the dominion of the air-第23部分

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ght　was　heard　striking；　showing　that　a　fairly　long　distance　had　been　covered　in　a　short　interval　of　time。

From　this　period　they　would　seem　to　have　lost　their　way；　and　though　scattered　lights　were　sighted　ahead；　they　were　soon　in　doubt　as　to　whether　they　might　not　already　be　nearing　the　sea；　a　doubt　that　was　strengthened　by　their　hearing　the　cry　of　sea…fowl。　　After　a　pause；　lights　were　seen　looming　under　the　haze　to　sea…ward；　which　at　times　resembled　water；　and　a　tail　like　that　of　a　comet　was　discerned；　beyond　which　was　a　black　patch　of　considerable　size。

The　patch　was　the　Isle　of　Wight；　and　the　tail　the　Water　from　Southampton。　　They　were　thus　wearing　more　south　and　towards　danger。　　They　had　no　Davy　lamp　with　which　to　read　their　aneroid；　and　could　only　tell　from　the　upward　flight　of　fragments　of　paper　that　they　were　descending。　　Another　deficiency　in　their　equipment　was　the　lack　of　a　trail　rope　to　break　their　fall；　and　for　some　time　they　were　under　unpleasant　apprehension　of　an　unexpected　and　rude　impact　with　the　ground；　or　collision　with　some　undesirable　object。　　This　induced　them　to　discharge　sand　and　to　risk　the　consequences　of　another　rise　into　space；　and　as　they　mounted　they　were　not　reassured　by　sighting　to　the　south　a　ridge　of　lighter　colour；　which　strongly　suggested　the　coast　line。

But　it　was　midsummer；　and　it　was　not　long　before　bird　life　awakening　was　heard　below；　and　then　a　streak　of　dawn　revealed　their　locality；　which　was　over　the　Exe；　with　Sidmouth　and　Tor　Bay　hard　by　on　their　left。　　Then　from　here；　the　land　jutting　seawards；　they　confidently　traversed　Dartmoor；　and　effected　a　safe；　if　somewhat　unseasonable；　descent　near　Tavistock。　　The　distance　travelled　was　considerable；　but　the　duration；　on　the　aeronaut's　own　showing；　was　less　than　five　hours。

In　the　year　1859　the　Times　commented　on　the　usefulness　of　military　balloons　in　language　that　fully　justified　all　that　Coxwell　had　previously　claimed　for　them。　　A　war　correspondent；　who　had　accompanied　the　Austrian　Army　during　that　year；　asks　pertinently　how　it　had　happened　that　the　French　had　been　ready　at　six　o'clock　to　make　a　combined　attack　against　the　Austrians；　who；　on　their　part；　had　but　just　taken　up　positions　on　the　previous　evening。　　The　correspondent　goes　on　to　supply　the　answer　thus：〃No　sooner　was　the　first　Austrian　battalion　out　of　Vallegio　than　a　balloon　was　observed　to　rise　in　the　air　from　the　vicinity　of　Monsambanoa　signal；　no　doubt；　for　the　French　in　Castiglione。　　I　have　a　full　conviction　that　the　Emperor　of　the　French　knew　overnight　the　exact　position　of　every　Austrian　corps；　while　the　Emperor　of　Austria　was　unable　to　ascertain　the　number　or　distribution　of　the　forces　of　the　allies。〃

It　appears　that　M。　Godard　was　the　aeronaut　employed　to　observe　the　enemy；　and　that　fresh　balloons　for　the　French　Army　were　proceeded　with。

The　date　was　now　near　at　hand　when　Coxwell；　in　partnership　with　Mr。　Glaisher；　was　to　take　part　in　the　classical　work　which　has　rendered　their　names　famous　throughout　the　world。　　Before　proceeding　to　tell　of　that　period；　however；　Mr。　Coxwell　has　done　well　to　record　one　aerial　adventure；　which；　while　but　narrowly　missing　the　most　serious　consequences；　gives　a　very　practical　illustration　of　the　chances　in　favour　of　the　aeronaut　under　extreme　circumstances。

