The Sun.
London, England, 1869-05-27 00:00:00

MB MONSTER BALLOON.

This balloon, which started from Ashburnham Park,
adjoining Cremorne Gardens, on Tuesday afternool3,
and for the safety of which considerable al pre.
pensions were entertained, has been secured'
though not without some injury, near Aylesbury'
The balloon came on Tuesday afternoon from the
direction of Aston Clinton and Tring, and passed a little
to the north of the town of Aylesbury, going westvvard•
Many persons assembled in the streets, and telescope°
were brought to bear upon the monster, the general opinion
of the persons who viewed it being that there were tWo
persons inside. It bore for the Waddesdon and Wincher
don range of hills, and by Tring House, Hogshaw, and
North Malston, past the Grandborough-road Station, on
the Aylesbury and Buckingham line of railway, to afar
occupied by Mr. Hornby, in the parish of Botolpo
-Claydow. The balloon, after passing the Winchendoo
Hills, shewed signs of partial exhaustion, and for four or
five miles the thick rope attached to it flapped along the
fields and against the hedges. It then proceeded 0
again, coming into contact with some large elm trees 0°
Bernwood Farm, on the estate of Sir Harry Verney:
with which, after tearing away some large Lranches, it
became entangled. By this time some fifty or sixty rustics,
who had followed the ballon, had assembled, and atten3l:444
were made to secure it by lashing the rope round the
trunks of the trees, which was eventually done. Sir Harr/
Verney and Colonel Pratt were among the earliest arrivals,
and under their directions precautions were taken to prevent
the balloon being injured ; Colonel Pratt placing fifteen
men belonging to the Bucks Militia, of which he is colonel'
and who happened to be present, to keep guard over 3
during the night. Upon seeing the account in the mornia
papers of the CE cape of the balloon from Ashburnhani Park
on Tuesday, Mr. Field, watchmaker, of Aylesbury, tele'
graphed to M. Fon, and received a reply in the course °1
the afternoon asking him to take care of the balloon, and
that he would send down some men for it in the evenio`b
M. Fou's men arrived at Aylesbury by the 5.20 P• 111.
train, and proceeded to Botolph Claydow to take charge
of the balloon.

There have been 200 patents issued at tbe
Patent Office:Washington, for velocipedes during the P3st
twelve months.

Some idea may be formed of the state of villa'
tion in a village in Hampshire, when it is stated that 014
of thirteen jurymen summoned at an inquest last week'
only four could write their names.

PROPOSED WELCOME TO MR. MOTLEY AT Lil7°'
rooL.—At the monthly meeting of the Chamber of C°ll3.
coerce it was agreed to present to Mr. Motley an addles;
on his arrival as the American Minister. It is expect°
that there will also be a grand banquet.

The cotton spinners in the district ranging Will:
Hyde to Glossop and Hadfield, and embracing those porti°°;
of Cheshire and Derbyshire which lie on the south-east
borders of Lancashire, have decided to reduce the wages °f
the operatives 5 per cent. in all branches of the cottox nionly
facturing business on and after the 19th of June next.

CURIOUS STATISTICS.—Some curious statistic°
have recently been issued in Paris. In that city (so 0634
the report) the entire population amounts to 1,700,00:a
750,000 men, 700,000 women, 250,000 children; 400,
of these men, women, and children live on ther
own income (rcntes) or are professional. 100#0
are in schools, hospitals, and charitable institil.
tions, 200,000 are wholesale and retail trader",
1,000,000 are mechanics, 35,000 are soldiers. There °•143
416,811 individuals who represent the manufacture 1).1
what are called " articles of Paris." These "1'3131
workers" consist of 285,861 men, 105,410 women, 25,i'
children.

THE NEW OFFICIAL ASSIONEE. Arrangettlent6
have been made for the appointment of Mr. Philip Paget'
who for many years was chief clerk to Mr. Ectio:'i
Watkin Edwards, the late official assignee, to he an offlels
assignee until further order. Since the dismissal of AiPt
Edwards, Mr. H. 11. Stansfeld, who, from the retire:oer?
of Mr. Sturgis, acted as provisional assignee 1/1
insolvent matters, has superintended the business of gr;
Edwards's office ; but this has been found to Produce li
great inconvenience, and Mr. Paget will now receive t.
temporary appointment, foregoing all claim to a PerlB,l°oi
as official assignee. It may be added that the BankruP"
Bill before Parliament proposes the abolition of the otile

of official assignee. —Post.
A case ;hich is likely to lead to some curious dis:l
closures was before Lord Penzance in the Probate Court °t,
Wednesday. The will of a Mr. Dickenson, farmer, late of -
Albans, is disputed on the ground that the signatures to it sl.°
forgeries. For some short time after the testator's death ,tl,°
will could be found, but ultimately swill was discovered ,
chefioneer, bequeathing the property to the wife duriog air
lifetime, and directing at her death it should be equally
vided amongst the children or their issue. The will ("2.
-
apparently duly attested by two witnesses, who were:
mers in the neighbourhood. The plaintiffs, however, BP :":
that the signatures of the testator and the two wituess°l
are forgeries. Dr. Deane, Q.C., and Dr. Swabey are coinise
for the plaintiff ; and Dr. S
inks " , and Dr. Vistto
for the_will. A witness was called wi: ra
o deposed to lindirg
the will in the mar ner mentioned. He also stated 1115 t c:l3e
of the attesting witnesses was believed to be in California'
but the whereabouts of the other was not ascertained.
AN EX-EMPRESS.—The French journals tell
ill
painfula story. A few
nd clays back a lady, elegantly dreseu!
wearing many diamonds drove up to the house of
gentleman at Enghien, a village near Paris, and, Pres'l'to
ing herself as the Queen of Spain, said that she desiredoc
rent his house, and wished to be allowed to visit it.
proceeded to shew her over it, but her manner was stravglet
and after awhile she addressed him as "Sire 1" ifenstarbgal
came to the conclusion that she was a lunatic, but was etti-tiv-
rassed as to what he should do. Presently, bowever,
.c,
theyon men arrived. The lady at first stabrte;
on seeing them, but followed them quietly, and
took her away. They told the gentleman that she
that
a very great lady, that her mind was affected, and
ea,
she had escaped fivin Paris on her way to the PYren
en.
where she had been ordered by her physicians. The_gson.
tleman subsequently learned that she was no less a Pse:ster•
agt than the sister of the King of the Belgians, the
in-law of the Emperor of Austria, the cousin of the Queeri g
of England—she was the widow of Maximilian, 1:1913e °
of Mexico. She is, it appears, hopelessly mad.