the dominion of the air-第22部分

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le　in　person；　accompanied　by　two　staff　officers；　in　one　of　the　four　balloons　which　the　French　Army　had　provided；　made　an　ascent　to　reconnoitre　the　Austrian　forces　at　Fleurus。　　They　ascended　twice　in　one　day；　remaining　aloft　for　some　four　hours；　and；　on　their　second　ascent　being　sighted；　drew　a　brisk　fire　from　the　enemy。　　They　were　unharmed；　however；　and　the　successful　termination　of　the　battle　of　Fleurus　has　been　claimed　as　due　in　large　measure　to　the　service　rendered　by　that　balloon。

The　extraordinary　fact　that　the　use　of　the　balloon　was　for　many　years　discontinued　in　the　French　Army　is　attributed　to　a　strangely　superstitious　prejudice　entertained　by　Napoleon。　　Las　Cases　（in　his　〃Private　Life　of　Napoleon　at　St。　Helena　〃）　relates　an　almost　miraculous　story　of　Napoleon's　coronation。　　It　appears　that　a　sum　of　23；500　francs　was　given　to　M。　Garnerin　to　provide　a　balloon　ascent　to　aid　in　the　celebrations；　and；　in　consequence；　a　colossal　machine　was　made　to　ascend　at　11　p。m。　　on　December　16th　from　the　front　of　Notre　Dame；　carrying　3；000　lights。　　This　balloon　was　unmanned；　and　at　its　departure　apparently　behaved　extremely　well；　causing　universal　delight。　　During　the　hours　of　darkness；　however；　it　seems　to　have　acquitted　itself　in　a　strange　and　well…nigh　preternatural　manner；　for　at　daybreak　it　is　sighted　on　the　horizon　by　the　inhabitants　of　Rome；　and　seen　to　be　coming　towards　their　city。　　So　true　was　its　course　that；　as　though　with　predetermined　purpose；　it　sails　on　till　it　is　positively　over　St。　Peter's　and　the　Vatican；　when；　its　mission　being　apparently　fulfilled；　it　settles　to　earth；　and　finally　ends　its　career　in　the　Lake　Bracciano。　　Regarded　from　whatever　point　of　view；　the　flight　was　certainly　extraordinary；　and　it　is　not　surprising　that　in　that　age　it　was　regarded　as　nothing　less　than　a　portent。　　Moreover；　little　details　of　the　wonderful　story　were　quickly　endowed　with　grave　significance。　　The　balloon　on　reaching　the　ground　rent　itself。　　Next；　ere　it　plunged　into　the　water；　it　carefully　deposited　a　portion　of　its　crown　on　the　tomb　of　Nero。　　Napoleon；　on　learning　the　facts；　forbade　that　they　should　ever　be　referred　to。　　Further；　he　thenceforward　discountenanced　the　balloon　in　his　army；　and　the　establishment　at　Meudon　was　abandoned。

There　is　record　of　an　attempt　of　some　sort　that　was　made　to　revive　the　French　military　ballooning　school　in　the　African　campaign　of　1830；　but　it　was　barren　of　results。　　Again；　it　has　been　stated　that　the　Austrians　used　balloons　for　reconnaissance；　before　Venice　in　1849；　and　yet　again　the　same　thing　is　related　of　the　Russians　at　the　time　of　the　siege　of　Sebastopol；　though　Kinglake　does　not　mention　the　circumstance。　　In　1846　Wise　drew　up　and　laid　before　the　American　War　Office　an　elaborate　scheme　for　the　reduction　of　Vera　Cruz。　　This　will　be　discussed　in　its　due　place；　though　it　will　be　doubtless　considered　as　chimerical。

