A TERRIBLE CALAMITY.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIII, Issue 20, 25 January 1892, Page 3

A TERRIBLE CALAMITY.

LIEUTENANT MANSFIELD'S ■ BALLOON ASCENT.

FRIGHTFUL DEATH OF THE

Additional particulars of the terrible calamity that was the outcome of Lieut. Mansfield's balloon ascent ab Bombay are given in "The Times of India," of December 12th. The announcement of the performance had drawn together come thousands of spectators. Everything seemed propitious, and having regard to the thoroughness of all arrangements, nothing bub success wee anticipated. Lieutenant Mansfield, who was in the very best of spirits, having shaken hand 3 with numerous friends, gave the word to " let go," and the. balloon, with a leap into the air, rose quickly, and sailed away towards the south-east. An animated conversation ensued amongst the crowd of spectators until the balloon was seen to swerve strangely, first to the southeast, and then to the north-west. Ib bad risen to perhaps seven or eighb hundred feet, and the aeronaut could be plainly seen sitting on the cross bar stretched across the diameter of the " ring " of the balloon, to which the netting ropes were made fast. The ring carrying the parachute Una was round his body, under the armpits, as usual, and he looked prepared tor any emergency. Almost before ib was possible to realise what was happening

THE BALLOON SPLIT IN TWO, and for the fraction of a second two attenuated balloons seemed to be trembling in the atmosphere. Then the whole structure collapsed. The aides of the balloon fell together like a crumpled handkerchief, and for the brief moment of thafa frightfully rapid fall, nothing could be seen bub the body of the aeronaut entangled intheeilkand rigging of the balloon and parachuteEven ab that terrible moment, however, it could be seen that the aeronaut was endeavouring to free himself of bis entanglement and trust to hie parachute. His attempt was vain. The remains of the balloon itielf were descending, and there were no means of detaching the line which connected the parachute with the 'machine. Some seconds elapsed before ib waa possible to realise what terrible tragedy was in progress in mid-air. The greab silken bag had collapsed utterly, and with it* human freight was descending, a ebapsleas mass, ab a speed impossible to estimate. Aβ ib disappeared behind the palm trees, less than half a mile off, a hearb ■ rending cry arose from the great group of spectators. Spell-bound for the moment, as the apprehension of tragedy seized them, the crowd found voice. "My God," cried one, "the balloon has burst." "0 God, help and save him," rang oub a woman's voice. " He's killed, he's killed," shouted others. Several vromen fainted, and the cries of children, infected by the alarm of their elders, raug oub over the enclosure. There wan a wild rush in the direction of the fallen balloon.

A TERRIBLE SPECTACLE.

There was the poor aeronaut, deathly pale, with the mueoles of hie face twitching convulsively end evidently in the throes of death. The wrecked balloon and parachute were lying around him, while under his back was the wooden trapeze on which he had so shortly before been seated. A minute or two had elapsed since he had reached the earth, bub despite the fact that ho was unconscious he seemed to be resting oh bis elbow, and his eyes, partly open, were staring up to the sky. Hie bands were tightly clenched, and bis lips pressed closely together. With the exception of a elieht graze on the cbin, and another mark of a similar nature on one of hie temples, bis face was not disfigured, but the poor fellow's legs were horribly crushed, and the bones protruded through the flesh, a rent on the trousers of the left leg displaying » large clofa of blood and a mace of splintered bone, which sent a cold shiver through one as he looked on it. Brandy was administered, and somewhat revived him, and, after taking it> he made two efforts to speak, but both were unsuccessful. Doctors were almost instantly in attendance, bus though there was life, of hope there was none. The case was beyond all human aid, and the doctors could only incline their heads significantly, and wait for the end. A camp cot was quickly brought, and the terribly mutilated form of Mr Mansfield was tenderly placed on it by Mr Cottrell, with the assistance of some of the Marathon's men. The lieutenant was still, alive, but life was ebbing fast, and as the men, with their heads bared, carried the all bub lifeless body over the short space of ground between the spob where it had fallen and Mr Dewery's bungalow, only the measured tread of the party of saddened followers could be heard. Restoratives were at once applied, bub it was too late, for Lieut. Mansfield had breathed hie last. The deceased was a young man about 26 years of age, and had made other balloon aicents successfully.