a Balloon.
In spite of their known powers of industry and perseverance, the English
did not throw themselves with any great ardour into the exploration
of the atmosphere. From one cause or another it is the French and the
Italians that have chiefly distinguished themselves in this art. The
English historian of aerostation gives some details of the first aerial
voyage made in this country by the Italian, Vincent Lunardy.
The balloon was made of silk covered with a varnish of oil, and painted
in alternate stripes--blue and red. It was three feet in diameter. Cords
fixed upon it hung down and were attached to a hoop at the bottom, from
which a gallery was suspended. This balloon had no safety-valve--its
neck was the only opening by which the hydrogen gas was introduced, and
by which it was allowed to escape.
In September, 1784, it was carried to the Artillery Ground and filled
with gas. After being two-thirds filled, the gallery was attached with
its two oars or wings, and Lunardy, accompanied by Biggin and Madame
Sage, took his place; but it was found that the balloon had not
sufficient lifting power to carry up the whole three, and Lunardy went
up alone, with the exception of the pigeon, the cat, and the dog, that
were with him.
The balloon rose to the height of about twenty feet, then followed a
horizontal line, and descended. But the gallery had no sooner touched
the earth than Lunardy threw over the sand that served as ballast, and
mounted triumphantly, amid the applause of a considerable multitude of
spectators. After a time he descended upon a common, where he left the
cat nearly dead with cold, ascended, and continued his voyage. He says,
in the narrative which he has left, that he descended by means of the
one oar which was left to him, the other having fallen over; but, as he
states that, in order to rise again, he threw over the remainder of his
ballast, it is natural to believe that the descent of the balloon was
caused by the loss of gas, because, if he descended by the use of the
oar, he must have re-ascended when he stopped using it. He landed in the
parish of Standon, where he was assisted by the peasants.
He assures us again that he came down the second time by means of the
oar. He says:--“I took my oar to descend, and in from fifteen to twenty
minutes I arrived at the earth after much fatigue, my strength being
nearly exhausted. My chief desire was to escape a shock on reaching
the earth, and fortune favoured me.” The fear of a concussion seems to
indicate that he descended more because of the weight of the balloon
than by the action of the oar.
It appears that the only scientific instrument he had was a thermometer
which fell to 29 degrees. The drops of water which had attached
themselves to the balloon were frozen.
The second aerial journey in England was undertaken by Blanchard and
Sheldon. The latter, a professor of anatomy in the Royal Academy, is
the first Englishman who ever went up in a balloon. This ascent was made
from Chelsea on the 16th October, 1784.
The same balloon which Blanchard had used in France served him on this
occasion, with the difference that the hoop which went round the
middle of it, and the parasol above the car, were dispensed with. At the
extremity of his car he had fitted a sort of ventilator, which he was
able to move about by means of a winch. This ventilator, together with
the wings and the helm, were to serve especially the purpose of steering
at will, which he had often said was quite practicable as soon as a
certain elevation had been reached.
The two aeronauts ascended, having with them a number of scientific and
musical instruments, some refreshments, ballast, &c. Twice the ascent
failed, and eventually Sheldon got out, and Blanchard went up again
alone.
Blanchard says that, on this second ascent, he was carried first
north-east, then east-south-east of Sunbury in Middlesex. He rose so
high that he had great difficulty in breathing, the pigeon he had with
him escaped, but could hardly maintain itself in the rarefied air of
such an elevated region, and finding no place to rest, came back
and perched on the side of the car. After a time, the cold becoming
excessive, Blanchard descended until he could distinguish men on the
earth, and hear their shouting. After many vicissitudes he landed upon
a plain in Hampshire, about seventy-five miles from the point of
departure. It was observed that, so long as he could be clearly seen, he
executed none of the feats with his wings, ventilator, &c., which he had
promised to exhibit.
Enthusiasm about aerial voyages was now at its climax; the most
wonderful deeds were spoken of as commonplace, and the word “impossible”
was erased from the language. Emboldened by his success, Blanchard one
day announced in the newspapers that he would cross from England to
France in a balloon--a marvellous journey, the success of which depended
altogether upon the course of the wind, to the mercy of which the bold
aeronaut committed himself.
A certain Dr. Jeffries offered to accompany Blanchard. On the 7th of
January the sky was calm, in consequence of a strong frost during
the preceding night, the wind which was very light, being from the
north-north-west. The arranged meets were made above the cliffs of
Dover. When the balloon rose, there were only three sacks of sand of 10
lbs. each in it. They had not been long above ground when the barometer
sank from 29.7 to 27.3. Dr. Jeffries, in a letter addressed to the
president of the Royal Society, describes with enthusiasm the spectacle
spread out before him: the broad country lying behind Dover, sown with
numerous towns and villages, formed a charming view; while the rocks on
the other side, against which the waves dashed, offered a prospect that
was rather trying.
They had already passed one-third of the distance across the Channel
when the balloon descended for the second time, and they threw over
the last of their ballast; and that not sufficing, they threw over some
books, and found themselves rising again. After having got more than
half way, they found to their dismay, from the rising of the barometer,
that they were again descending, and the remainder of their books were
thrown over. At twenty-five minutes past two o’clock they had passed
three-quarters of their journey, and they perceived ahead the inviting
coasts of France. But, in consequence either of the loss or the
condensation of the inflammable gas, they found themselves once more
descending. They then threw over their provisions, the wings of the car,
and other objects. “We were obliged,” says Jeffries, “to throw out the
only bottle we had, which fell on the water with a loud sound, and sent
up spray like smoke.”
They were now near the water themselves, and certain death seemed to
stare them in the face. It is said that at this critical moment Jeffries
offered to throw himself into the sea, in order to save the life of his
companion.
“We are lost, both of us,” said he; “and if you believe that it will
save you to be lightened of my weight, I am willing to sacrifice my
life.”
This story has certainly the appearance of romance, and belief in it is
not positively demanded.
One desperate resource only remained--they could detach the car and hang
on themselves to the ropes of the balloon. They were preparing to carry
out this idea, when they imagined they felt themselves beginning to
ascend again. It was indeed so. The balloon mounted once more; they were
only four miles from the coast of France, and their progress through the
air was rapid. All fear was now banished. Their exciting situation, and
the idea that they were the first who had ever traversed the Channel in
such a manner, rendered them careless about the want of certain articles
of dress which they had discarded. At three o’clock they passed over the
shore half-way between Cape Blanc and Calais. Then the balloon, rising
rapidly, described a great arc, and they found themselves at a greater
elevation than at any part of their course. The wind increased in
strength, and changed a little in its direction. Having descended to the
tops of the trees of the forest of Guines, Dr. Jeffries seized a branch,
and by this means arrested their advance. The valve was then opened, the
gas rushed out, and the aeronauts safely reached the ground after the
successful accomplishment of this daring and memorable enterprise.
A number of horsemen, who had watched the recent course of the balloon,
now rode up, and gave the adventurers the most cordial reception. On the
following day a splendid fete was celebrated in their honour at Calais.
Blanchard was presented with the freedom of the city in a box of gold,
and the municipal body purchased the balloon, with the intention of
placing it in one of the churches as a memorial of this experiment, it
being also resolved to erect a marble monument on the spot where the
famous aeronauts landed.
Some days afterwards Blanchard was summoned before the king, who
conferred upon him an annual pension of 1,200 livres. The queen, who
was at play at the gambling table, placed a sum for him upon a card, and
presented him with the purse which she won.