Rensselaer Republican, Volume 24, Number 32, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 April 1892 — WAR IN A BALLOON. [ARTICLE]

WAR IN A BALLOON.

The Air Ships of Germany Soar Over Poland. IheCiat'i Official* Do Not Like It—Bui Jets Have no Effect —A Search Light Above Warsaw Startles - ' J < The presence of balloons the fort • and encampments in Poland, says a cable gtam of the 31st, is becoming more frequent than ever, and this fact is causing much indignation among army officers', whoare helpless to prevent military secrets from becoming known to the German officers, who are taking observation 9 from a height that places them b jyond the reach of any bu 1 lets aimed at them. One of these balloons, from the German front 4 ier, recently appeared at Kbvno. It hovered above the fortress there until the officer in command became so greatly exasperated that he ordered some of the soldiers to fire at the balloon and if possible to bring it to the ground. -Had the sdldibrs been able to hit ths big. silken bag floating so high in the air and make a hole in <t, it would have meant a horrible death for Its occupants, but the range was too great and the powder burned in the attempt was useless. The Germans tinued their observations, in no way bothered by the firing, and when they had concluded they returned whence they came.

The impression grows stronger daily that the Germans have at last solved the long-studied problem of aerial navigation. The balloons that have appeared over carious places in Poland are under perfect control. They move in any desired direction, and the wind currents have no perceptible effect on them. In fact, in at least me instance already reported, it is known that the balloon sailed directly against a Itrong wind. Some of the observers accounted for this on the ground that the ipper current, in which the balloon whs, vas moving in an opposite direction from the current near the’earth. This argunentwas rendered fallacious in a very ihort time by the balloon stopping over the millitary camp at Dotnbrowico and ihen maneuvering to obtain posi tions from ivhich the camp could be studied in detail. A few nights ago the inhabitants pf Wars, law were startted by an liftensely bright ight that fell from the sky upon the city. 11l eyes were turned upward, but nothing could te seen save a path of light that ended in a small focus. Many people in ihelr excitement thought it was a comet in close proximity to the earth and were jreatly frightened. Suddenly the ray of ight swept in another direction, and when their eyes became accustomed to the darkness that followed they could see ■ar up in the sky a balloon. Then it Ittwned ffpon the people that It was an electric search light that had caused the prilliant illumination, and that the Gernans were continuing their observations »f the Russian defenses with its aid. The Walloon remained over the city until 1 I’clock in the morning, when the light was extinguished and the balloon, head. Ing westward toward the Prussian frontlet 1 , disappeared. Later another balloon was seen over the Proushkorf railway station. It remained itationary for a time and then started in ;he direction of the fort works near Kelets where it hovered a while, when it returned icross the frontier. Reports of similar occurrences have Seen received from Sosnovitsky and other l frontier. "