Though several e permit:Ins on the ascensive powei of balloons had been made in England, during the course of the year alter their the first aerial voyage, which was undertaken by Vincent Lunardi, aui Italian, did not take place till September 1784. Ilis balloon was 33 feet in diameter, and shaped like a pear. It was made of oiled silk, with alternate stripes of blue and red, having the car suspended from a hoop below the balloon, by 45 cords.
In January 1785, an aerial voyage across the English Channel, the most adyenuirou6 that had Indict to been projected, was made by Mr Blanchard and Dr Jeffries. They left Dover castle on the 7th of that month, at one o'clock. The balloon for spine time rising slowly and majestically in the air, they passed over several ships, and enjoyed a grand prospect of the numerous objects below them. They soon, howe er, found themselves beginning to descend, and were under the necessity o`f throwing out half their ballast, when they were about one-third of the way from Dover. When half way across the channel, the balion again deseanded ; upon which they threw out all their ballast, and also some books, which thee had rallied along with them. At half an hour after two, they were obliged to throw away every part of the apparatus that could possibly be want ed ; but still the balloon was descending, in spite of all their efforts. The anchors and cords were then thrown out ; and, as the last expedient in their power, the aeronauts stripped themselves of their own clothes,. This, to their infinite satisfaction, changed the sinking tendency of the balloon ; and reaching the French coast, they passed over the high lands between cape Blanc and Calais, and landed in the forest of Guiennes.
Encouraged by the successful issue of this enter prise, M. Pilatre de Rozier, and M. Romaine, ascended from Boulogne, in July, with the intention of crossing the English Channel. To insure the power of ascent and descent at pleasure, they availed themselves of the combined effect of two balloons ; one filled with inflam mable air, about 37 feet in diameter, and another with ra refied air, whose ascensive power was about 60 pounds. The latter was suspended below the other, at such a dia tance as precluded all apprehension of danger fi om the fire which was under it. They had not, however, been long in the air, before the spectators perceived the bal loon swelling very quickly ; and when they had attain ed the height of nearly three quarters of a mile, the whole apparatus was observed to be in flames. This disaster was attended with fatal consequences to the unfortunate adventurers. They were precipitated from their car, and dashed to pieces upon the ground. See .4,1 Excursion from Paris to Fountainbicazi. London, 1786.
In September following, Air Baldwin ascended from Chester. When scarcely a mile and a half high, the earth appeared to be seven miles distant ; the whole face of the country seemed a perfect plain, and the build ings had no apparent height. After passing through
various currents of air, he saw the clouds of a pure white colour, moving in detached fleeces. Above these he observed a vast mass of dense thunder clouds, at unequal distances, resembling in colour the smoke of ordnance. In this 1. oyage, he remarked, as had been done before, that the progress of the balloon was much affected in passing Os c p water. At the greatest altitude, his respiration was free, and lie felt no perceptible in crease of cold.
In June 1786, :V. Testu ascended from Paris with a balloon, 23 feet in diameter, on the motion of which he was able to produce a very sensible effect by the manceuv ring of wings. It was filled only -1 with gas ; but, at 2900 feet high, became quite lull, by the expansion which it underwent in the rarer atmosphere. Dreading the bursting of the balloon, should he continue to as cend higher, he applied himself vigorously to the man ce.uvring of the wings ; and after much difficulty, and severe labour, descended, in the plain of Montmorency, to take in ballast. Here he procured some stones with out leaving the car. A crowd of people, impelled by curiosity to see him, forced their way through a field of corn, which was so considerably damaged, that the pro prietor seized on the aeronaut for indemnification. Twen ty persons held a cord which was fixed to the car, and conveyed it along, the balloon floating about six yards from the ground. But when they were triumphantly entering the village with their prisoner, he suddenly cut the cord by which the car was restrained, and made his escape into the air, to the utter amazement of his cap tors. After descending a second time, he rose again and passed through clouds which emitted vivid flashes of lightning, accompanied by loud peals of thunder. The sun was then setting ; and shortly afterwards, he encoun tered a storm. His balloon was tossed about among clouds, sonic of them snowy, and others charged with rain. An iron point, fixed to his tar, emitted a stream of light from the positive electricity of the atmosphere ; and, when negative, it exhibited a luminous spot. His flag, bearing the arms of France in gold, sparkled with fire during the darkness of night, while the thunder rolled, and the lightning flashed around him. The storm lasted for three hours ; and during all that time the aero naut thirst not allow any of the gas to escape, lest its communication with the electric matter should have pro duced an explosion of the balloon. The tempest at length abated, and was succeeded by a perfect calm. From a sublime elevation he beheld the sun rising ; and after being twelve hours in the air, descended near the village of Campremi, 25 leagues from Paris. His clothes and balloon were impregnated with a strong sulphureous smell ; and his flag had been rent by the lightning.