On　the　other　hand；　eminently　practical　were　the　experiments　co…ordinated　and　begun　to　be　put　to　an　actual　test　by　Mr。　Coxwell；　who；　before　he　could　duly　impress　his　project　upon　the　military　authorities；　had　to　make　preliminary　trials　in　private　ventures。　　The　earliest　of　these　was　at　the　Surrey　Zoological　Gardens　in　the　autumn　of　1854；　and　it　will　be　granted　that　much　ingenuity　and　originality　were　displayed　when　it　is　considered　that　at　that　date　neither　wireless　telegraphy；　electric　flashlight；　nor　even　Morse　Code　signalling　was　in　vogue。　　According　to　his　announcement；　the　spectators　were　to　regard　his　balloon；　captive　or　free；　as　floating　at　a　certain　altitude　over　a　beleaguered　fortress；　the　authorities　in　communication

with　it　having　the　key　of　the　signals　and　seeking　to　obtain　through　these　means　information　as　to　the　approach　of　an　enemy。　　It　was　to　be　supposed　that；　by　the　aid　of　glasses；　a　vast　distance　around　could　be　subjected　to　careful　scrutiny；　and　a　constant　communication　kept　up　with　the　authorities　in　the　fortress。　　Further；　the　flags　or　other　signals　were　supposed　preconcerted　and　unknown　to　the　enemy；　being　formed　by　variations　of　shape　and　colour。　　Pigeons　were　also　despatched　from　a　considerable　height　to　test　their　efficiency　under　novel　conditions。　　The　public　press　commented　favourably　on　the　performance　and　result　of　this　initial　experiment。

Mr。　Coxwell's　account　of　an　occasion　when　he　had　to　try　conclusions　with　a　very　boisterous　wind；　and　of　the　way　in　which　he　negotiated　a　very　trying　and　dangerous　landing；　will　be　found　alike　interesting　and　instructive。　　It　was　an　ascent　from　the　Crystal　Palace；　and　the　morning　was　fair　and　of　bright　promise　outwardly；　but　Coxwell　confesses　to　have　disregarded　a　falling　glass。　　The　inflation　having　been　progressing　satisfactorily；　he　retired　to　partake　of　luncheon；　entirely　free　from　apprehensions；　but　while　thus　occupied；　he　was　presently　sought　out　and　summoned　by　a　gardener；　who　told　him　that　his　balloon　had　torn　away；　and　was　now　completely　out　of　control；　dragging　his　men　about　the　bushes。　　On　reaching　the　scene；　the　men；　in　great　strength；　were　about　to　attempt　a　more　strenuous　effort　to　drag　the　balloon　back　against　the　wind；　which　Coxwell　promptly　forbade；　warning　them　that　so　they　would　tear　all　to　pieces。　　He　then　commenced；　as　it　were；　to　〃take　in　a　reef；〃　by　gathering　in　the　slack　of　the　silk；　which　chiefly　was　catching　the　wind；　and　by　drawing　in　the　net；　mesh　by　mesh；　until　the　more　inflated　portion　of　the　balloon　was　left　snug　and　offering　but　little　resistance　to　the　gale；　when　he　got　her　dragged　in　a　direction　slanting　to　the　wind　and　under　the　lee　of　trees。

Eventually　a　hazardous　and　difficult　departure　was　effected；　Mr。　Chandler；　a　passenger　already　booked；　insisting　on　accompanying　the　aeronaut；　in　spite　of　the　latter's　strongest　protestations。　　And　their　first　peril　came　quickly；　in　a　near　shave　of　fouling　the　balcony　of　the　North　Tower；　which　they　avoided　only　by　a　prompt　discharge　of　sand；　the　crowd　cheering　loudly　as　they　saw　how　the　crisis　was　avoided。　　The　car；　adds　Mr。　Coxwell　in　his　memoirs；　〃was　apparently　trailing　behind　the　balloon　with　a　pendulous　swing；　which　is　not　often　the　case。。。　In　less　than　two　minutes　we　entered　the　lower　clouds；　passing　through　them　quickly；　and　noticing　that　their　tops；　which　are　usually　of　white；　rounded　conformation；　were　torn　into　shreds　and　crests　of　vapour。　　Above；　there　was　a　second　wild…looking　stratum　of　another　order。　　We　could　hear；　as　we　hastened　on；　the　hum　of　the　West　End　of　London；　but　we　were　bowling　along；　having　little　time　to　look　about　us；　though　some　extra　sandbags　were　turned　to　good　account　by　making　a　bed　of　them　at　the　bottom　ends　of　the　car；　which　we　occupied　in　anticipation　of　a　rough　landing。〃

