ftance of about 2000 toifes. But, befide fome imperfection in the conftruction, owing to the great hurry in which it had been made, a fudden gust of wind, while it was inflating, made two rents feven feet long near the top, which could not but in fome meafure prevent the promifed effect. It fwelled however in 11 minutes fufficiently to raise it about 240 toifes; it floated to the distance of nearly 1700 toises, and, after having been in the air about eight minutes, it fubfided gradually in the wood of Vaucreflon.-The animals in the cage were fafely landed. The fheep was found feeding; the cock had received fome hurt on one of his wings, probably from a kick of the theep: the duck was perfectly well. VI. M. Montgolfier determined now to repeat the experiment under more favourable circumftances, and more at his leifure. He therefore made a new balloon, in a garden, in the Fauxbourg St. Antoine, which measured 70 feet in heighth, and 46 feet in diameter. A gallery of wicker was contrived round the apperture at the bottom; under which an iron grate or brazier was fufpended, and port-holes opened on the infide of the gallery, towards the aperture, through which any perfon cui robur, et as triplex circa pectus fuerit, who might venture to afcend, might feed the fire on the grate, and thus keep up the vapour, smoke, or as we rather apprehend, the dilatation of the air, in this vaft cavity. On the 15th of October, M. Pilatre de Rozier, no doubt the moft intrepid philofpher of the age, placed himself in the gallery, afcended about 80 feet from the ground, and there kept the balloon afloat for fome time, by repeatedly throwing ftraw and wool upon the fire. In this experiment it was found, that the defcent of a globe (provided no extraordinary accident happened to it) muft neceflarily be gradual; and that it will always light foftly upon the ground, fince, in fact, in every part of its defcent it enters a denfer medium; whence its ve-, locity in falling will rather be retarded than accelerated. On the 19th of October, M. P. de R. afcended a fecond time, about 250 feet. After continuing stationary about eight minutes, a guft of wind carried the balloon among fome trees, where it entangled itfelf fo as to endanger its being torn to pieces. But, on M. R. throwing fome fresh ftraw upon the fire, it immediately reafcended, amid the loud acclamations of a vaft multitude of people, who little expected to fee fo fudden a recovery, The balloon was then hauled down, and M. Giron de Villette placed himself in the gallery oppofite to M. R. They were once more let up; and, for fome time, hovered over Paris, in the fight of all its inhabitants, at the height of 324 feet." Tranflation of a Copy of the Certificate dated at the Chateau-de-laMeette, near Paris, the 21st of November, 1783, relative to the Excurfion of the Marquis D'Arlandes, and M. Pilatre. Τ HIS day, at the king's pa fpectators: it was impoffible not to feel then a fenfe intermixed with fear and admiration. The aerial travellers were foon out of fight, but the machine hovering on the horizon, and appearing in the most beautiful form, afcended gradually 3000 feet, fome Tlace, The Chateau-de-la- fay 3000 feet in height, where it Muette, an expériment has been made of the aeroftatique machine of M. Montgolfiers. The fky was cloudy in fome places, clear in others, the wind N. W. Eight minutes after twelve at noon, a fignal was given to announce that they began to fill the machine; in eight minutes time it was perfectly developed on all fides, and ready to ftart. The Marquis D'Arlandes and M. Pilatre de Rozier were placed in the gallery. It was intended at firft to let the machine rife, and then to withhold it with ropes, in order to put it to trial, to compute the exact weight it might carry, and alfo to fee whether every part was properly completed for the important experiment which was going to be made. But the machine being driven by the wind, inftead of rai. fing itself vertically, went in a direction on one of the walks in the garden, and the ropes which held it acting with too much force, feveral rents were occafioned thereby, one of which was fix feet in length. The machine having been replaced on the alcove, was repaired in lefs than two hours. Having been filled again, it went off at 54 minutes after one, carrying the fame gentlemen; it rofe in a majestic manner, and when it had afcended the height of above 250 feet, the intrepid travellers waving their hats, faluted the ftill remained viable; it croffed the Seine below the Bar of Contenance, and paffing thence between the Military School and the Hotel of the Invalids, it was vifible by all Paris. The travellers being fatisfied with this experiment, and not being willing to extend their excurfion, concerted means to descend, but perceiving that the wind carried them over the houfe in the Rue Seve, fuburb St. Germaine, and still