CHAIN PIER. 139 



scientific purpose, is perfectly useless; even its attraction as a holiday 

 show is now worn out, for scarcely a week passes during the Vauxhall 

 season but several ladies and gentlemen, ambitious of a sky-rocket 

 reputation, accompany Mr. Green in his " Monster Balloon," accounts of 

 which would be but so much learned lumber. It is said of Benjamin 

 Franklin, that on being asked what was the use of a balloon, replied by 

 asking his interrogator another question " What is the use of a new 

 born infant ? It may become a man." If that eminent philosopher 

 was now alive, he would see that it had grown, certainly, but was as far 

 off maturity as when first invented. 



The means now adopted to inflate balloons is by the ordinary coal gas, 

 and they usually ascend from the immediate neighbourhood of gas 

 works; this process is more expeditious and much less expensive than 

 the old system. 



CHAIN PIER, AT BRIGHTON. 



This beautiful object of suspensive power was begun in 1822, from 

 plans by Captain Brown, who was the Engineer; under whose 

 immediate superintendence it was erected and opened in 1829. To those 

 who are acquainted with the town of Brighton, it is unnecessary to point 

 out the advantages of such a jetty ; but, to those who have never visited 

 that fashionable watering place, it may be interesting to know that the 

 bold, open, lee shore of Brighton, rendered the task of embarkation or 

 disembaration a work, at most times of the tide, of difficulty and danger 

 hence the necessity of the Chain Pier. 



It consists of a platform, about thirteen feet wide, and about a thousand 

 feet long, suspended from eight chains passing over four towers ; the 

 chains being at one end fixed in the cliff, and at the other end fastened 

 to the masonry sunk in the sea. The eight chains are arranged in pairs, 

 side by side, there being two pairs on each side of the platform, one 

 being hung about twelve inches above the other. The parts between them 

 are named bridges, and, by way of distinction, they are called first, 

 second, &c., from the cliff. 



The towers are made of cast iron, and each rests upon twenty piles, 

 driven with more than the usual force into the bed of chalk ; the last 

 tower, and the extension of the platform, forming the pier head, rests 

 upon 100 piles, well bound together, and further stiffened by piles 

 driven diagonally. 



The four main chains are made of wrought iron, two inches in 



