UP IN A BALLOON.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume V, Issue 32, 8 February 1870, Page 2

UP IN A BALLOON.

Mr. Glaisher, the clebrated aeronaut ha3 been lecturing in England on his balloon experiences, when he gave interesting accounts of some of his ascentSi He commenced by explaining the filling of the balloon, and the sensations experienced by the aeoronaut. " Except the slight cold" he says "there is no particularly unpleasant feeling in going up to the height of three miles, but at four the hauds and knuckles become numbed, and at five the face becomes purple, the beating of the heart audible, and the breathing difficult owing to oxygen becoming scarce. It requires a man with good lungs, a sound and vigorous heart, and a strong indomitable will to ascend to a height of four miles* At five miles all the unpleasant sensations are increased, and even the hands shake and the whole of the muscles quiver.'* The lecturer then gave the following description of his ascent from the Crystal Palace on April 18, 1863 :— In this ascent the balloon was partially filled during the evening of April 17th, with the view of starting early the following morning. The atmosphere was at this time thick and misty, the wind on the earth being N.E., but pilot balloons on attaining a moderate elevation fell into a north current ; the wind was moving at an estimated velocity of forty miles an hour, and the ascent was delayed houf after hour iu the hopes that the upper current would change to N.E. At lh., when the sky was nearly covered with clouds, and there were occasional gleams of sunshine, the ascent was decided upoD, although it was evident it could not be of long duration unless the wind should change its direction or we crossed the channel. Whilst discussing this, the rope, our only connecting link with the earth, broke, and at lh. 17m. we started very unceremoniously, the balloon taking a great lurch. Within three minutes we were more than 3,000 feet high. At 4,000 I feet cumulous clouds were on our level, and a thick mist rested every where on the j earth. At lh. 26m. we were 7,000 feefc high, in a thick mist which almost amounted to a fog. The temperature of the air continued at 32deg. nearly, whilst that of the dew point decreased several degrees. On passing out of the cloud these two temperatures very suddenly separated, the latter decreasing rapidly* The sky was of & deep blue, without a cloud on its surface. At lh. 30m. we were 10,000 feet high, and directly under us was a sea of clouds. The towers of the Crystal Palace were visible, and by them we found we were moving south. The temperature before starting was 61 deg. : it decreased to 32 deg. on reaching the cloud, and continued at this value whilst in it, then suddenly fell to 23| deg. on every successive reading, till we reached the height of 20,000 feet, where the lowest temperature was noticed. In passing above four miles the temperature increased to 24^deg., and then declined to 22|deg. at the highest point, viz., 24,000 feet, in lh. and 13m. after starting. When we were just 4 miles high, ou descending, Mr. Coxwell began to reflect that possibly we might have been moving more quickly than we expected, and it was necessary to descend till we could see the earth. He opened the valve rather freely at 2b. 34m. and we descended a mile in three minutes* We descended quickly but less rapidly through the next mile, and reached the clouds at 12,000 feet from the earth at 2b. 42m. ; on breaking through them at 2h. 44m., still 10,000 feet from the earth, I was busy with my instrument, when I heard Mr. Coxwell exclaim, what's that ? — he had caught sight of Beechy Head. I looked over the car and the sea seemed

to be under us . Mr. Coxwell again exclaimed, " There is not a moment to spare — we must save the land at all risks ; leave the instruments." Mr. Coxwell almost hung to the valve line and told me to do the same, aed not to mind it cutting my hand. It was a bold decision—^opening the valve this way — and it wns boldly carried out. When a mile high the earth seemed to be coming up to us. There were two rents in the balloon cut by the valve-line. These we could not heed. tJp ! Up, the earth, appeared to come, the fields momentarily enlarging ; and ve Btruck the earth, at 2b. 48m. at Newhaven, very near the sea — of course with a great crash ; but the balloon, by the very free use of the valve-line, had been crippled, and never rose again, or even dragged us from the spot on which we fell. Nearly all the instruments were "broken,, and, to my great regret, three very delicate and beautiful thermometers, specially sent to me by M. A. D'Abbadie for these observations. I was fortunate, "however, in seizing and pocketing the "aneroid barometer which had been up "with me in every high ascent. It was this instrument that Mr. .(Vsiwell read ■when we were seven rnilee h'\si, and I at the time in a state of insensibility. The diagram shows the path of the balloon ; from-this it will be seen that the asceut 'was gradual from 16,000 feet to the highest point, and that there was sufficient lime for the instruments to attain the true temperature. We were above four miles for half an hour, not passing above 24,000 feet. On passing below four miles it ■would seem that the drop to three miles "was nearly a straight line, and the next mile, though occupying a little more time •was paesed quickly. The location of the clouds was fortunately very high, as. is shown on the diagram, as well as the \ery rapid descent of two miles in four •minutes. The whole time of descending the 4| miles was about a quarter of an hour only. The diagram will speak to the eye more forcibly than language, showing as it does our close proximity to the sea, and our narrow escape from such a dangerous immersion.