NADAR Félix Tournachon, dit (1820-1910) Dessinateur, photogr - Lot 151

Lot 151
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NADAR Félix Tournachon, dit (1820-1910) Dessinateur, photogr - Lot 151
NADAR Félix Tournachon, dit (1820-1910) Dessinateur, photographe et aéronaute P.S. co-signed by DARTOIS and DURUOF, August 18, 1870; 3 pages in-8 with the letterhead Photography Nadar (fragile folds and a little cracked). Constitution of the Company of the military balloonists. On August 18, 1870, one month before the beginning of the Siege of Paris, Nadar founded with two other balloonists, Camille Legrand, known as DARTOIS, and Claude-Jules DURUOF, the first Compagnie des aérostiers militaires. All three of them sign the agreement presented here, addressed to Duruof, and signed by the three aeronauts. "Considering that above all else our duty as Frenchmen is to do everything possible to repel foreign invasion. It is understood that we constitute, you, Dartois & I, the first nucleus of a company of military balloonists to use aerostation as a means of observation as well as for the offensive. You bring to this work [...] an equipment composed of 2 balloons and you also bring your absolute personal contribution. [I also bring mine, and I commit myself to you both to take all personal steps for our constitution. It is expressly understood that the cooperation of all three of us is absolutely disinterested, [...] that we will not ask anything from the state, neither before, nor during, nor after. You have both agreed to accept me as your leader, no doubt because of the age difference. As a leader I commit myself to you both, to accept nothing for myself as a reward, if ever there should be one [...] As to your leader, you have promised me military obedience"... [Nadar will send from September 16 a series of daily reports to Colonel Usquin, to General Trochu, and will propose Dartois and Duruof to make the first flights. A few days later, Léon Gambetta signed an official contract between the Government and the Compagnie des aérostiers. This was the first airmail in history, which allowed the besieged to send thousands of letters to their relatives]. An ex. of the Journal officiel de l'Empire français, " Séance du Corps législatif des 6 et 8 juillet 1870. The war with Prussia. Its causes".
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