The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-05-31
BATTLE IN THE CLOUDS.
Spectral Armies Fighting for an Hour and a
Hail.

Considerable excitement has been ocea-
stoned at a small village in the neighbor-
hood of Metz by the appearance Of spectral
phenomena OF a most marvellous character.
The phenomena was first visible on the
evening of May 81, when number of work
ingmen passing along the highway observed
what at first sight appeared to be a small
cloud descending over some meadows near
by which they were passing Their curiosity
was arou sed by the uearness of the cloud,
when, to their establishment, the dense, dark
mass gradually disintegrated and spread over
a large area, the matter of which it was
composed gradually assuming the shapes
of men, horses, artillery aud all the para
phernaiia Of actual warfare. The peasants
stood entraDced, watching the mysterious
phenomenon, and were witnesses TO a battle
royal, which continued with the most amaZ-
ing eXactitude Of military detail for about
an hour and a half, when darkness came
on, aud the spectral shapes gradually melted
away. The phenomenon was witnessed by
over n hundred people in all, and has
wrought such a sensation in the district
that quite panic prevails, it being believed
that the appaTitioD is an omen of approach
ing war between France and Germany, an
idea which nothing can dissipate in the
minds Of the SupersttlOus and credulous
inhabitants.
hoax and the news agencies refused to pub
lish 1t. but number OF intelligent and trust
worthy people, including a couple of priests,
have come forward and a:tested to the gen
uiDeness OF the facts given.
Nautical annals furnish us with many in
stances Of these mirages having been seen,
spectral ships having played an important
part in narratives Of Sea-gOing people.
Great excitement was caused in England IN
the year 1850 by the news that naval en-
gagement had taken place in the air near
PoTsnet IN MonmouthShlre, between two
fleets, one Of which came from the northern
quarter Of the sky, the other from the south.
The account published concerning it de-
scrlbes the affair as follows: A
great ship fired first and after her
the rest discharged their voleys in
order, so that the great Hastings of
fire and even smoak was visible and noises
in the ayr Of great guns Then an army of
phantoms engaged in "a square mellow near
POrSnet, closing In with sword and pistol,
and the cries OF the wounded aud dying
were heard"
Another clearly recorded instance of
the same phenomenon Is the following:
All London was excited by strange news
from Goerce, in Holland, where, on the
evening of the 14th of August, 1G64 there
was seen by many spectators an apparition
OF two fleets upon the ocean; these, after
seeming to engage In close battle for one
UGuT dUu Il nall kLIle smoke OF the n0lSPi6SS
cannon rolling from their sides), vanished
as II shown from magic lantern. Then
appeared In the air two lions, or the figures
thereof which fought three times with
great fury, till there came a third of greater
size, which destroyed them both. linn edi-
ately after this there came slowly athWart
the sky, as represented in the wood
cut which surm0unted this veracious broad
sheet, the giant figure of a crowned King.
This form was seen so plainly that the but
tons on his dress could be distinguished by
the awe-stricken crowd assembled on the
sands. Next morning the same apparition
WAS seen again, and all the ocean was rs red
as blood.
Ii is scarcely likely that the manifesto
tons witnessed near Metz amounted to any
thing IN particular from a prophetic point OF
view, although a rather sensational state
ment which has appeared almost simultane-
OGsly will doubtless make many think that
the long loOked-f0r European war is close
upon Es. The statement is 10 the effect that
a document has been discovered which forms
the basis OF the treaty between France anu
Russia and which dlscloses the exact man
ner in which Germany Is TO be divided up
between these two powers in case of her
defeat. The arrangement is that France is
to tackle Germany Slngle-handed. which
she desires to do TO regain her military
prestige, aud that in case of possible
failure Russia is to come upon the scene
aud end all doubts about the result. Al
though, OH the face of it, only a canard. this
story Is being seriously discussed by lead
ina French and German journals.
L. n.