There were two points about my first exhibition in the Prussian capital, which caused it to be well remembered. The first was a public demonstration of the possibility of discharging petards with safety. The second was a riot in the Thier Garten, outside the Brandenburg Gate, where considerable damage was done to the shrubs, and a quarrel occurred with the constables, some of whom were severely beaten. A detachment of soldiers was called in to restore order, but General Wrangel was prevented from inspecting my apparatus, and that illustrious soldier was stoned on his way to the gardens, so that the police authorities prohibited any more ascents, and I was ordered to remove the cause of disorder, which was the balloon. But instead of obeying the instructions of the two fierce looking messengers from the President of Police, I caused them to be referred to Miss Kroll, the proprietress. I then ascended, as at Brussels, before the stated hour, offering as a reason, the following morning, that it was easier and more congenial with my feelings, to let out the gas at some distant place, than to be compelled to do so on my first essay in Berlin.
On due application on the part of myself and Miss Kroll, the prohibition against ascending again was withdrawn. I not only did so on June 11th, but on the 19th instant as well. This time the “Sylph” passed over Berlin, and was becalmed for more than an hour, affording an excellent opportunity for the Berliners to witness the bombardment.
There was so little air stirring this evening, that the descent was made on the military exercising grounds, outside the capital. It struck me on landing, that instead of letting the gas off, I would move the balloon outside the walls of Berlin, round to Kroll’s Gardens again, for a second ascent.
This was a difficult and tedious achievement, but the weather was favourable for its accomplishment, and it was my ambition to surprise and please the Garden visitors by exploits which had never been carried out before.
Miss Kroll’s brother accompanied me in the car, and we directed a number of soldiers and civilians to march on in the way considered best.
The wonder was that the police did not stop the procession. On arriving at a part of the outskirts, where some trees and water presented a barrier to our transit, an idea struck me that an immense amount of time and labour might be saved, if I dared to strike straight through Berlin, but Mr. Kroll was of opinion that the soldiers would not permit us to pass the gates, unless we had authority to do so.
“Let us try,” I urged, “we can beat an honourable and masterly retreat when we are rejected.”
The bold way in which we moved towards the nearest gate, with the “Sylph” towering sixty feet from the ground, completely astonished the sentinel, and the guard as well, which turned out and confronted the mob now becoming formidable.
Mr. Kroll was asked, when he explained my object, if I had my permission, to which I replied myself with, “here it is,” bringing forth the police permission to ascend that day.
I was not bound, as an Englishman and a stranger, to explain that the erlaubnitz said nothing about returning, and as the good-natured soldiers principally looked to dates, stamps, &c., the gates were opened to let us through, but very few of our outside followers were allowed to pass, excepting the blue-coats off duty, who really were a protection.