AIROPAIDIA.THESECOND PARTOF ANAËRIAL EXCURSIONFROM CHESTER THE EIGHTH OF SEPT. 1785.CHAPTERXVIII.RE-ASCENT OF THE BALLOON.Section 101.BELLAIR-Meadow: half past III o’Clock:[32]Thermom. at 55:brightSun:fewClouds in Sight.Balloon rapidly re-ascending.The Balloon being now 31 Pound lighter; taking a Directionfromthe Sea-Breeze into the Country, andagaintowards Aston-Hall[33]; mountedup like a Sky-Rocket, with accelerating Velocity: its upper Partsnoddingfrom Side to Side, as if toshake offtheresistingColumn of Air immediately above it.The Neck tyed.Drawing the Valve, while Mouth of the Balloon isopen, shewn to bedangerous.102. There being no proper Opportunity of closing the Mouth of the Balloon on itsnearApproach to the Sea, or during theSwiftnessof its Descent; tho’ there had beenfrequent Inclinationto attempt it; thislittlebutessentialWork was instantly resolved upon. And the more so, as the Mouth had continued openfromthe first: and as Mr. Lunardi did nothappento mention this Circumstance: the Utility of which, tho’too lateto be put in Practice, had, but a few Minutes before, very plainly suggested itself. His Directions were, toopenthe Valve in order to descend: which woudpossiblyhaveencreasedthe Rapidity of Descent: and, byintroducinga thorou’ Airupwards, while the Motion of the Balloon was in acontraryDirecion,might have occasioned adangerous Ruptureof the lower Parts of the Balloon,whichactually took Place in a preceding Excursion.The Balloon drawnsideways.103. The Balloon, tho’ risingquick, seemednotto be wholly disengaged from the Ground, but to have received a Check; and toleana little out of the Perpendicular: particularly the Car, which was evidently drawn adifferentWayfromthe Balloon.The half MilewhiteFlag impeding the Balloon.On perceiving that the half MilewhiteFlag, fastened to theupperHoop of the Car, sensibly impeded the Elevation of the Machine, bytrailingalong the Ground, (the Balloon being yet within the Influence of the Sea-Breeze, orlowerCurrent of Air;) the Question was, whether it woud not be imprudent to suffer the Balloon to rise near half a Mile, before thewhiteFlag; wasdisentangledand free to follow it.For as neither theTwine, nor thelower Cordsof the Balloon were of Silk; the Twine having lain on theTrees ormoistGround, might become aconductorfrom the Earth to any Stratum of Air that hadlessormorethan what is called its natural Quantity[35]of theelectricFluid.Twinecut, lest it shoud prove aConductorofElectricity.Adding to the above, a Wish to rise higher thesecondTime than the first; stooping for the Scissars, the String wascut: reserving a Remainder to tye the Neck of the Balloon; which was immediately done by gathering the Parts of the Balloon into the Hand, wrapping a Couple of Yards loosely round, and tying them on asliporbowKnot: one End of which waspurposelyleft hanging three Feet downwards, tountyeinstantly on Occasion.Additional Levity of one Pound.This additional Levity ofnearlyone Pound, gave the whole Quantity of Ballast thrown over in afewMinutes,nearly32 Pounds.Remarks on the Balloon.104. The intelligent Farmer who stood near the Balloon, when it alighted at Bellair, had observed it for some Timebeforenear the Sea, and markedits Return, as comingapparentlyfromOverton.At first, which wasmorethan five Minutes before it came to the Ground, it seemed to him as if it coud not have beenlargerthan a Bladder.He saw it reascend, firstsideways, then upright; moving from the Sea.Afterward it roserapidly, and rathertowardsthe Sea and Warrington, distant twelve Miles.ApparentSize of the Balloon, when seen frombelow.He watched it for a Quarter of an Hour: and caught it by Intervals, near and above a Cloud in theblueSky, at so great a Height that it looked like aLark: and at last: sosmallthat the People who stood near him coud none of them regain aSight, when they had once lost it.105. The remainingwhiteFlag was unfolded, and tyed to one of the Balloon-Cords attached to theupperHoop, at a proper Distance toplayfreely in the Wind: and, notwithstanding all that has been said to thecontrary, shewedinstantaneouslyandplainlythe corresponding Changes made by the Wind in different Directions.And, as the Breeze was accompanied with a Sensation ofCoolnessagainst the Face of the Aironaut, looking towards that Quarter from whence the Wind came, as indicated by the Flag; (which Quarter was not in a Line with the Path of the Balloon;) the Flag must have shewn that the Change was made by theAirinits peculiarprogressive Direction, and not byitsResistance or Progress in the Track of the Balloon.Balloonmoving in a Directiondifferentfrom that of theAir.106. It is probable that theMomentumof the Balloon, acquired by its centrifugal or accelerating Force upwards, might have kept it inoneDirection, while it continued to rise throu’differentCurrents.
AIROPAIDIA.THESECOND PARTOF ANAËRIAL EXCURSIONFROM CHESTER THE EIGHTH OF SEPT. 1785.
