370 REPORT— 1866. 



It seemed to me to realize a wish 1 have felt when looking through a tele- 

 scope at portions of the MUky Way, when the field of view appeared covered 

 with gold-dust, to be possessed of the power to see those minute spots of light 

 as brilliant stars, for certaioly the intense brilliancy of London this night must 

 have rivalled such a view. 



We were over the Marble Arch at 6^ 51"*, about eleven miles in a straight line 

 from Woolwich, which distance had been passed in about half an hour. We 

 therefore were travelling at more than twenty miles per hour. On passing 

 onwards we left the Edgeware Eoad on our right, and the Great Western 

 Railway on our left, and passed nearly down the HaiTOw Road. In six or 

 seven minutes we left the suburbs of London, passing over Middlesex in the 

 direction of Uxbridge ; there the contrast was great indeed ; not a single ob- 

 ject could anywhere be seen, not a sound reached the ear; the roar of Lon- 

 don was entirely lost. The moon was shining, but seemed to give no light ; 

 and the earth could not be seen. After a time the moon seemed to shine with 

 increased brightness ; the fields gradually came into view, then the shadow of 

 the balloon on the earth was seen distinctly pointing out our path, v/hich, by 

 reference to the pole-star and the moon, became well known. After this oc- 

 casional masses of lights appeared as we passed over towns and villages. Thus 

 we passed out of Middlesex, over parts of Buckinghamshire and Berkshire, to 

 Higlimoor, in Oxfordshire, where we descended on the farm of Mr. Reeves at 

 S'' 20'", distant about 45 mUes from Woolwich. The horizontal movement of 

 the air at Greenwich in the same time was registered as 3 6 miles. 



Unfortunately, Mr. Orton believed we were near the sea, and, notwithstand- 

 ing my assertions and assurances to the contrary, he suddenly brought the 

 lialloon to the groimd, and broke nearly all the instruments ; the lamp was 

 lost, but an offered reward brought it to me a fortnight afterwards in a very 

 battered condition. 



The results of this first night experiment are very valuable ; and, so far as 

 one experiment can give, indicate that, on a clear night, the temperature, up 

 to a certain elevation, increases with increase of elevation. 



Ascent from Woolwich Arsenal, December 2, 1865. — The weather during 

 the month of November was too boisterous to attempt an ascent at night, and 

 no opportunity presented itself till December 2; This day was cloudless, and 

 held out the prospect of a clear sky at night. 



The balloon was filled, and it was ready before siinset ; for some time after 

 this it continued clear, but suddenly became overcast, obscuring the moon. 

 When the sun had set nearly 2| hoiu's, we left Woolmch, Mr. Orton taking 

 charge of the balloon. The temperature of the air just before leaving was 

 38i°, at 1400 feet high it decreased 2° : unlike the previous ascent, the lowest 

 temperature was always at the highest point, and the highest was at the 

 lowest point of every ascent and descent, of which there were several instances 

 at the highest point reached ; when nearly one mile high the temperature 

 was 27°, being 11° colder than when we left the earth, one hour and a half 

 before ; we then descended with the view of ascending again still higher, 

 when unfortunately, at tlie height of 2400 feet, the lamp was thrown down 

 by a jerk of the balloon, and went out ; just before this the temperature was 

 32|°. On losing the light we continued the descent to the earth. 



Pilot balloons started shortly before leaving, having inchoated the lower 

 current of air as S.E., and the upper nearly W. On leaving Woolwich we 

 passed over Stratford, Tottenham, St. Albans, towards Triug ; when here wo 

 considered ourselves high enough to venture out of the lower current, and on. 