It　was　an　ascent　at　Congleton　in　a　gale　of　wind；　a　and　the　company　of　two　passengersMessrs。　Pearson；　of　Lawton　Hallwas　pressed　upon　him。　　Everything　foretold　a　rough　landing；　and　some　time　after　the　start　was　made　the　outlook　was　not　improved　by　the　fact　that　the　dreaded　county　of　Derbyshire　was　seen　approaching；　and　it　was　presently　apparent　that　the　spot　on　which　they　had　decided　to　descend　was　faced　by　rocks　and　a　formidable　gorge。　　On　this；　Coxwell　attempted　to　drop　his　grapnel　in　front　of　a　stone　wall；　and　so　far　with　success；　but　the　wall　went　down；　as　also　another　and　another；　the　wicker　car　passing；　with　its　great　impetus；　clean　through　the　solid　obstacles；　till　at　last　the　balloon　slit　from　top　to　bottom。　　Very　serious　injuries　to　heads　and　limbs　were　sustained；　but　no　lives　were　lost；　and　Coxwell　himself；　after　being　laid　up　at　Buxton；　got　home　on　crutches。



CHAPTER　XIII。　SOME　NOTEWORTHY　ASCENTS。


It　was　the　year　1862；　and　the　scientific　world　in　England　determined　once　again　on　attempting　observational　work　in　connection　with　balloons。　　There　had　been　a　meeting　of　the　British　Association　at　Wolverhampton；　and；　under　their　auspices；　and　with　the　professional　services　of　Thomas　Lythgoe；　Mr。　Creswick；　of　Greenwich　Observatory；　was　commissioned　to　make　a　lofty　scientific　ascent　with　a　Cremorne　balloon。　　The　attempt；　however；　was　unsatisfactory；　and　the　balloon　being　condemned；　an　application　was　made　to　Mr。　Coxwell　to　provide　a　suitable　craft；　and　to　undertake　its　management。　　The　principals　of　the　working　committee　were　Colonel　Sykes；　M。P。；　Dr。　Lee；　and　Mr。　James　Glaisher；　F。R。S。；　and　a　short　conference　between　these　gentlemen　and　the　experienced　aeronaut　soon　made　it　clear　that　a　mammoth　balloon　far　larger　than　any　in　existence　was　needed　for　the　work　in　hand。　　But　here　a　fatal　obstacle　presented　itself　in　lack　of　funds；　for　it　transpired　that　the　grant　voted　was　only　to　be　devoted　to　trial　ascents。

It　was　then　that　Mr。　Coxwell；　with　characteristic　enterprise；　undertook；　at　his　own　cost；　to　build　a　suitable　balloon；　and；　moreover；　to　have　it　ready　by　Midsummer　Day。　　It　was　a　bold；　as　well　as　a　generous；　offer；　for　it　was　now　March；　and；　according　to　Mr。　Coxwell's　statement；　if　silk　were　employed；　the　preparation　and　manufacture　would　occupy　six　months　and　cost　not　less　than　L2；000。　　The　fabric　chosen　was　a　sort　of　American　cloth；　and　by　unremitting　efforts　the　task　was　performed　to　time；　and　the　balloon　forwarded　to　Wolverhampton；　its　dimensions　being　55　feet　in　diameter；　80　feet　in　height　from　the　ground；　with　a　capacity　of　93；000　cubic　feet。　　But　the　best　feature　in　connection　with　it　was　the　fact　that　Mr。　Glaisher　himself　was　to　make　the　ascents　as　scientific　observer。

No　time　was　lost　in　getting　to　work；　but　twice　over　the　chosen　days　were　unsuitable；　and　it　was　not　till　July　17th　that　the　two　colleagues；　of　whom　so　much　is　to　be　told；　got　away　at　9。30　a。m。　with　their　balloon　only　two…thirds　full；　to　allow　of　expansion　to　take　place　in　such　a　lofty　ascent　as　was　contemplated。　　And；　when　it　is　considered　that　an　altitude　of　five　miles　was　reached；　it　will　be　granted　that　the　scientific　gentleman　who　was　making　his　maiden　ascent　that　day　showed　remarkable　endurance　and　tenacity　of　purposethe　all…important　essential　for　the　onerous　and　trying　work　before　him。　　At　9。56　the　balloon　had　disappeared　from　sight；　climbing　far　into　the　sky　in　the　E。N。E。　　The　story　of　the　voyage　we　must　leave　in　Mr。　Glaisher's　hands。　　Certain　events；　however；　associated　with　other　aeronauts；　which　had　already　happened；　and　which　should　be　considered　in　connection　with　the　new　drama　now　to　be　introduced；　may　fittingly　here　meet　with　brief　mention。

