PERILOUS BALLOON VOYAGE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9184, 13 October 1888, Page 2 (Supplement)

PERILOUS BALLOON VOYAGE.

THE AERONAUTS PICKED UP AT SEA. The Independance Beige publishes further particulars relative to the ascent of the balloon of the Aerostatic Corps of Engineers, and of the rescue in the Channel of the aeronauts by the steamer Warrior. It was on August 19 the ascent was made from the Artillery Grounds of Berchein, in Belgium, the car containing 11. Toulet, Captain Mahauden, and Lieutenant Croy. It was at eleven o'clock av night that the aeronauts left the ground. The departure was effected under the most favourable circumstances, with a light breeze blowing from the south-east. When the balloon reached a certain height it encountered a contrary current, for the balloon took the direction of Mechlin. It was lost to view half-an-hour after its departure. But about half-past twelve at night the customers sitting outside the Cafe Durand, at Antwerp, were greatly .surprised to see the balloon once more. It is estimated that it was about sixty metres from the ground, which must be pretty exact, since Captain Mahauden was heard distinctly when he inquired where he was, and also his reply of " Merci" when the information was given him. The people in the streets saw ballast being thrown out, whereupon tho balloon rose rapidly to a great height, taking a northwesterly direction. The current, however, could not have been strong, for it did not move rapidly. Great fears were entertained for the safety of the aeronauts, especially as no news whatever was heard of them during the whole of the next day and night. It was nob till one o'clock on the '22nd that a despatch was recived from the Burgomaster of Dunkirk, who notified that the British steamer Warrior had picked them up at sea. The Gazette de Bruxelles contains a description of the reception given the aeronauts on their return to that city. They arrived at tho Gare du Midi at about eight o'clock, and were warmly congratulated on their escape by their friends, who had assembled in large numbers on the platform to greet them. Only Lieut. Croy and M. Toulet stayed, Captain Mahauden" going on to Antwerp. Tho two aeronaut.? were carried in triumph out of the station. It was at a cafe on the Place de la Constitution where the crowd joined in the enthusiasm, They cheered vigorously for MM. Croy and Toulet. A little later on Lieut. Croy gave the following narrative of his voyage and rescue. He said that there was nothing when tho ascent was made to lead to the supposition that the balloon would drift out to sea. Pilot balloons had been sent up, which at first took a northerly direction, and when they arrived at a great altitude turned to the west—that is to say, towards Germany. The balloon did not rise high in the first instance. It passed over Antwerp at a height of two hundred metres. It was very dark, and little could be discerned except the Scheldt, which was crossed twice. When over Walchcren Island the aeronauts made a mistake, and imagined they wore going towards the west, when in reality they were drifting over the North Sea. It was then about half-past two a.m., the balloon being sufficiently low for the lights of the fishing boats to be perceived, and for tho fishermen to be heard calling out to them that they were drifting to sea, Ballast was at onco thrown out, with the hope that a favourable current might be mot with at a greater altitude. At dawn, five a.m., the balloon descended once more, tho car touching the water. As little ballast as possible was then thrown out, so as to await the favourable moment of tho appearance of a vessel to make their escape. At six o'clock a big fishing smack was made out, but though the men on board must have seen the balloon it hove out of sight. The aeronauts began to despair, and by getting rid of the remainder of their ballast, they rose to a height of two thousand metres. Before that M. Toulet had made a sort of special anchor for the balloon consisting of a sailcloth tied to the end of a rope. Ac about seven o'clock the aeronauts caught sight of the smoke of a steamer coming from the north. Hope returned to them, and M. Toulet again opened tho valves and tho balloon descended. This happened at about one thousand two hundred metres from Zicrik7.ec. The steamer was advancing at full steam towards the spot where the balloon had fallen, and where it was floating in a collapsed state on a rather rough sea. The speed of the vessel was only nine miles an hour, and when a few hundred yards from the balloon a boat manned by four sailors was launched to rescue them. It was high time. The car had served to keep them atloat, bub those who were in it were almost exhausted. Lieut Croy, the only one of the three passengers who could swim, had taken off his uniform and thrown it into tho sea. Dressed only in his drawers, lie was waiting to assist his companions. Captain Mahauden was so exhausted that ho was almost En a fainting condition. M. Toulet himself,, though accustomed to the emotions attending, on ballooning, had begun to loso his presence of mind. Great precautions had to be taken in getting into tho boat. All three of the aeronauts abandoned the car at the same moment. The balloon, thus lightened of the weight of the thrco men, shoo out of sight. The rescued men were taken on board tho steamer, whicli was a merchant vessel named the Warrior, Captain Cave, bound from St. Petersburg to Dunkirk. The aeronauts received the greatest attention from everyone on board. After a thirty-six hours' voyage the vessel reached Dunkirk. Before putting in signals had been made, so that tho rescue ot the aeronauts was known in Belgium before they landed.