The Sun.
London, England, 1870-10-08 00:00:00

A BALLOON FIGHT.

Something has come of the balloons at last. If the
example detailed below be followed up in a proper manner
we shall soon have the two hostile hosts combatting in the
air, with the cheerful prospect of victor and vanquished

sharing the same fate. For the following extraordinary
story the IVouvelles du Jour, a Belgian paper, is respon-
sible. It received it in a note by carrier pigeon :
" Paris, October I.—" Nadar returned yesterday to
Paris. His return was not, however, effected with-
out much trouble, although his balloon was directed
by a good wind and favourable currents since
his departure from Tours. But let me relate the par-
ticulars of his voyage in chronological order. He left Tours
at 6 o'clock in the morning, and the bold aeronaut arrived
in view of Paris at 11 o'clock, floating about 3,000 metres
above the fort of Charenton. At the same time as the
Intr6pide, which was the name of M. Nadar's balloon, ap-
peared in sight, a second balloon was seen in the horizon.
M Nadar was observed to display a long streamer with the
French national colours. Immediately afterwards a na-
tional flag floated from the car of the other balloon. Vigorous
hurrahs and cries of C'est Durouff,' from the garrison of
the fort, greeted the appearance of the two aeronauts,
whose ballons gradually 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 victori-
ous signals or demonstrations, until M. Nadar was
seen to fling himself into the netting of his balloon, and
to cling to its sides. During this time the other aero-
naut continued discharging shots at M. radar and his
balloon. The Intrepide 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 It was withdrawn, and a black and yellow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 ! It is a Prussian balloon !'
' He has fired on the Intrepide I' were the cries that burst
simultaneously from the French people. Nadar was sup-
posed 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 again
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 balloon by the shot
of his adversary. The Intrispide then becomes the assailant,

and several shots were fired from the car 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 -Uhlans, who were on the plain, and
who had been following the aerial combatants throughout
this exciting struggle, 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."

STRA.SBURG AFTER THE SIEGE.

THE ATTITUDE OF THE INHABITANTS.
The Suabian Mercury's correspondent confesses that in
general the feeling of the people of Strasburg is anything
but favourable to the Germans. " A great deal of it
feeling exists on account of our having bombarded the
town. I am forced to listen to all kinds of remarkable and
romantic ideas; in fact, some of the people tell me that
Prussia commenced the war, that it was forced upon France,
and that the policy of Prussia since 1866 had been war, in-
evitable war, with France. To reply to such extraordinary
views would be useless, as reasons and refutations would
not be listened to. Others say that before two years are
over France will demand a-heavy settlement of the account
from Prussia ; and others, that it is impossible to say
whether the town will not be bombarded anew within a
fortnight, for after the Prussians have been defeated before
Paris, the first thing that France will do will be to reconquer
Strasburg. It is easy to see that these good people have
not seen any newspapers recently."
THE DEFENCE.
The style in which the defence was conducted is much
commented on, and it certainly seems peculiar. The
French never attempted, according to most accounts, to
annoy the invaders whilst prosecuting any enterprise until
it was too late to do them any harm. Then vigorous
offensive operations were undertaken. " From the night
when the Germans first broke ground till the completion
of the fourth parallel, the pioneer parties were scarcely
ever molested from the walls or outworks whilst engaged
in digging themselves into cover ; but as soon as their
work was finished, and they were well sheltered by six or
seven feet of earth, a feu d'enfer was invariably opened
upon the newly completed trench and the villages
behind the approaches, which did very little
damage to the parallels, and inflicted but
slight loss on their occupants, but destroyed a
vast amount of property owned by French subjects."
This is certainly a remarkable feature in an otherwise
creditable defence. The traces of the conflict are to be
removed with all speed. On the Ist of October 750 work-
men were employed to clear away the streets and make
them passable. The bridge across the Rhine to Kehl is
being repaired. The Bavarian troops are being sent out
into the neighbourhood to break up the Freeshooters,
who infest all the region round. According to
the Cologne Gazette, a very sharp skirmish took
place the other day, " but the Franc-tireurs, of course,
retired firing, for these new bodies which are to save
France are not renowned for stability. Even the French
themselves avoid as much as possible the neighbourhoods
infested by the Franc-tireurs, as it is notorious that a
number of disreputable vagabonds have joined this new- I
formed branch of the army of the present Government." j
THE BOOTY.
The correspondent of the Telegraph gives an account of