AERONAUTICS
After Harry Goodall had finished his conversation with Hawksworth,
he became very busy with the help of the gas men and the gardeners.
The lower net-lines had been fixed to the hoop and the car, and then,
when the balloon stood proudly erect, it presented a most magnificent
specimen of the aeronautic art. Directly Trigger returned, and the
filling had been completed, Mr Goodall began to inflate some small
balloons, which were designed to provide an object lesson of some
interest, besides showing what course the large balloon would take when
set free.
It happened that on this occasion, which was considered a special and
select affair, several of the directors and their friends were present,
besides men of scientific knowledge, among whom was Mr Arthur Deck,
of Cambridge, who has made so many aerial trips from a pure love and
desire to encourage the advancement of ballooning. The last-named
gentleman, as well as the directors, declared that they had never seen
more interesting miniature balloons than those which were to precede
the great ascent. There were only three of them on each frame, but they
were of varied colours, having, as Mr Deck thought, rather a political
signification, for they had each a crowned head and other devices on
the centre belt, which, as the aeronaut pointed out, were symbolical of
the Triple Alliance and of Union and Strength.
The three balloons were attached to the corners of a triangular frame
of wood, which was well balanced by three lines connected to a central
weight hanging beneath the frame.
Mr Goodall, in an unpretentious manner, went on to say that he would
next show them another set of balloons. Three more of blue, primrose
and green, and they would also be fixed fast to another triangular
frame, but the devices on them would at once show that they represented
the United Kingdom. Shortly afterwards, whilst casting them free into
space, the aeronaut remarked,--
“We must keep an eye on them, for I cannot guarantee that they will
remain united.”
This remark produced fresh curiosity.
However, they did hold together for a time, and by so doing, attained
a great elevation, but at their culminating point a noise was heard
and smoke was seen under the lovely-looking emerald balloon, which
suddenly became disunited, much to the disturbance of the balance and
power of the two firm and secure balloons. It was true, as a spectator
said, that the green one shot up like a rocket, but equally true was
it that she came down soon afterwards like a stick, in a very shaky
and disorganised state, while the two staunch balloons remained fast
friends and still held their own, notwithstanding the separation of the
green balloon.
“And this illustration will show you,” said the aeronaut, “what may
happen when--”
“Home Rule is passed,” cried a wiseacre close by.
However, the illustrations gave satisfaction, and produced a lively
cheer without causing any ill-feeling, so that Tom Trigger was called
upon next to bring forth the two parachutes, which gave rise to some
sensational expectations, especially on the part of a bystander,
who looked like a provincial balloonist, and who exclaimed, with a
depreciatory laugh,--
“Oh! they are going to do a drop!”
“Are they?” said Trigger; “it will be with something hot then if they
do.”
“What a pity,” remarked one of the directors, _sotto voce_; “that will
spoil all.”
The parachutes, however, were attached to the netting of the large
balloon--one on each side. Then Mr Brock, the pyrotechnist, came
forward with his assistants and produced two hoops, on which a number
of bombshells were fixed, and these petards gave rise to singular
apprehensions, but the aeronaut explained as did the firework maker,
that they would not prove risky according to the way in which Mr
Goodall intended to employ them, as they could not explode until they
and the parachutes were lowered a certain distance from the balloon,
and even then a second precautionary measure would have to be resorted
to before any explosion could take place. They were simply designed to
illustrate the application of parachutes for warlike purposes, and were
not intended for bringing down acrobatic balloonists in safety.
This lucid and unlooked-for explanation proved so far satisfactory,
that the amateur aeronaut and his assistant took their places in the
car, when the after arrangements were so carefully made that the
liberation of the balloon was not attended by so much risk as the
uninitiated expected. The ascent was grand in the extreme, and when
the first parachute was detached, and it immediately spread out, all
fear was lost in admiration, particularly when the first shell dropped
about 200 feet and exploded with the sound of a twelve-pounder; then
followed another shell, which burst at about 500 feet lower down, and
after that a succession of discharges took place, illustrative of the
manner in which naval or military forces could be harassed through the
instrumentality of parachutes and bombs in conjunction with balloons,
either with or without the personal aid of practical men in the car.
And Mr Goodall further demonstrated, by the use of a second parachute,
how the line of bombardment could be kept up, and how a number of
comparatively small balloons could thus sustain a properly organised
aerial attack, without any far-fetched pretensions of introducing
navigable machines of foreign types, which would not act as designed
perhaps. But, with those proposed, it would only be necessary to take
up a suitable position on the windward side of a hostile force to
apply with advantage such up-to-date contrivances which have not as
yet been turned to an available account in the way set forth in these
pages, for it is indisputable that “The Powers that be” are too often
looking abroad for new lights and men with unpractical schemes, while
they ignore experienced air-travellers at home, who could show them a
more excellent method of using balloons and parachutes, even without
waiting for navigable machines, which would admittedly facilitate such
operations in mid-air if they could be depended upon to act in the way
they have been promised to do by sanguine inventors. It must not be
forgotten, however, that military aeronauts, in the pursuit of their
speciality, could not rely upon grand expectations during the tug of
war. At such a time, in an emergency, England would have to provide
the right men in the right place, and to build only such contrivances
as had been thoroughly tested.
