The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1881-12-20 00:00:00

EXCITING ACCIDENT TO AERONAUTS.

•DOMONAL PAILTICCL•It S.

Capt. Cessna, Capt. Bowring, and the balloonist.
Capt. Templer, were in the 'ocumodore, on Sat u r day
night @emelt, and the two steamer coptaimi were deo
out on Sunday. They searched the water to 2.5 tulles
or lei ...nth f Bil.lpor.
'I he ti le at the time the ball mu is supp osed to have
fallen in the we at was setting in ouch a dire. tion that
It is suppose,' the halloou might be carrie Ito the east,
If she wee actuelly it, the aster; but the haze at the
time we& ouch thst it is doolueil wheth •r the ids rears
o u d ac-urately state that at a dietantor of two miles.
Mr. Gai•doer, woo fell 121 t., was cihreyed on •
bends to be atm doti medical y.
The epee I of the balloon,. ten -he otruck the ground,
wee intim tbd by raptsin Templer at 26 miles an
hour, and after ohe struck the water, f she ft mained
there, at eight miles an hour, if she remained all
Captaiii Templer left iho Gloucester Hotel for Lon-
don at two on 6uoday afterwimit to rep reit° his head-
qu °tern.
Mr. l'owell's doter came to Worm •ntli by last
testi, in ductility eveituis ; taw tlr, F ,der, and
err hg .1 for a th rou4ti ersrch ..f ilia tester, the bit.
tom will ale, he dragged for a Ii g &of...es rdund
where the 1.110 t at. ike. lb. Com-
itiodore. with C apt .in Como., left Wryer:truth dodut
Si. on NI oiday morning for liiilp .rt, .n i Mr.
Poweli'd sis er awl Mr. le..wler by toe Most train.
Cantata Templer h made to Mr. Scott, secretary of
the Iletatrolugical Odic- the following report of the acci-
dent cad toe elott, media to discover the miming balloon
and Mr. P iwell:
"8 r,—l riotret to report that on 8 tturday, the 10:1‘ of
December, I rec.:nest at Bath. accompanied tiy Mr.
Walter Powell and K.. Agg Gaidner, at ii. 56.1. p.m.,
forth. purgers' of t dung toe teiopiireturs of the •ir, and
I' e amount of snow in the air, for it, Meteorological
01111 m. I cleared the twat., cloud. at 4,1100 met altttutle
the tempera:um ot these clouds we. 28 deg.. and the wet-
bulb tt -ruaunseter read hi deg. At 4,200 tett we paned
over Welk, t h-• timo being Si. Slid At 'his height I
worked ireer Olee•onhury : the tempt retina now roe. to
414., and th- sky was perfec•ly close. I reseed then
between eldniert in and Lamp rt. ao4 I here font that
I we, je eN. g W current. I a- ke I Mr. Powell o aend
the balloon op to 6,000 fe tto eager co, the temper nor
ot aou all b oak Ili cirrus I f 'cod Inge tempo. atm.- to be
31 gag., and then I ...kid hit* to piece we ot
2MO feet altitude, to re,eis the N. I W. cilligp.t.
and we then c.me In view of Creak rue. I now kept
at low altitude, until I istached B. •mmster. Mr Potash
ben &so i• t that wet wore to•ng et 30 usil. en hour. en i
here w• fir.t heto t s roar ot the sea. Toe balloon
towden y row t.. 4,000 feet. At nos ton. I .ad to Mr.
i'etwt II 'Go down to • Abu, 100 feet o' the eatth and asc it-
nein nor 'a act position. W., c tinted atone gime to the
ground n til we reached Byrn .ntshitry. I beret:4ld to
man and okeil him bow tar the di.t.nce was to Bridport
as' he odd about a mile. I mated Mr. Powell to prepare
to ' 1.1. our pace now iucrce.iig to 36 wiles •n h 'or.
To swot I the little village tot Neaps, Mr. P well threw
out sonte balleat, nit took us to 1,500 feet elevat on,
and vital still two miles to get In. I opened the raive
sod descended about 150 parts eh .rt ol the cliff. The
%afloat ou touching the ground dragged • few feet. and I
gelid out of the car with the (Wye line in my hand. Tide
mused the balloon to ascend about sight feet, when Mr.
Gardner dropped off and, unfortunately, broke his leg.
I louse that the rare was being puled througe my
bead , sad I called to Mr. Powell, who was standing
In tier car, to c nos down the line. He took hold
of tee &ad in a few more seconds the line we
*we through my hand*. The balloon rose rapidly. Mr.
p,...11 wowed his band to me, aid I took his comiress
blooms, and f iund that be can rang in •S. K divottion. Sow- mane wins op, I p6c d Mr. Gardner in their
chop', die sent sord to the c aateuard and Briiipoit
iharbourm•itter to keep • good lot 4 out, and Logo out with
1,...,. I th..• pr0c..4.1 to Bid p .rt and telegraphed to
,be commanding officer ot the It ical Elgirteers, War
oath, to haws a steamer in readinees for WS to go n
g each. I proc -laded to Weymouth, and found the
c„oinchntiore eitb Steam op, I here received a triegrant
Iron, Bi4dport, the barbeerinseter oaring that the hallo it
had boot men to drop in the se • SOUtts ,f Sri !p rt. 1 t
ones pm-ended to see, searchrd the all. goo pl.co or Lis
.Ameetit, making doe allimane f,r the wind and current.
line p trying upsuccestful. I noised the channel till ere
