350 AERONAUTIC VOYAGES. 



feet of the earth in this ascent was very remarkable, no such rapid decrease 

 having been found in any other ascents. On the ground the temperature was 

 64^, and by the time 200 feet had been attained, a decrease of 8 degrees had 

 taken place, the temperature being 56°. From this height to 1,200 feet there 

 was but little change, and above this the temperature decreased from 2° to 3 J° in 

 each succeeding 1,000 feet up to 7,000 feet, when the balloon entered a relatively 

 warmer current of air. The second ascent, on the 29th of September, 1863, was 

 from Wolverhampton. The gas on this occasion had been prepared in July 

 expressly for a high ascent intended to have taken place before the Newcastle 

 meeting, but circumstances prevented this being made, and the gas was oblig- 

 ingly stored in the gasometer by the directors of the gas-works. The balloon 

 left at 7h. 43m. a. m., wind S W. At 8,200 feet there were two layers of clouds 

 below the balloon and very dense clouds above. When at 11,000 feet the clouds 

 were still a mile higher; there was a sea of blue-tinged cloud below, and peeps 

 of the earth was seen through the breaks. At 13,000 feet high clouds were 

 still above; but after this they began to dissipate, and at 9h. 38m., at 14,000 

 feet, the sun shone brightly. Ten minutes afterwards the travellers discovered 

 the Wash at a distance of only ten miles, and were compelled to descend. A 

 southwest gale was blowing, and so strong was the wind that on the grapnels 

 taking the ground near Sleaford, at lOh. 30m., the balloon was rent from top to 

 bottom. In this ascent warm currents Avere met with at 8,000 and 13,500 feet. 

 In the descent a warm current was passed through, extending from 14,000 to 

 9,000 feet. Temperature at the ground on leavhig 48^ ; at time of descent 53°. 

 On passing out of the mist at 3,000 feet the humidity declined to 58° at 8,000 

 feet. Here there Avere dense clouds above and below. At 9,000 feet the hu- 

 midity was 71°, and then the air became suddenly dry. The third ascent was 

 made from the Crystal Palace, at 4h. 29m. p. m., on the 9th of October. In sev- 

 enteen minutes it was 7,300 feet high, and directly over London Bridge, and all 

 the vast number of buildings, comprising the whole of London, could be clearly 

 seen. There were neither warm nor cold currents met with on this day. The 

 secretary of state for war having granted permission to the committee to avail them- 

 selves of the facilities afforded in the Iloyal Arsenal, at Woolwich, the ascent of the 

 12lh of January was made from thence. It was intended to have been made on the 

 21st of December previous, and from time to time the balloon had been partially in- 

 flated. It left at 2h. 7m. p. m., and in 14 minutes had crossed the Tilbury rail- 

 way, and was over Hainault forest. At 3h. 31m. the height of 12,000 feet was 

 attained, when the balloon began to descend, and touched theground at 4h. 10m. 

 at Lakenheath. On the earth the wind was SE. At 1,300 feet a strong SW. 

 current was entered, in which the balloon continued up to 4,000 feet, when the 

 wind changed to S. At 8,000 feet the wind changed to S.SW., and afterwards 

 to S.SE. At 11,000 feet fine granular snow was met with, and the balloon 

 passed through snow on descending till within 8,000 feet of the earth. Clouds 

 were entered at 7,000 feet, Avhich merged at about 6,000 feet into mist. This 

 ascent is the only one ever made in January for scientific purposes. The fifth 

 ascent was designed to have been made as near the 21st of March as possible, 

 but through adverse weather was deferred to the 6th of April. The balloon 

 left Woolwich at 4h. 7m. p. m., with a SE. wind, ascending evenly at the rate 

 of 1,000 feet in about three minutes, till 11,000 feet was attained at 4h. 37m. 

 It descended into Wilderness Park, near Sevenoaks, in Kent. Its course was 

 most remarkable, having passed over the Thames into Essex. The balloon, un- 

 known to the aeronauts, must have I'epassed the river and moved in a directly 

 opposite direction, and so continued till it approached. the earth, when it again 

 moved in the same direction as at first. The ascent is remarkable for the small 

 decrease in temperature with increase of elevation. The air, at the period of 

 starting, Avas 45^°, and did not decline at all till after reaching 300 feet, after 

 which it decreased gradually to 33° at 4,300. A warm current was then en- 



