The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1877-02-01
Dgeline by Balloon.

Dueling in ballo1 has already been
tried by two Frencfdien, and with re-
suits that should commend it 10 duelists.
NJ. De Courcy and Remonin fought duel
in this wise near Paris u lew years ayu
with satisfaction TO both PRINCIPALS and
seconds. The quarrel was about tie famous
danSeuse Henrietta, and rs there was some
difficulty during the preliminary negotia-
tions about selecting aspot for the encoun.
ter, somebody suggested that the fight
should come oG-in air A piquant sug-
gestion Of this kind was sure to take
with Frenchmen, and it was 1T once
adopted. Nadir furnished two balloons
of about thirty thousand cubic feet each
that ,s, OF capacity for carrying each
three persons. When ali was ready the
aerostats were conveyed 10 secluded
spot near the capital where they were
expeditiously inflated by secret chemi-
cal process. 81. De Courcy with his
second and physician entered one car
N. Remonin, General Ncbel and surgeon
occupied the otle'; and preparations
were made for the start. The circum.
stances were altogether favorable for the
singular experiment. II was a delight.
ful morning in the middle of September;
the sky was cl0udless; scarcely breath
OF wind stirred the foliage the affair
had been 30 carefully concealed that no.
body was present but the friends of the
parties and the acronaUtical assistants
employed 10 supeTiutei:d The arrange
mcnts. A brief code of signals had been
devised by the seconds for the arrange
ment Of the aerial combat. When all
was in readiness, the word "let CO." was
given, and instantly the two aero.iats
shot into the air. NJ. Dc Courcy's bal
loon was made of blue and white spin
dles of silk that. of Remonn white silk
painted with diagonal stripes of purple
aud green. At the height of one thou
SAND feet, by barometer, while the bal
looms were yet very near together, the
seconds exchanged rapid signals, and
agreed that the conditions were favora-
bic FOR the contest. "Ready pa pause
Fire !"-nobody hit "Rcload and re-
peat-quick !" Bang. When the smoke
cleared away, VI. Remonin looked over
the side of the car and saw his oppo-
nents ballOUn rushing downward with
frightfnl rapidity. His shot pierced the
gushing, and the violent out-rush of gas
had torn open the whole side OF the fab
ric and general smash Of the occupants
OF the car seemed inevitable. However.
the bag, suddenly loosening itself from
below, gathered upward in the netting
ike parachute. the terrific descent OF
the machine was arrested and NJ. De
Courcy and his friends .eached the earth
with ito further damage than n sollsing
in small brook. They landed within a a
kiloneter Of the place Of ascension. M.
Remonin and is friends, however, were
waited in the direction of Tours, and
n freshing of the wind made their after
rage somewhat more difficult and perilous.
However, they managed at length to
anchor and get out Of the car with
nothing worse than few bruises. The
affair was the talk of Paris for "A week af-
terwards. Botn principals and seconds
declared themselves satisfied and there
was no renewal of hostlities. Aeronau-
tical duels have the advantage of re-
moving the affair from every bodies ju-
risdiction to IL region, in fact, where
writs are imperative and sherifFs harm
lpau