro-
ceeded first to Vienna, and then to London, where M.
Reitlinger now is.