The　trouble　arising　from　the　coasting　across　country　of　a　fallen　and　still　half…inflated　balloon　has　already　been　sufficiently　illustrated；　and　needs　little　further　discussion。　　It　is　common　enough　to　see　a　balloon；　when　full　and　round；　struggling　restively　under　a　moderate　breeze　with　a　score　of　men；　and　dragging　them；　and　near　a　ton　of　sand…bags　as　well；　about　the　starting　ground。　　But；　as　has　already　been　pointed　out；　the　power　of　the　wind　on　the　globe　is　vastly　increased　when　the　silk　becomes　slack　and　forms　a　hollow　to　hold　the　wind；　like　a　bellying　sail。　　Various　means　to　deal　with　this　difficulty　have　been　devised；　one　of　these　being　an　emergency；　or　ripping　valve；　in　addition　to　the　ordinary　valve；　consisting　of　an　arrangement　for　tearing　a　large　opening　in　the　upper　part　of　one　of　the　gores；　so　that　on　reaching　earth　the　balloon　may　be　immediately　crippled　and　emptied　of　so　large　a　quantity　of　gas　as　to　render　dragging　impossible。　　Such　a　method　is　not　altogether　without　drawbacks；　one　of　these　being　the　confusion　liable　to　arise　from　there　being　more　than　one　valve　line　to　reckon　with。　　To　obviate　this；　it　has　been　suggested　that　the　emergency　line　should　be　of　a　distinctive　colour。

But　an　experiment　with　a　safeguard　to　somewhat　of　this　nature　was　attended　with　fatal　consequence　in　the　year　1824。　　A　Mr。　Harris；　a　lieutenant　in　the　British　Navy；　ascended　from　the　Eagle　Tavern；　City　Road；　with　a　balloon　fitted　with　a　contrivance　of　his　own　invention；　consisting　of　a　large　hinged　upper　valve；　having　within　it　a　smaller　valve　of　the　same　description；　the　idea　being　that；　should　the　operation　of　the　smaller　outlet　not　suffice　for　any　occasion；　then　the　shutter　of　the　larger　opening　might　be　resorted　to；　to　effect　a　more　liberal　discharge　of　gas。

Mr。　Harris　took　with　him　a　young　lady；　Miss　Stocks　by　name；　and　apparently　the　afternoonit　being　late　May　was　favourable　for　an　aerial　voyage；　for；　with　full　reliance　on　his　apparatus；　he　left　his　grapnel　behind；　and　was　content　with　such　assistance　as　the　girl　might　be　able　to　render　him。　　It　was　not　long　before　the　balloon　was　found　descending；　and　with　a　rapidity　that　seemed　somewhat　to　disturb　the　aeronaut；　and　when；　after　a　re…ascent；　effected　by　a　discharge　of　ballast；　another　decided　downward　tendency　ensued；　Mr。　Harris　clearly　realised　that　something　was　wrong；　without；　however；　divining　the　cause。　　The　story　subsequently　told　by　the　girl　was　to　the　effect　that　when　the　balloon　was　descending　the　second　time　she　was　spoken　to　by　her　unfortunate　companion　in　an　anxious　manner。　　〃I　then　heard　the　balloon　go　'Clap！　clap！'　and　Mr。　Harris　said　he　was　afraid　it　was　bursting；　at　which　I　fainted；　and　knew　no　more　until　I　found　myself　in　bed。〃　　A　gamekeeper　tells　the　sequel；　relating　that　he　observed　the　balloon；　which　was　descending　with　great　velocity；　strike　and　break　the　head　of　an　oak　tree；　after　which　it　also　struck　the　ground。　　Hurrying　up；　he　found　the　girl　insensible；　and　Mr。　Harris　already　dead；　with　his　breast　bone　and　several　ribs　broken。　　The　explanation　of　the　accident　given　by　Mr。　Edward　Spencer　is　alike　convincing　and　instructive。　　This　eminently　practical　authority　points　out　that　the　valve　lines　must　have　been　made　taut　to　the　hoop　at　the　time　that　the　balloon　was　full　an