On Monday M. Severo, the Brazilian Deputy and aeronaut, made
his first and last journey in his airship the Pax.' Ascending from his works at Vaugirard at 5.30 in the morning, M. Severe bad only been a few minutes in the air when the balloon caught fire, blew up at a height of 500 metres, and the huge framework, weighing 2,000 kilogrammes, fell with appalling speed into the Avenue du Maine, dashing the unhappy aeronaut and his machinist to pieces. The cause of the accident, according to the experts, was the ignition of the hydrogen, which M. Severe allowed to escape by the safety- valve, by the escape pipes of the motor, which was in dangerous proximity to the safety-valve. M. Severo, it appears, bad very little practical knowledge of aeronautics, and had only once or twice made a balloon ascent. He was, however, devoutly religious, fanatically enthusiastic, and a fatalist, believing, according to the New York Herald, that S. Benoit had answered his prayers, and intending to call his next air- ship the Jesus,' while just before his ascent, on being asked if he were nervous, he replied that " if he was to die that day he would die and that was all." The tragedy of his death is enhanced by the fact that he bad sunk his entire fortune in his airship, and leaves a widow and several children absolutely unprovided for. M. Santos-Dumont, his compatriot, though' much shocked by the catastrophe, is evidently quite un- dismayed. The courage of an aeronaut is seldom shaken by the disasters of others.
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