The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1878-10-19 00:00:00

ESCAPE OF A BALLOON.

An exciting incident marked the progress of the
military balloon experiments at the Royal Arsenal on
Monday afternoon. The larger of the two balloons
which have been employed by the Royal Engineers is
called the Crusader, and this was prepared for an
ascent for scientific purposes, the intending aeronauts
being Colonel Nugent, president of the balloon com-
mittee, and Captain Tem-plar, and probably some one
else. The balloon was inflated with about 24,000 feet of
gas from the arsenal gasworks, and at half-past three
she was full. About twenty men were holding her with
ropes and the netting, and a few bags of sand were
hung on to help; but the wind was boisterous, and
the balloon, which was more than sixty feet in height,
was difficult of management. As a matter of pre-
caution the men who were holding were warned to
stand clear of the net and hold the ropes free in their
hands; and it was well that they were so prepared,
for a sudden and severe gust of wind from the south-
east completely overpowered them, and breaking
away ropes and everything, the great balloon
burst its bondage, and shot into the air. The car
had not been attached, and all that it had to steady
it consisted of four bags of ballast, which just
kept it mouth downwards, but did not prevent it from
rolling about in a fantastic manner as it ascended.
The wind took it hurriedly over Woolwich town and
across the River Thames, but after it had reached a
height of four or five miles, it got beyond the influence
of the wind and remained steady, a mere speck, whi,ih
was discernible in the same spot until nightfall. The
balloon was worth about £l5O, and had made many
ascents.

OXFORD, Tuesday Night.

Some excitement was created here this morning
by the announcement that the balloon "Crusader,"
whose vagaries had been known to the Oxford publicby
the newspapers, had been captured on Port Meadow.
The public were at first somewhat credulous, thinking
it very unlikely that the lost balloon had wandered so
far; but it turned out that the report was true. About
seven o'clock on Monday evening a gigantic balloon
was seen coming in the direction of Headington.
It appeared to take the direction of Wytham, but
gradually sank on nearing the village of Woldercote,
and finally reached terra firma on a portion of the
Freeman's mead, adjacent to the village. The arrival
of this aerial monster caused great interest in the
village. When it was observed very near its destina-
tion only one rope was hanging from it, and as it was
passing over the telegraph wires of the Great Western
Railway this became entangled, and for a short time
stopped its progress. The bystanders were unable at
first to haul it down, but on climbing up the netting a
large quantity of the gas was forced out by some of
them, and after a great deal of trouble the balloon was got
to land, emptied, and taken to the "Red Lion " Inn, the
landlord of which, Mr. Laxton, stored it carefully away.
When it came within reach it was about twenty feet in
height, and when stretched out it would have covered
a considerable space of land. It took six men to con-
vey it to a place of safety. It bore on it the name
"Crusader," and was painted yellow. A number of
villagers smoked their pipes close to it during the
escape of gas. Telegrams announcing the recovery of
the balloon were despatched to Woolwich early this
morning, and this afternoon an official from the Royal
Arsenal arrived at Oxford and took charge of it.
Though it weighs over 3 cwt. it was hardly damaged.
The distance from Woolwich to Oxford is about sixty
miles, and seeing that the " Crusader " did not break
loose until the afternoon it must have travelled with
greater rapidity than was expected, to have reached
Oxford by seven o'clock in the evening.