Evening Republican, Volume 22, Number 2, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 January 1919 — Bomb-Dropping Balloons. [ARTICLE]

Bomb-Dropping Balloons.

The first bomb-dropping balloons were humble enough and equally futile. Balloons had been used in war as early as the siege of Maubeuge by the Austrians for observation purposes. The first talk ttf bomb dropping was in 1812, when the Russians were said to have a huge bqlloon for that purpose r J>ut.. nothing was done with it. in 1847, however, the Austrians, when attacking Venice, sent up paper fire balloons, which were to drop shells into tfie town. But they forgot to allow for cpntrarV air 'currents. The ballons goj intp one, drifted back toward the Austrians and hombed them instead of Venice.' j > .