* * * * *
When Harry Goodall’s balloon lost the weight of the parachutes and
their appendages, it rose to a considerable elevation, exceeding 7000
feet from the earth, and here he was compelled to lessen his altitude,
as the drift of the upper current was straight for the mouth of the
river; but as he was not more than three miles in a direct line from
the Crystal Palace, he determined at this distance to try his old
preceptor’s idea of long-distance signalling, which he proceeded to do
in the following way.
He had with him a smaller balloon which was not very much more than
half inflated with air, effected by means of a fan. He had informed
his friend, Mr Deck, before starting, that if he lowered this from
a reel, which was fixed across the hoop to four times the length of
the balloon and car, the signal would mean a distance of 250 feet, a
second indication on the scale would imply 500 feet, and these relative
heights would enable the spectators to form some idea of what the
barometrical height really was; as the first signal, indicative of 250
feet, would be nearly equal to a quarter of an inch less pressure, and
the 500 feet signal of the inverted air balloon would imply nearly
half an inch of reduced pressure of air near the barometer. Thus this
long-distance signalling, which the writer of these remarks first
introduced at the Crystal Palace in the year 1880, would enable the
spectators to form an approximate estimate of the height attained by
the balloon, though previously no such intimation had ever been given
from the explorers to those who were watching their ascent from below.
Another useful plan was adopted by the amateur aeronaut as he left the
palace grounds. Upon being asked by a director present, if he would
give the word to “let go,” so that all the men might do so at the same
moment, he replied,--
“Certainly not. My plan is to detach the balloon at a favourable moment
by this instrument which acts instantaneously as a liberator. It is the
system adopted by the colleague of Mr James Glaisher, F.R.S., in the
scientific ascents made over thirty years ago, and which the famous
meteorologist so much approved of.”
Whilst Harry Goodall and his assistant were actively engaged up aloft,
they had not much time to survey the surrounding country, although the
counties of Surrey, Kent, Essex and Middlesex were very beautifully
stretched out in a map-like form beneath them, for their course had to
be narrowly watched owing to their proximity to Gravesend Long Reach
and towards the Nore Lightship. Besides, it was not the aeronaut’s
desire to make a prolonged trip, as, for one reason, he felt anxious
about his property in the workroom, and for another he wanted to
ascertain more as to what the man Eben had stolen, and whether he had
been set free after Tom Trigger left the palace, or whether he was
locked up for the night, for it was quite evident that his assistant
had formed a very unfavourable opinion of him.
When the aeronaut found that, by a somewhat different undercurrent,
his balloon was getting near to Northfleet Marsh, and that they were
sinking fast, it became necessary to watch the course of a large,
full-rigged vessel which was being towed up to one of the docks,
and just as they were skimming over the ship, and Harry Goodall was
wondering why the crew did not cheer, he suddenly drew in his head from
looking over the car as if he had been shot, and said,--
“I have made a discovery, Trigger; we are right over the _Neptune_, my
father’s ship from Sydney. See, there stands Captain Link with his cap
in his hand, and there, too, on the poop, is my Uncle Goodall with his
head down, apparently reading a letter.”
“Perhaps someone is dead on board, sir,” observed Trigger, with a
serious look, just as they became enveloped in the black smoke of the
tug, so that they saw no more of the vessel until they were over the
sea-wall on the Essex banks of the river.
“My uncle told me,” said Harry Goodall, “that he was expecting the
arrival of Captain Link, but I am awfully sorry to have passed right
over the _Neptune_, as it looks like sheer defiance, knowing his
dislike to ballooning. No wonder that my uncle held down his head, and
that the crew were as silent as the grave.”
“I didn’t notice the flag, sir, if it was at half-mast; but I sha’n’t
look back, as they say it is unlucky.”
“Then don’t do it, Tom; besides, can’t you see that the grapnel is near
the ground. We may as well pull up on this Essex marsh so as to get
close to the railway station over there, for I feel as if some disaster
has taken place, or as if something were going to happen somehow. But
tell me, Trigger, what is that glittering in your side pocket?”
“Only my revolver, sir. Things looked so queer this morning that I
thought we ought to be prepared for squalls, and if you don’t mind,
sir, I’ll pop some cartridges in the chambers, as there is no fear now
of any bumping. Your presentiment just reminded me of it; anyhow there
is no harm in being ready for any rough customers.”
By-and-by they saw that people were running in the course of the
balloon.