AIROPAIDIA.
THESECOND PARTOF ANAËRIAL EXCURSION
FROM CHESTER THE EIGHTH OF SEPT. 1785.
CHAPTERXVIII.
Section 101.BELLAIR-Meadow: half past III o’Clock:[32]Thermom. at 55:brightSun:fewClouds in Sight.
Balloon rapidly re-ascending.
The Balloon being now 31 Pound lighter; taking a Directionfromthe Sea-Breeze into the Country, andagaintowards Aston-Hall[33]; mountedup like a Sky-Rocket, with accelerating Velocity: its upper Partsnoddingfrom Side to Side, as if toshake offtheresistingColumn of Air immediately above it.
The Neck tyed.
Drawing the Valve, while Mouth of the Balloon isopen, shewn to bedangerous.
102. There being no proper Opportunity of closing the Mouth of the Balloon on itsnearApproach to the Sea, or during theSwiftnessof its Descent; tho’ there had beenfrequent Inclinationto attempt it; thislittlebutessentialWork was instantly resolved upon. And the more so, as the Mouth had continued openfromthe first: and as Mr. Lunardi did nothappento mention this Circumstance: the Utility of which, tho’too lateto be put in Practice, had, but a few Minutes before, very plainly suggested itself. His Directions were, toopenthe Valve in order to descend: which woudpossiblyhaveencreasedthe Rapidity of Descent: and, byintroducinga thorou’ Airupwards, while the Motion of the Balloon was in acontraryDirecion,might have occasioned adangerous Ruptureof the lower Parts of the Balloon,whichactually took Place in a preceding Excursion.
The Balloon drawnsideways.
103. The Balloon, tho’ risingquick, seemednotto be wholly disengaged from the Ground, but to have received a Check; and toleana little out of the Perpendicular: particularly the Car, which was evidently drawn adifferentWayfromthe Balloon.
The half MilewhiteFlag impeding the Balloon.
On perceiving that the half MilewhiteFlag, fastened to theupperHoop of the Car, sensibly impeded the Elevation of the Machine, bytrailingalong the Ground, (the Balloon being yet within the Influence of the Sea-Breeze, orlowerCurrent of Air;) the Question was, whether it woud not be imprudent to suffer the Balloon to rise near half a Mile, before thewhiteFlag; wasdisentangledand free to follow it.
For as neither theTwine, nor thelower Cordsof the Balloon were of Silk; the Twine having lain on theTrees ormoistGround, might become aconductorfrom the Earth to any Stratum of Air that hadlessormorethan what is called its natural Quantity[35]of theelectricFluid.
Twinecut, lest it shoud prove aConductorofElectricity.
Adding to the above, a Wish to rise higher thesecondTime than the first; stooping for the Scissars, the String wascut: reserving a Remainder to tye the Neck of the Balloon; which was immediately done by gathering the Parts of the Balloon into the Hand, wrapping a Couple of Yards loosely round, and tying them on asliporbowKnot: one End of which waspurposelyleft hanging three Feet downwards, tountyeinstantly on Occasion.
Additional Levity of one Pound.
This additional Levity ofnearlyone Pound, gave the whole Quantity of Ballast thrown over in afewMinutes,nearly32 Pounds.
Remarks on the Balloon.
104. The intelligent Farmer who stood near the Balloon, when it alighted at Bellair, had observed it for some Timebeforenear the Sea, and markedits Return, as comingapparentlyfromOverton.
At first, which wasmorethan five Minutes before it came to the Ground, it seemed to him as if it coud not have beenlargerthan a Bladder.
He saw it reascend, firstsideways, then upright; moving from the Sea.
Afterward it roserapidly, and rathertowardsthe Sea and Warrington, distant twelve Miles.
ApparentSize of the Balloon, when seen frombelow.
He watched it for a Quarter of an Hour: and caught it by Intervals, near and above a Cloud in theblueSky, at so great a Height that it looked like aLark: and at last: sosmallthat the People who stood near him coud none of them regain aSight, when they had once lost it.
105. The remainingwhiteFlag was unfolded, and tyed to one of the Balloon-Cords attached to theupperHoop, at a proper Distance toplayfreely in the Wind: and, notwithstanding all that has been said to thecontrary, shewedinstantaneouslyandplainlythe corresponding Changes made by the Wind in different Directions.
And, as the Breeze was accompanied with a Sensation ofCoolnessagainst the Face of the Aironaut, looking towards that Quarter from whence the Wind came, as indicated by the Flag; (which Quarter was not in a Line with the Path of the Balloon;) the Flag must have shewn that the Change was made by theAirinits peculiarprogressive Direction, and not byitsResistance or Progress in the Track of the Balloon.
Balloonmoving in a Directiondifferentfrom that of theAir.
106. It is probable that theMomentumof the Balloon, acquired by its centrifugal or accelerating Force upwards, might have kept it inoneDirection, while it continued to rise throu’differentCurrents.