70 



ANNUAL REGISTER, ISU. 



the cords which held the balloon 

 were ready to be cut, it was found, 

 that the fastening which secures 

 the network to the valve at the 

 top of the balloon, had by some 

 means been disengaged, and was 

 held only by a single twine. This 

 enterprising young aeronaut, how- 

 ever, feeling for the disappoint- 

 ment of the public, and for his 

 own honour, was determined to go 

 up, and he ascended about twenty- 

 four minutes past six. Wliilst the 

 balloon was still hovering over the 

 Park, he threw from it a number 

 of small paper parachutes, with 

 jubilee favours attached to them, 

 bearing various inscriptions. When 

 above the London docks, the bal- 

 loon appeared for a short time 

 nearly stationary, and it was not 

 until a quantity of ballast was 

 thrown out, that a quicker motion 

 could be given to it. On passing 

 over Dei)tford, at a considerable 

 height, Mr, Sadler went through a 

 cloud which left behind it on the 

 railing of the car, and on various 

 parts of the balloon, a thick mois- 

 ture, which soon became frozen; 

 and Mr. Sadler, for a short time, 

 felt the cold as intense as in win- 

 ter. Immediately over Woolwich 

 the string which fiistened the net, 

 as was apprehended, suddenly 

 broke, and the mHin body of the 

 balloon was forced quickly through 

 the aperture, nearly ]8 feet. Mr. 

 Sadler, to prevent the danger 

 which threatened him, caught the 

 pipe at the bottom oFthe balloon, 

 and by hanging on it and the valve 

 line, he prevented the balloon from 

 further escaping. The valve, which 

 had for some time resisted every 

 attempt to open it, in consequence 

 of being frozen, at this time gave 

 way, and suffered the gas to escape. 



A sudden shift of wind, whilst the 

 balloon was apparently falling into 

 the middle of the Thames at Sea- 

 Reach, carried it about 100 yards 

 over the marshes on the Essex 

 side, when the aeronaut seized the 

 opportunity of making a gash in 

 the balloon with his knife, which 

 the wind considerably widened, 

 and occasioned the escape of the 

 gas in great quantities. Mr. Sad- 

 ler's descent on this account was 

 rather more preci[jitate and violent 

 than he could have wished. He 

 landed, liowever, in Mucking 

 Marshes, sixteen miles below 

 Gravesend, on the Essex coast, 

 without sustaining any other in- 

 jury than a slight sprain, in about 

 40 minutes after his departure 

 from the Park. 



Early this morning, a conflagra- 

 tion occurred in the flour-mills, at 

 Light House Quay, near Watford, 

 which entirely consumed them, 

 together with three out-houses, in 

 a short time. The flames commu- 

 nicated to the dwelling-house, 

 which was also levelled to the 

 ground, leaving only the wall, a 

 part of which fell down, by which 

 two men were so lacerated, that 

 they were taken to the hospital, 

 where they expired about two 

 hours afterwards. The accident 

 was attributed to a spark, which 

 flew amongst a quantity of straw. 

 The property was insured to the 

 amount of 3,0001. It was with 

 great difficulty the family escaped. 



2. There is a woman of the 

 name of Joanna Southcote, near- 

 ly 70 years of age, of whose im- 

 postures, or lunacy, our readers 

 ma}' already have heard. Some 

 chapel in St. George's Fields has 

 acquired considerable popularity 

 by the attendance of this poor 