“Sing out, Tom,” said Mr Goodall, “and tell that fellow who is
spearing eels to mind the trail of the grapnel--there he stands close
to that person with spectacles.”
“Spectacles, sir? Oh, yes, I see him; they’re standing clear now.”
“All right, Tom, the grapnel is fast. I’ll let off gas as quickly as
possible, and, as there are several men coming up, suppose you jump
out; I’ve crippled her sufficiently for you to do so with safety.”
“But mind you keep an eye, sir, on that party with spectacles. Don’t
you see who he is like?”
“All right, Tom; I’ve no time to notice resemblances just now, but I’ll
keep an eye on the fellow, anyway.”
The eel-catcher was taken into Trigger’s confidence, with a promise
of reward if he stuck to him on one side of the balloon, by pulling
down the netting to drive out the gas, while Mr Goodall and another
lot of men were drawing down on the other side. Whilst the men were
doing this, Mr Goodall held on to the valve line to more quickly let
out the gas, but as he did so he crouched down behind the car, so that
the man with spectacles did not see him. In the meantime Trigger had
placed the crown valve on the shoulders of two men to admit of the gas
escaping more readily, and then went to the eel-spearer to give fresh
instructions. Now, whilst everybody was gazing intently at the balloon,
the man with spectacles went a little way off, took off his glasses,
turned his coat which was a reversible one, and then sauntered slowly
back. When Mr Goodall, who was still crouched down, noticed that his
coat was quite another colour, and that, in fact, the fellow looked
like another person, he became still more watchful of his movements.
The man then went towards the crown of the balloon as it lay on the
ground, and when the silk was not more than a few feet above the grass,
the aeronaut saw the fellow strike a match under the pretence of
lighting a cigarette, and then throw it, all ablaze, over the valve.
Immediately a long lambent flame shot up to a height of several feet,
when Trigger sang out to his master, but Mr Goodall had, directly he
saw the match lighted, with great presence of mind, let go the valve
line, when the shutters of the valve closed with a resonant flap;
thus the flame was fortunately extinguished. Had this step not been
taken with the quickness of thought, the entire silk would have been
destroyed, and most likely Mr Goodall would have been burnt and other
lives endangered.
Tom Trigger immediately flew towards the valve, followed by the
fisherman and Mr Goodall, but fortunately no harm had been done, beyond
a singeing to the wooden framework. Had it not been held up, however,
the silk would have been fired, but Mr Goodall’s prompt release of the
cord brought the two shutters so close to the frame that the explosion
was prevented in the very nick of time.
“Where is that spectacled chap?” asked the eel-catcher. “He told me an
hour ago that he was looking for a balloon which would come this way.”
“There he goes!” cried Mr Goodall, who knew him by his altered
appearance.
“He is making for the station,” cried the fisherman, “to catch that
train coming in from Tilbury!”
“Let us go after him,” cried Trigger, who started with his master and
the eel-spearer in pursuit. The man, however, kept well ahead, and Tom
became so exasperated at the thought of his escape that he pulled out
his pistol and let fly one after another each barrel, holding it well
up to allow for distance.
“That is the spy, the shadow man,” cried Tom to his master. “I hope he
is hit, sir.”
The result was uncertain, however, as he got into the station and just
caught the train, so that when his pursuers came up they ascertained
that he had to be pushed into a carriage because he seemed to be lame.
Thus foiled, the aeronauts returned to their work, and engaged a
conveyance for the balloon, which was packed into the car and taken to
the station, to go by the next train to Fenchurch Street.
On their way back to Sydenham they saw nothing whatever of the
incendiary, who, they felt sure, was Eben’s master, and the same
person who had been seen that day on the palace tower in disguise.
While in the train, Mr Goodall said to Trigger,--
“There is no doubt, Tom, but that I am beset by a deadly enemy who is
trying to injure me, but what for I can’t imagine.”
“Jealousy, sir, depend upon it.”
“Of whom, or of what, Tom?”
“For your having saved that lady, sir.”
“Yes; but he must be actuated by something stronger than that, Trigger.
From what my uncle said, he must be a person from Australia, who is
said to have been in some way connected with my father in business
matters. And now I think of it, that reminds me of a word or two that
Hawksworth let drop while you were in the building with Warner.”
“There is no knowing, sir, what this spy fellow is up to, but we shall
find out before long, I’ll be bound.”
“Anyhow, Tom, I shall never rest or give up ballooning, until we do
cross his path once more.”
“I am glad to hear you say so, sir.”
“Yes, I am curious to know what has gone from the workroom--you
recollect, Trigger, there were papers there about flying, which I have
not thoroughly read yet; still, I should be sorry to lose them.”
“Do you refer to Professor Scudder’s writings, Mr Goodall?”
“Yes; though I daresay they are of an impracticable kind; at the same
time, I should not like to find that they are in the hands of our
enemies.”