Today in Postal History
This picture postcard is an example of an experiment with balloon
mail.
The postcard was specially prepared for the flight with an
unofficial Aarhus CDS for the date of launching, September 22.
The CDS says 'Carried by Balloon Mail.'*
The message includes "carried by an Air Mail Machine."*
The balloon was launched in Aarhus, now Arhus,
located midway on the east coast of the Danish Peninsula.
Aarhus is a port city.
I do not know whether the balloon was manned or not.
The pictures show some aerial pictures of Aarhus taken during previous
balloon flights.
The names of some streets have been noted.
The card was prestamped with a 5c deep green numeral issued in
1912 (Scott 61).
The balloon came down near Nakskov
about 160 km southeast of Aarhus.
Nakskov is at the west end of Lolland, the southern island, about 130 km
southwest of Copenhagen.
It received a Nakskov CDS dated September 23.
It was then forwarded to its destination in Copenhagen in the regular mails.
*Thanks to Knud-Erik Andersen for these additions.
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