maintaining their cool intrepidity, fang froid, they let fly a flush of gaz, and thereby raifing themfelves again, they continued their airy route until they had paffed over Paris. They then defcended in an easy manner in the fields beyond the New Boulevards, oppofite the mill of Croulebarbe, without having experienced the leaft inconveniency, having ftill left in their gallery above twothirds of their provifional stores; they might, therefore, if they had chofen it, have gone over à space of treble the extent ; their route was from four to five thoufand toifes or fathoms, and performed in from twenty to twenty-five mi nutes. The machine was seventy feet in height, forty-fix in diameter, its infide 60,000 cubical feet, and the weight it bore up was from fixteen to feventeen hundred pounds. This depofition, witneffed at the Chateau-de-la-Muette, at five in the afternoon, and figned by the Duc de POLIGNAC, the Duc de GUINES, the Comte de POLASTROC DE VAUDREUIL D'HUNAUD, Dr. BENJAMIN FRANKLIN, FAUJAS DE ST. FOND, DELISLE LE ROY', of the Academy of Sciences. Account of the aerial Excurfion of Meff. Charles and Robert, on theft of December, 1783, as given by Monf. Charles; tranflated from the Journal de Paris of the 13th and 14th of the fame Month. PREVIOUS to our afcenfion, * REVIOUS to our afcenfion, we had fent up a globe of five feet eight inches diameter, in order to discover the courfe of the wind, and to mark out our intended route. The compliment of cutting the ftring was paid to M. Montgolfier, and it instantly rofe. Meanwhile we prepared to follow it with impatience; but the perplexing circumstances we were in prevented our putting into execution every minute particular that we had intended the night before. The globe and the chariot were in exact equilibrium on the ground. At three quarters after one, we threw out 29 pounds of ballaft, and rofe in the midst of a profound filence, occafioned by the emotion and aftonishment of both parties. Our first pleafing reflections, on our efcape from the perfecution and calumny which had attacked us, were heightened by the majestic fcene which pre fented itself to our view; on every fide a moft ferene fky, without a cloud, and a most charming diftant profpect. As we afcended by an accelerated progreffive motion we waved our banner in token. of joy; and, in order the better to infure our fafety, I was particularly attentive to the barometer. M. Robert examined the cargo with which our friends had bal. lafted our chariot, as for a long voyage, of champaign, &c. blankets, and furs. Having enough, and to fpare, he began with throwing out one of the blankets, which fpread itself in the air, and fell near the dome of the Affumption. The barometer then funk 66 inches, and we had ceased to afcend, or, more properly fpeaking, were arrived at the height of about 300 toifes. This was the height at which I had undertaken to ftop, and from this moment to that of our first getting out of fight of the obfervers at the different stations our horizontal course was between 26 inches and 26 inches eight lines of the mercury, which agrees with the obfervations made at Paris. We took care to throw out our ballaft in proportion as we descended by the infenfible lofs of inflammable air, and we raised ourselves fenfibly to the fame height. Had circumftances permitted us to regulate this ballaft with more exactnefs, our courfe would have been almoft abfolutely horizontal and voluntary. Having reached the height of Mouffeaux, which we left a little to the left, we remained for a mo. ment ftationary. Our chariot turned about, and we then filed * Les circonftances orageufes qui nous preffeant. F 4 off, matters apprehended. The inflammable air could not break its prifon, fince it had always a vent, and the atmospheric air could not get into the globe, fince its preffure made the appendage serve as a valve to oppofe its entrance. After 56 minutes progrefs we off, as the wind directed. We foon after paffed the Seine, between St. Ouen and Afnieres, and leaving Colombe on the left, paffed almoft over Gennevilliers. We had croffed the river a fecond time; leaving Argenteuil on the left, we p.ffed at Sanois, Franconville, Eaubonne, St. Leu-Taverny, Vil-heard the gun which was the figliers, croffed L'Ile Adam, and afterwards Nefle, where we defcended. Such were nearly the places over which we must have paffed almott perpendicularly. This paffage makes about nine Paris leagues, which we ran over in two hours, with fcarcely any fenfible agitation in the air. During the whole of this delightful journey we felt not the leaft uneafinefs about our own fate, or that of the machine. The globe fuf. fered no other alteration than the fucceffive modifications of dilatation and compreffion, of which we availed ourfelves, to rife or defcend at pleasure, in any quantity. The thermometer was, for above an hour, between 10 