AUSTRALIAN NEWS. A JUMP FROM THE CLOUDS. J. T. WILLIAMS'S SENSATIONAL FEAT. HE FALLS NEARLY 8,000 FEET. "PROFESSOR BALDWIN BUSTED UP."

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 327, 22 December 1888, Page 4

AUSTRALIAN NEWS. A JUMP FROM THE CLOUDS. J. T. WILLIAMS'S SENSATIONAL FEAT. HE FALLS NEARLY 8,000 FEET. " PROFESSOR BALDWIN BUSTED UP."

Since the news arrived in Australia of Professor Baldwin's sensational jump from the clouds at the Alexandra Palace, London, dependent only on a slightly- builb parachute for safety, lovers ot such astounding feats in these colonies have been eagerly awaiting the intrepid American's advent on these shores, and the cable in the daily papers announc. ing that he had left England for Sydney was hailed with enthusiasm. But ab that time it was not known that residing in Sydney was a. man who was even a greater aeronaut than Baldwin. When it was publicly announced that Mr J. T. Williams, the Australian aeronaut, was to make a parachute descent from the clouds at the Ashfiold Recreation Grounds on Saturday, Bth December, everybody naturally asked, " Who is this man?" No one had ever heard of him before, and in fac6, as Mr Williams admitted to a reporter, he had never been up in a balloon before, much less had he descended with a parachute.u te. The majority of the public looked upon him as a foolish adventurer, and this doubtless had much to do with the poor attendance at the place where this sensational feat was to be attempted. There could not have been more than 1,000 people in the grounds, though outside the fences and at the various points of vantage around the district thousands of sightseers located themselves and pased the afternoon waiting for the ascent.

THE yERONAUT AND THE PARACHUTE. Mr Williams, who has proved himself one of the braveab men at present in Australia, 18 very slightly made, and as he bustled about the grounds during the afternoon, talking to his friends here and there, but keeping a careful eye on his balloon, no one would have thought he possessed sufficient nerve to undertako the perilous journey ;vhich lay before him. Ho is a watchmaker by trade, in business in Castlereagh -street, and though born in Aston, near Birmingham, 38 years ago, has spent the greater portion ot his life in the Australian colonies. He says that several years ago he was in a position to have made the same experiment he did on Saturday, but owing to his not possessing sufficient means he had to postpone it. In the meantime he has endeavoured to improve on the balloons and air ships invented in ancient and modern days, and thinks he has now almost perfected the means of iurial navigation. The parachute he used on Saturday is almost similar to the one used by Professor Baldwin on his first ascent on August 28th, but is somewhat lighter. It is constructed of strong white China silk and is about 10ft or I2tb across when open in full. Acx-oss the top is a small hole, which allows the parachute to be dragged through fche air without bursting. Attached to the sides of the silk are a number of very strong cords, which are fastened to a ring, on to which the aeronaut holds.

THE ASCENI AND THE FALL. About half- past 5 word was given to the aeronaut by Mr Henden to get ready, and discarding the gaudy tights and spangles of the professional "artiste," Mr Williams threw off his frock coab and substituted a light blue cap for his top hat, posnession of which was anxiously sought after by some of the crowd, who wanted something to remember the aeronaut by in case he should not return whole. For the next half-hour the excitement was really intense, the captive balloon struggling as if eager to get free and soar far above the world ; and the men who politely offered to "hold her down" had their work cut out to prevent going for a trip on their otrn account. Just on the stroke of 6.a sharp " Look out !" was heard, and lusty cheers arose from thousands of throats as the balloon struck an upward cour&e. A rather strong wind sent the balloon for a short distance towards Ooydon and then she rose like a skylark. Up- < ward, onward she went, Mr Williams holding on to the ring by one hand and waving his cap with the other till his form could hardly be distinguished, for the fearless fellow had entirely discarded the usual cage, saying he felt not the slightest fear. In a few seconds the balloon looked like a small bird flying high amongst the clouds, the wind still carrying it towards Parramatta. But suddenly it stopped, apparently when over Homebush, and getting into quite another current, the balloon was seen to be returning — but at what a height ! The man could not be distinguished at all, neither could the parachute, hanging by a slight cord to one side of the machine, and as the balloon came slowly towards Ashfield again every eye was strained to its utmost to try and ascertain the aeronaut's action. " He'll drop right into the grounds,"' was the expressed opinion of many of the crowd, the machine drifting straight in that direction. Suddenly, however, the man was seen to drop, apparently when between Burwoocl and Strathfield, and at a fearful speed he descended. At 100 feet, however, his parachute opened, and cheer after cheer rent the air as it was seen that the intrepid fellow had it completely under control. Swaying lightly bo and fro with the very poetry of motion it was a magnificent sight, the rays of the setting sun falling so beautifully on the fragile parachute. "He's busted Baldwin endways !" exclaimed an excited bystander, and again lusty cheers arose. And then, as the parachute k drifted away towards Homebush and the balloon sailed along in an opposite direction, one cheer more was given, and the crowd to a great extent separated. Only six minutes elapsed between the time the balloon left the ground and Williams casting 1 off from the balloon ; and the parachute, ifc was afterwards ascertained — the fall could not be seen from Aehfield — on the ground \rithin another six minutes. Half -an -hour after the machine first left the ground Williams was again within the gates of the recreation grounds, and the centre of an excited group of pi-easmen, actors, theatrical managers and a few of the general public, he quietly addressed them, He said that when he left the ground he felt perfectly safe, and did not have a moment's fear the whole journey. He alighted in a paddock in Homebush, near the Wentworth Hotel ; but he was sorry that he had not come down where the people who had assembled to see him start could have seen him alight. However that was not his fault. The experiment had been perfectly successful, and was even far beyond his expectations.

The railway revenue for t fche last month was £70.111 and expenditure £46,935, the percentage of revenue to expenditure being 68 ',69^ Tjje percentage in'theNorth Island was 74*62r^nd in.the South66V '