The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-09-05

offer in pawn FOX their votes to our German
fellow-citizens is a sympathy in the passions
and the hates which make people tyrants
abroad by making them slaves at home. The
sympathy which the Democrats Of America
give not to Germany alone but to France, is
a sympathy in that love of liberty and of
justice which makes people honored abroad
10y ma king them free at home
BALLOONS IN WARFARE.
From the NJ Y. Times.
The Prussian Government, 1t seems has
engaged the services of Wells, the Scotch
aeronaut to conduct aerial observations of
the French naval movements upon the Prus-
sian coast. This is not the first time balloons
have been used for military purposes, but it
will be surprising if they are the means of
giving information of any contemplated
movements of the French fleet. In Watching
an enemy. a moderately elevated observing
station is highly desirable, but the only sure
way of regulating the altitude of a balloon,
so far discovered seems to be by means of a
rope anchored to the earth. Aeronauts of
course claim that they can ascend certain
distance, and then sail in any direction they
please, arising and descending at will; but
they seldom attain such facility in managing
their air vessels when their ability to do so is
put to practical test There seems to be
little doubt that the atmosphere is divided
into several zones. in which the prevailing
currents have for the most part constant
direction, so that by rising TO one or other
of these strata, the navigator Of the air can
be almost as certain Of the point of the COM
pass toward which he will be blown as the
navigator of the sea who encounters the
trade winds.
But while it is quite possible that bal
loon may be made to pass over an enemy's
fleet or encampment, it is by no means GER
tain that the observer, thus elevated, will
not be so far above what he wishes to observe
as to be able to gain little accurate infor-
nation. large balloon looks quite small
when seen at any considerable height, and
objects on the earth must seem correspond
ingly reduced to the vision of man who
sees them from the basket of such balloon.
If, on the other hand, the balloon can be
made to float so low that men and animals
are clearly discernible, it at once becomes
target for the hostile rockets, and the position
of the daring balloonist is precarious in the
extreme When General Mcclellan COM
menced his celebrated Peninsular campaign,
| Professor Lowe accompanied the army with a
train and several balloons. Many ascensons
| were made, but the commanding officer did
not ascertain anything very valuable by their
means. General FitZ John Porter made an
ascension on one occasion, when, the balloon
being loose, it foated over Yorktown, to the
great CONSERVATION of the General COM
mand. He fortunately succeeded in making
his descent within our own lines.
While, however, balloons were of very
little practical value to our armies during the
Rebellion, the officers and men of the Signal
Corps rendered most valuable service, and
were often the means of discovering the con-
templated movements of the enemy. The
Signal Corps were fully supplied with field
glasses and telescopes of considerable power,
and as their stations were always located in
some lofty tree, or upon some elevated rock
OF mountain top, they were able to scan the
country for miles around. They were in con-
slant communication, either by flag or mes
sengers, with army headquarters, SO that
what they saw was at once transmitted to the
commanding officer. This would have been
difficult if a balloon had been the observing
station. Our signal officers were constantly
available in directing the movements of
troops; and on several occasions, when the
gun-boats were cooperating with our land
forces. the fire of the former was regulated
in accordance with messages transmitted by
! flags from signal stations on land. The Prus-
slams may find balloon ascensions more valua-
BILE than we did, but for war purposes we
esteem one good signal officer worth dozen
aeronauts. King William might gain some
valuable hints on this subject from Lieuten-
ant General Sheridan. Many of our volun-
teers who were in the Signal Corps were Ger
mans, and would doubtless be glad to serve
their Fatherland in a similar capacity. If the
Prussians want trustworthy information, they
are not likely to find better men for obtain
ing it than some of their own nationality who
served in our armies.
THE TERRIBLE CONFLICT AT SEDAN
From the N. p. Tribune
| What MacMahon might have accomplished
in aid of Bazaine if he had reached the vici-
nifty of Metz, will always remain matter Of
speculation. His enterprise in that direction
| has been completely frustrated Bazaines S
demonstration in support of it by sortie at
Metz has signally failed, and efter suffering
defeat in a series of bloody engagements he
is shut closer than ever in the fortress, with
out the slightest hope of relief MacMahon
was detected by his vigilant enemy in his
movement from Rethel to Montmedy.
Struck ia flank while upon the march and
astride wide and navigable river, he has
been forced to surrender. Fortunately
for the French Marshal his various lines of
retreat naturally converged at Sedan; else,
with his army separated by the Meuse he
must inevitably have been destroyed. But
his several columns, retreating on no fixed or
deliberate plan, were concentrated at Sedan,
and were thus enabled to resume the battle.
No less than eight different engagements
have been fought since the morning of Aug.
30, when the opposing armiesfirst encountered
each other. The French were moving from
Rethel to Montmedy, by two parallel roads,
apparently unsuspicious of the approach of
the Prussians. While MacMahon moved from
west to east, the Prussians advanced from
south to north, and thus caught him at dis
advantage. The first combats-minor affairs