and 12 deg. above ɔ, owing to the infide of our chariot having been warmed by the rays of the fun. Its heat foon communicated itself to our globe, and contributed, by the dilatation of the inflammable air within, to keep us at the fame height, without being obliged to lighten our ballaft; but we fuffered a greater lofs: the inflammable air, dilated by the fun's heat, efcaped by the appendage to the globe, which we held in our hands, and loofened, as circumftances required, to let out the air too much dilated. By this eafy method we avoided the expanfions and explofions which perions unacquainted with thefe nal of our disappearing from the obfervers at Paris. Not being obliged to confine our courfe to an horizontal direction, as we had till then done, we gave ourselves up to the contemplation of the va ried fcenes in the open country beneath us. We houted Vive le Rei, and heard our fhouts reechoed. We heard, very diftinctly, voices faying, "Are not you afraid, my friends? Are not you fick? What a clever thing it is! God preferve you! Farewell, my friends!"We continued waving our banners, and we faw that thefe fignals redoubled the joy and fecurity of those below. We feveral times came down low enough to be heard: people asked us whence we came, and what time we fet out; and we ascended, bidding them farewell.-As circumftances required, we threw out, fucceffively, great coats, muffs, cloaths. As we failed over L'Ifle Adam, we flourished our banners, and asked after the Prince of Conti; but had the mortification to be told, by a fpeaking trumpet, that he was at Paris. At length, re-afcending, we reached the plains of Nesle about half after three, when, as I intended a fecond expedition, and wished to avail myself of the advantage of fituation, as well as of the day-light, I propofed to M. Robert to defcend, Seeing a troop troop of country people running before us over the fields, we defcended towards a fpacious meadow, inclofed with fome trees and bufhes. Our chariot advanced majestically along a long inclined plane. As it approached the trees, fearing it might be entangled among them, I threw out two pounds of ballaft, and it fprang upwards over them. We ran over above 20 toifes within one or two feet of the land, and looked like travellers in a fledge. The country people purfued us as children do a butterfly, without being able to overtake us. At length we came to the ground. As foon as the curate and fyndics could be brought to the fpot, I drew up a verbal procefs, which they immediately figned. Prefently galloped up the Duke de Chartres, the Duke de FitzJames, Mr. Farrer, an English gentleman, and a number of horfemen, who had followed us from Paris. Fortunately we alighted near a hunting-feat of the latter, who immediately mounted his horse, and riding up to us exclaimed "Mr. Charles, I am firft." The prince embraced us both in our chariot, and figned the process. So did the Duke de Fitz-James. Mr. Farrer figned it three times. His fignature was omitted in the Journal, for he was fo tranfported with joy, that he could not write legibly. Of above 200 horfemen who followed us from Paris, only thefe could overtake us; the reit had knocked up their horfes, or given out. After relating a few particulars to the Duke de Chartres, I told him I was going off again, when would he have me return? He replied, in half an hour. M. Robert quitted the chariot, as we had agreed. Thirty peafants held down the machine. I asked for fome earth to ballaft it, having not above four or five pounds left. A fpade was not at hand, nor were there any flones in the meadow. The fun was near fetting. I made a hafty calculation of the time requifite for the alteration of weight, and giving a fignal to the peasants to quit their hold, I fprang up like a bird. In 20 minutes I was 1500 toifes high, out of fight of all terreftrial objects. I had taken the neceffary precautions against the explosion of the globe, and prepared to make the obfervations which I had promifed myself. In order to obferve the barometer and thermometer placed at the ends of the chariot, without altering the centre of gravity, I knelt down in the middle, ftretching forwards my body and one leg, holding my watch and paper in my left, and my pen and the ftring of the valve in my right, waiting for the event. The globe, which, at my fetting out, was rather flaccid, fwelled infenfibly. The air efcaped in great quantities at the valve. I drew the valve from time to time, to give it two vents; and I continued to afcend, ftill lofing air, which iffued out hiffing, and became vifible, like a warm vapour in a cold atmosphere. The reafon of this phenomenon is obvious. On earth the thermometer was feven degrees above the freezing point; after 10 minutes afcent it was five degrees below. The inflammable air had not had time to recover the equilibrium of its temperature. Its elaftic equili |