Carlisle Patriot, 15 Oct 1825 - Messrs. GREEN's Balloon (1)
petra.mi...@doctors.org.uk
Saturday 15 Oct 1825 (p. 3, col. 1-2)
MESSRS. GREEN'S BALLOON.
A second Balloon ascent from the area of Carlisle Castle, took place on Tuesday last, according to announcement in our last. The æronaut was Mr. C. GREEN, and this his 42nd voyage.
From Saturday up to Tuesday morning, the weather was generally wet and boisterous; and fears were entertained that Mr. GREEN would be compelled to forego his intention.
Nevertheless, he commenced the process of filling the machine at an early hour on Monday morning (with iron pipes attached to one of the Gas-Company's mains in Castle-street, as before described), and pursued his labours with so much spirit, that the inflation was far advanced by mid-day on Tuesday, by which time the weather had greatly improved, though a strong gale still blew from the south-west.
It has been already said that the Balloon consists of 1600 yards of red and yellow striped silk. Its circumference is 107 feet; capacity, 16,000 cubic feet. According to a statement published at York, after Mr. GREEN's first ascent there, the weight of 16,000 cubic feet of atmospheric air, is 1200 pounds. The weight of the same quantity generated for the purpose on that occasion (spec. grav. 4) was 480. Difference, or buoyant powers of the gas, 720: weight of the Balloon and appendages, including car, grapple, &c. 230; weight of Mr. GREEN, 148: ditto of ballast, 250: total, 628. Unbalanced ascending power of the Balloon, 92: loss by opening the valve to show its action, 28: ascending power of the Balloon when liberated, 64. This statement does not exactly apply to the ascent on Tuesday. At York, the Balloon was completely filled to shew its form, which occasioned the necessity of liberating gas and discharging ballast, the danger of bursting by the expansion of the gas as the atmosphere increased in density having been obviated by leaving the neck open. At Carlisle, the Balloon was not more than about four-fifths filled; and the specific gravity of the gas was materially greater—so that the ascending power was of course much less than that above spoken of. "Mr. GREEN," says a recently published work entitled Notes on the Sciences, "has the merit of being the first person who tried experiments on the buoyant properties of coal gas. In some of his preliminary trials he ascertained that the ascensive force of a small balloon, three feet in diameter, was equal to eleven ounces, and when filled in the old way with hydrogen gas, not more than fifteen ounces."
Two o'clock was announced as the hour of ascent. By that time, a great number of spectators had assembled within the Castle-walls, but not so many, by one-third, as on the 29th ult.; nor were the people on the surrounding eminences, the bridge, canal-banks, &c. apparently more in number than a fifth or sixth of the multitudes who assembled on that occasion. A Band of Music beguiled the time with a variety of favourite airs.
Soon after three o'clock, the Balloon was removed from its moorings near the entrance, and conveyed by a number of attendants to a part of the area more convenient for trying its buoyancy, and preparing for the ascent.
Mr. GREEN was very expert in making his arrangements. He soon affixed the car to the machine, which, acted on by the wind, rolled furiously about, now threatening to overwhelm those who approached too near it, anon violently agitating the various cords which were attached to it, and in some degree endangering the safety of those who imprudently suffered their legs to be entangled.
It was Mr. GREEN's intention to have permitted some of his friends to ascend from one to two hundred feet, to the end of a strong rope which was attached to the car; but on trial he found that he had not sufficient buoyant power; the same reason also compelled him to reject the proposals of a Gentleman who offered a premium of £40 to be permitted to partake of the voyage.
Every thing being ready, the Balloon was launched in the air, at 20m. before four, and rose most majestically, taking a north east direction. Mr. GREEN stood up in the centre of the car, waved his flags and otherwise saluted, and was warmly cheered by the numerous spectators on the battlements of the Castle.
The wind having almost suddenly died away, the ascent was altogether different in its character from that of Mr. C. [sic - should be G.] GREEN and Mr. RAMSHAY. They bounded off before the gale, with a velocity quite startling; Mr. C. GREEN mounted upwards with slow and solemn grandeur; and appeared to be perfectly stationary at the height of eight hundred or a thousand yards. His demeanor, as he left the earth, not merely proved his intrepidity—it also displayed the self-confidence of a perfect acquaintance with the principles and practice of the science of ærostation.
As the Balloon gradually receded from the sight of the multitudes who gazed upon it, it successively presented a beautiful variety of aspect, according to the influence of the sun's rays, or the effect of the alternate dark and fleecy clouds which hung over and around it. Nothing of a similar kind could be more gratifying; for the sublime object was visible, even to the naked eye, till after the descent was commenced; but before the balloon reached the earth it was hidden from the spectator at Carlisle by the sombre influence of a dark cloud which extended over a considerable part of the eastern horizon.
[to be continued]