As　it　came　on　to　rain　hard　the　voyagers　agreed　to　descend；　and　Coxwell；　choosing　open　ground；　succeeded　in　the　oft…attempted　endeavour　to　drop　his　grapnel　in　front　of　a　bank　or　hedge…row。　　The　balloon　pulled　up　with　such　a　shock　as　inevitably　follows　when　flying　at　sixty　miles　an　hour；　and　Mr。　Coxwell　continues：　〃We　were　at　this　time　suspended　like　a　kite；　and　it　was　not　so　much　the　quantity　of　gas　which　kept　us　up　as　the　hollow　surface　of　loose　silk；　which　acted　like　a　falling　kite；　and　the　obvious　game　of　skill　consisted　in　not　letting　out　too　much　gas　to　make　the　balloon　pitch　heavily　with　a　thud　that　would　have　been　awfully　unpleasant；　but　to　jockey　our　final　touch　in　a　gradual　manner；　and　yet　to　do　it　as　quickly　as　possible　for　fear　of　the　machine　getting　adrift；　since；　under　the　peculiar　circumstances　in　which　we　were　placed；　it　would　have　inevitably　fallen　with　a　crushing　blow；　which　might　have　proved　fatal。　　I　never　remember　to　have　been　in　a　situation　when　more　coolness　and　nicety　were　required　to　overcome　the　peril　which　here　beset　us；　while　on　that　day　the　strong　wind　was；　strange　as　it　may　sound；　helping　us　to　alight　easily；　that　is　to　say　as　long　as　the　grapnel　held　fast　and　the　balloon　did　not　turn　over　like　an　unsteady　kite。〃　Such　peril　as　there　was　soon　terminated　without　injury　to　either　voyager。

The　same　remark　will　apply　to　an　occasion　when　Coxwell　was　caught　in　a　thunderstorm；　which　he　thus　describes　in　brief：〃On　a　second　ascent　from　Chesterfield　we　were　carried　into　the　midst　of　gathering　clouds；　which　began　to　flash　vividly；　and　in　the　end　culminated　in　a　storm。　　There　were　indications；　before　we　left　the　earth；　as　to　what　might　be　expected。　　The　lower　breeze　took　us　in　another　direction　as　we　rose；　but　a　gentle；　whirling　current　higher　up　got　us　into　the　vortex　of　a　highly　charged　cloud。。。。　We　had　to　prove　by　absolute　experience　whether　the　balloon　was　insulated　and　a　non…conductor。　　Beyond　a　drenching；　no　untoward　incident　occurred　during　a　voyage　lasting　in　all　three…quarters　of　an　hour。〃

A　voyage　which　Coxwell　（referring；　doubtless；　to　aerial　travel　over　English　soil　only）　describes　as　〃being　so　very　much　in　excess　of　accustomary　trips　in　balloons〃　will　be　seen　to　fall　short　of　one　memorable　voyage　of　which　the　writer　will　have　to　give　his　own　experiences。　　Some　account；　however；　of　what　the　famous　aeronaut　has　to　tell　will　find　a　fitting　place　here。

It　was　an　ascent　on　a　summer　night　from　North　Woolwich；　and　on　this　occasion　Coxwell　was　accom…　panied　by　two　friends；　one　being　Henry　Youens；　who　subsequently　became　a　professional　balloonist　of　considerable　repute；　and　who　at　this　time　was　an　ardent　amateur。　　It　was　half　an　hour　before　midnight　when　the　party　took　their　places；　and；　getting　smartly　away　from　the　crowd　in　the　gala　grounds；　shot　over　the　river；　and　shortly　were　over　the　town　of　Greenwich　with　the　lights　of　London　well　ahead。　　Then　their　course　took　them　over　Kennington　Oval；　Vauxhall　Bridge；　and　Battersea；　when　they　presently　heard　the　strains　of　a　Scotch　polka。　　This　came　up　from　the　then　famous　Gardens　of　Cremorne；　and；　the　breeze　freshening；　it　was　but　a　few　minutes　later　when　they　stood　over　Kingston；　by　which　time　it　became　a　question　whether；　being　now　clear　of　London；　they　should　descend　or　else　live　out　the　night　and　take　what　thus　might　come　their　way。　　This　course；　as　the　most　prudent；　as　well　as　the　most　fascinating；　was　that　which　commended　itself；　and　at　that　moment　the　hour　of　midnight　was　heard　striking；　showing　that　a　fairly　long　distance　had　been　covered　in　a　short　interval　of