Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1870-10-25
BATTLE OF BALLOONS.
Aerial combat-Yisht ting Aeronaui


The following extraordinary statement
appears in the Nouyelles du Jour, Bel
gian paper 1t is contained in the note
to that journal by one of its correspond
ents at the seat of war, which note was
conveyed by carrier pigeon:
"PARIs, October l, 1870.
"Nadar returned yesterday to Paris.
| His return was not, however, effected
without much trouble, although his bal
loon was directed by a good wind and
favorable currents since his departure
from Tours. But let me relate the par
ticulars of his voyage in chronological
order. He left Tours at six o'clock of
the morning, and arrived il view of
Paris at eleven o'clock, floating about
three thousand metres above the Fort of
Charenton. At the same time as the
Intrepide, which was the name of M.
Madras balloon, appeared in sight, a
second balloon was seen in the same di-
rection NJ Nadar waved long
streamer with the French national colors
Immediately afterward a national flag
foated from the other balloon. Loud hur-
rahs and cries of C'est Durouff from
the garrison Of the Tort greeted the APP
pearance of the two @ronauts, whose
balloons gradually approached. Sud
denly, and when a short distance from
each other, a loud report was heard in
the air, followed by series of explo-
sions These were at first supposed to
be triumphal signals or demonstrations,
until NJ. Nadar was observed to fling
himself into the netting of his balloon
and to cling to its sides. During this
time the other aronaut continued dis
charging shots at NJ. Nadar and his bal
loon. The Intrepide was descending
rapidly, and it appeared evident to the
spectators below that saMe incompre-
hensible event had taken place above.
But mark what the French flag of the
neighboring balloon came to. 1t was
withdrawn, and black yellow standard
was observed to be floating in its place
All was ezbiaiged Treason. 1t is a
Prussian balloon. He has Gled on the
Intrepide, were the cries that burst
simultaneously from the French people,
Nadar was supposed to have been lost.
His balloon was falling quickly, and
had oaos MGre nearly reached the earth
when NJ. Nadar was observed busily en-
gagged in casting out ballast. Thereapon
his balloon reascepds. and M. Nadar was
seen again to climb up the network, and
by marvellous effort to stop a hole in
his balloon made by the shot of his adyer-
sary. The lntrepide theR became the
assailant several shots having hoen hred
by NJ. Nadar at the Prussian balloon,
which suddenly whirled about and fell to
the ground with giddy velocity, As soon
as il reached the earth detachment Of
Uhlsus, who were in the plain, and who
had been following de grial combatants
throughout this exciting struggle, Iashed
forth, and surrounding the balloon, re-
ceived their champion--God knows in
what condition. They then FASTENED off
at f.ill speed to the Prussian advance
post Ii the MeaEtime, NJ. Nadar safely
descended at Charehton, where he is still
at this moment" The Echo dq Pqrle-
ment, eommentipg on this recital, OBJ
serves
"While the Nouvelles du Jour was
publishing this extraordinary account of
an erial combat we read in the CORE
spondence addressed from Versailles to
the Times of the 3Oth of September, the
following paragraph: An inexplicable
phenomenbp has iFst been witnessed at
Versailles. Two balloons, attached to
each other, were seen hoyering oyer
Paris moved by Q strong east wind in
the direction Of the forest of st. Ger
mains, but they suddenly disappeared
behind some distant trees. The Brus-
sells journal also states that smaller
balloon was perceived about the same
time above Neffe, near Bastogne, near
which place il seamed to have slowly
descended. 1t was supposed to baye
ascended from the garrison at Metz.