Herecordsanoriginalballooningexploit，organisedatAlgiers，whichonemighthavesupposedwouldhavecausedagreatsensation，andtowhichhehimselfhadcalledpublicattentioninthelocaljournals。ThebrothersBraguetweretomakeanascentfromtheMustaphaPlaininasmallfireballoonheatedwithburningstraw，andthisriskyperformancewassuccessfullycarriedoutbytheenterprisingaeronauts。But，totheonlooker，themoststrikingfeatureoftheproceedingwasthefactthatwhiletheEuropeanspresentregardedthespectaclewithcuriosityandpleasure，thenativeMussulmansdidnotappeartotaketheslightestinterestinit;\"Andthis，\"remarkeddeFonvielle，\"wasnotthefirsttimethatignorantandfanaticpeoplehavebeennotedasmanifestingcompleteindifferencetoballoonascents。AfterthetakingofCairo，whenGeneralBuonapartewishedtoproduceaneffectupontheinhabitants，henotonlymadethemaspeech，butsupplementeditwiththeascentofafireballoon。Theattemptwasacompletefailure，fortheFrenchalonelookeduptothecloudstoseewhatbecameoftheballoon。\"
Inthesummerof1867anattemptwasmadetorevivethelongextinctAeronauticCompanyofFrance，establishedbyDeGuyton。
Theundertakingwasworkedwithconsiderableenergy。Somefortyorfiftyactiverecruitswerepressedintotheservice，asuitablecaptiveballoonwasobtained，thousandsofspectatorscametowatchtheevolutions;andmanywerefoundtopaythehandsomefeeof100francsforashortexcursionintheair。
Forallthis，theeffortwasentirelyabortive，andtheballooningcorps，assuch，droppedoutofexistence。
AlittlewhileafterthisdeFonvielle，onavisittoEngland，hadamostpatheticinterviewwiththeveteranCharlesGreen，whowaslivingincomfortableretirementatUpperHolloway。