Airships past and present, together with chapters on the use of balloons in connection with meteorology, photography and the carrier pigeon . on in the car, where they remained for eight hoursunder the continuous fire of the Austrians. Morelot was able tosee that it would be impossible for the town to hold out muchLonger, and therefore was on the point of ordering it to be takenby storm when the garrison capitulated. The balloonists were now ordered to proceed to headquarters DEVELOPMENT OF MILITARY BALLOONING. 133 at a place called Gosselie. This formed the middle of the Frenchposition, and a
Airships past and present, together with chapters on the use of balloons in connection with meteorology, photography and the carrier pigeon . on in the car, where they remained for eight hoursunder the continuous fire of the Austrians. Morelot was able tosee that it would be impossible for the town to hold out muchLonger, and therefore was on the point of ordering it to be takenby storm when the garrison capitulated. The balloonists were now ordered to proceed to headquarters DEVELOPMENT OF MILITARY BALLOONING. 133 at a place called Gosselie. This formed the middle of the Frenchposition, and an important battle was impending. On June 26thGeneral Morelot went up in the balloon with Captain Coutellebefore the beginning- of the battle; they rose to a height of1,800 ft., and in consequence of the clearness of the atmospherethey were able to report to General Jourdan as to all the move-ments of the enemy. The Austrians tried to dislodge the observersby heavy firing; but they failed, although one or two shotspassed between the car and the envelope of the balloon. In theafternoon they were ordered to attach themselves to the right. FlG. 85.—Helping to land a balloon. wing of the army, and to lead the way by means of signals. Thebattle was finally won, and the generals expressed themselves asthoroughly satisfied with the work of the balloonists, to whoseefforts the result of the day was largely due. The Austrians, on the other hand, were much disconcerted bythe new methods, and recognised that the balloon was an insidiousform of attack. They therefore announced that all balloonists,who fell into their hands, would be treated as spies. And afterthe battle of Fleurus they fell upon evil times. Coutelle marchedwith the army against Liege, but after reaching Namur, he wasobliged to fall back on Maubeuge. A gust of wind had dashedthe balloon against some trees, and it was found impossible to 134: AIRSHIPS PAST AND PEE SENT. execute the repairs with the means at disposal. Coute
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, bookpubl, booksubjectaeronautics
