ieth century, but none the less effective on
that account. The arrows, instead of being headed in the usual way,
carried on the end of the shaft two little glass tubes full of
liquid, bound together, and tipped with fulminate.

When the fleet had been in the air about an hour these ten aerostats
had so distributed themselves that each of them, with a little
manoeuvring, could get within bowshot of two others. They also rose a
little higher than the rest. The flutter of a white handkerchief was
the signal agreed upon, and when this was given by the man in command
of the ten, each of them suddenly put on speed, and ran up close to
her nearest neighbour. A flight of arrows was discharged at the
gas-holder, and then she headed away for the next nearest, and
discharged a flight at her.

Considering the apparent insignificance of the means employed, the
effects were absolutely miraculous. The explosion of the fulminate on
striking either the hard cordage of the net or one of the steel ribs
used to give the gas-holder rigidity, broke the two tubes full of
liquid. Then came another far more violent explosion, which tore
great rents in the envelope. The imprisoned gas rushed out in
torrents, and the crippled balloons began to sink, at first slowly,
and then more and more rapidly, till the cars, weighted with crews,
machinery, and explosives, struck the earth with a crash, and
exploded, like so many huge shells, amidst the dense columns of the
advancing army corps. In fifteen minutes each of the ten captured
aerostats had sent two others to the earth, and then, completely
masters of the position, those in charge of them began their assault
on the helpless masses below them. This was kept up until the
Federation troops appeared. Then they retired to the rear of the
French and Italian columns, and devoted themselves to burning their
stores and blowing up their ammunition trains with fire-shell.

Assailed thus in front and rear, and demoralised by the defection of
the thousands who, as soon as the battle became general, showed the
red ribbon and echoed the fierce battle-cry of the Federation, the
splendid force sent out by General le Gallifet was practically
annihilated by midnight, and by daybreak the Federationists, after
fifteen hours of almost continuous fighting, had stormed all the
outer positions held by the French and Italians to the south of
London, the batteries of which had already been destroyed by the
air-ships.