RE-ASCENT OF THE BALLOON.
Section 101. BELLAIR-Meadow: half past III o’Clock:[32] Thermom. at 55: bright Sun: few Clouds in Sight.
Balloon rapidly re-ascending.
The Balloon being now 31 Pound lighter; taking a Direction from the Sea-Breeze into the Country, and again towards Aston-Hall[33]; mounted up like a Sky-Rocket, with accelerating Velocity: its upper Parts nodding from Side to Side, as if to shake off the resisting Column of Air immediately above it.
The Neck tyed.
Drawing the Valve, while Mouth of the Balloon is open, shewn to be dangerous.
102. There being no proper Opportunity of closing the Mouth of the Balloon on its near Approach to the Sea, or during the Swiftness of its Descent; tho’ there had been frequent Inclination to attempt it; this little but essential Work was instantly resolved upon. And the more so, as the Mouth had continued open from the first: and as Mr. Lunardi did not happen to mention this Circumstance: the Utility of which, tho’ too late to be put in Practice, had, but a few Minutes before, very plainly suggested itself. His Directions were, to open the Valve in order to descend: which woud possibly have encreased the Rapidity of Descent: and, by introducing a thorou’ Air upwards, while the Motion of the Balloon was in a contrary Direcion, might have occasioned a dangerous Rupture of the lower Parts of the Balloon, which actually took Place in a preceding Excursion.
The Balloon drawn sideways.
103. The Balloon, tho’ rising quick, seemed not to be wholly disengaged from the Ground, but to have received a Check; and to lean a little out of the Perpendicular: particularly the Car, which was evidently drawn a different Way from the Balloon.
The half Mile white Flag impeding the Balloon.
On perceiving that the half Mile white Flag, fastened to the upper Hoop of the Car, sensibly impeded the Elevation of the Machine, by trailing along the Ground, (the Balloon being yet within the Influence of the Sea-Breeze, or lower Current of Air;) the Question was, whether it woud not be imprudent to suffer the Balloon to rise near half a Mile, before the white Flag; was disentangled and free to follow it.
For as neither the Twine, nor the lower Cords of the Balloon were of Silk; the Twine having lain on the Trees or moist Ground, might become a conductor from the Earth to any Stratum of Air that had less or more than what is called its natural Quantity[35] of the electric Fluid.
Twine cut, lest it shoud prove a Conductor of Electricity.
Adding to the above, a Wish to rise higher the second Time than the first; stooping for the Scissars, the String was cut: 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 a slip or bow Knot: one End of which was purposely left hanging three Feet downwards, to untye instantly on Occasion.
Additional Levity of one Pound.
This additional Levity of nearly one Pound, gave the whole Quantity of Ballast thrown over in a few Minutes, nearly 32 Pounds.
Remarks on the Balloon.
104. The intelligent Farmer who stood near the Balloon, when it alighted at Bellair, had observed it for some Time before near the Sea, and marked its Return, as coming apparently from Overton.
At first, which was more than five Minutes before it came to the Ground, it seemed to him as if it coud not have been larger than a Bladder.
He saw it reascend, first sideways, then upright; moving from the Sea.
Afterward it rose rapidly, and rather towards the Sea and Warrington, distant twelve Miles.
Apparent Size of the Balloon, when seen from below.
He watched it for a Quarter of an Hour: and caught it by Intervals, near and above a Cloud in the blue Sky, at so great a Height that it looked like a Lark: and at last: so small that the People who stood near him coud none of them regain a Sight, when they had once lost it.
105. The remaining white Flag was unfolded, and tyed to one of the Balloon-Cords attached to the upper Hoop, at a proper Distance to play freely in the Wind: and, notwithstanding all that has been said to the contrary, shewed instantaneously and plainly the corresponding Changes made by the Wind in different Directions.
And, as the Breeze was accompanied with a Sensation of Coolness against 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 the Air in its peculiar progressive Direction, and not by its Resistance or Progress in the Track of the Balloon.
Balloon moving in a Direction different from that of the Air.
106. It is probable that the Momentum of the Balloon, acquired by its centrifugal or accelerating Force upwards, might have kept it in one Direction, while it continued to rise throu’ different Currents.
