The Great Balloon Hoax

Edgar Allan Poe's "The Balloon-Hoax" was first published in The Sun newspaper. It falsely claimed that European balloonist Monck Mason had crossed the Atlantic in a gas balloon in 75 hours. The story was presented with detailed technical information, which made it seem plausible to readers at the time. However, the article was soon revealed as a hoax and retracted. The headline ran: ASTOUNDING NEWS! BY EXPRESS VIA NORFOLK: THE ATLANTIC CROSSED IN THREE DAYS! SIGNAL TRIUMPH OF MR. MONCK MASON'S FLYING MACHINE!!! Arrival at Sullivan's Island, near Charlestown, S. C., of Mr. Mason, Mr. Robert Holland, Mr. Henson, Mr. Harrison Ainsworth, and four others, in the STEERING BALLOON "VICTORIA," AFTER A PASSAGE OF SEVENTY-FIVE HOURS FROM LAND TO LAND. FULL PARTICULARS OF THE VOYAGE!!!

A retraction concerning the article was printed in The Sun, claiming the Sunday mail did not bring confirmation of the arrival of the Balloon in England.