tsighthed the Oeequets Light, and than rimmed le • NW,
diessetsee, ultimately reaching Worm iute Aleut 6 a.m.
on Sunday Ise.rning. and have oriented further search.
I sin cit Ipinion that wha was At n to fall Into the sea
was sot the balloon, but part of the gear thrown out to
lathed the balloon as the balloon could not have tall.n so
close to theaters, se to be visible at shout tire p.m."
Cantata Comae. Mr. Fowler and the officers and men of
the Commodore have been daily engaged in draight.
lbs
West Bay for the body at Mr. Powell and the balloon.
gle Monday dternoon er evening • report sprang up in
Wiereo mtb that Yr. Powell bed been found safe in
Rotuma ; and the likelihood at the rumour at once
/procured it wt Moored belief ; in tad. it appears to hare
rigerollag he Bridport and even to Leaden, ;booth • rerr
short enquiry revealed that it had no more foundation
time any of Baas earserds which are mysteii maly hatched
in Weymouth loom time to time, and of which some of
the morn orste•ortbv were the persistent rumour In the
time of the old Itaritto war that Sebastopol was taken,
which was propagated Months before it took piece;
another wee the dreadful sod wicked award lathe last
8A141i4111 war that the British Fleet bid ii.. i, half destroyed
in forcing the pas-ate of the Darden-11.e and, later still,
rrrrr nue will remember the rumour lb at the water mains
had boast and that
we abould beam no ever. II i. eo.
ith.• @meant .I•eut Ilfr Powell went th-ough tho cour.. f
Isaias eant to Loudon aid c intreoicted At Bridport toe
isterest of the search centred •, but through true 'Kiwis."
tthe.Arm of Meeera. Cieens and C we werealntoetias
well ,oi„roteri here. Bequiries o b
ndoeted mt._
Yer
Wong tke Oka g.wied to the cuthjugi.ui that the d Citing
antemente of witnemem shout the balloon were real y
hermoniour. that Mr Powell wee les. den standing op
in MN% •ither pulling or Hying to meth • rope, aid that
after troths tore utile., to see the balleon &moon edict' the
water eith • splash, and disappeared at • point
about two miles 88W from whore oh. left the
toe wind. doortforo, at the time must have le.en
N.N.111, and It is suppoled Mr. P succeeded in
getting hold of the wale., line and preferred ti deeeen
at Ince as near to the and as peohle, hoping a b .t
would pick him up If this win en, his decision was fatal
le kilts ; two or ter*, hundred pounds of balkot were in
the ear, and tie grapnel wee deo attested, thug ml the
valve remained op .n. theta was quite enough to drag the
banned to the lintion, el the West Bay. On tee; other
hand. it is urged, Mr. Po tell was not only skilful boa .14.:
tag, and was mure likely to heave the Sight over the
Zoe bah Channel. considering th at, if no oraidest happened
to the valve, tie bid gas enough to ffy to Gii.ra,ter. If. as
gene ouppose, an Iwe believe Captain Templer at one time
I.mned to this "Pinion, it ea. merely halide. sod g ••.r
thrown out to lielitee th, balloon that Mr. God saw,
then Mr. Powell alight have crowd to 8 Many. hut
would anis. therein lb. dark of the smell hum...of finadey
morning Uncertainty as to thirst deed the wind prevents
f ;tether op-culation; be may b.ye Sown across Brame, in
the dark, and g t into the Gm of Itineur, or been blown
hack Ii an unfrequented part._ The C immoriore has been
engased to go on dragging, and C iptainC sena to hire the
(Worn 's? atearnor it,sous, and vie' ester emelt Pert is
Brittrny. enquiring for the balloon, and rep inns Wes
tdmig to dole by telegreph to di• d•••reaktril lung.. Mr.
P•parall's staler, with her attendant.. w•-re 1,, Brulp.rt
Tuesday. and hia brother was to arrive that night, The
Cummodore returned on Tuesday al.bi. but resumed Dr n•
day. and Mr. Fowler. after conferenee with Dr. Drew, left
by ins eight O'CIOCk train 011 Wwineed•y morning. A
reward of L2/10 has been offered ft r Mr. P.. ell, deed or
alive: £lOO or the balloon, and for any reliable ieformae
rids. Iff -ova Wiens mad Co.. on behalf of the family,
alf £5O.

BRIDPORT. TUOlrley NVOLlialf. 7.30.
itittin Jamm Teini.l..r. and Mr. Powell, front
*rather to the missing ho. men,b•-r for Ifelmesburri
.arriv.dt an aft,enorm trek,. and were met at tbe
rail-
ma: on by Mr. Jenkins., eh., dry, from the Bull
2144 t,, mord them. A carries • eve in reediners to con-
voy them to the Herb ur. Tce Commodore had ju-t
Ilemelted the prrt, altar an the. uneurrit.efol cruise around
sm. The rapt tin drove hick to B florid with Copt.
T.. Nola. aad Mr. Powell, Irtrn whom ordeits were lamed
fnr Ng Commodore to Stfllll3 round It» vicinity of the
4 islands, early oast motator, with dm view of
A.di.,.ther the balloon Of po-tious e' its helongiage, es
• • ;the teal WOO barinif (0,104.'114 WlLbip 814111 Of
th• 4417 'l7 • mot generally ticceptvd at a probable tat
the harbour le
or opi.-des &bet the 11,1100 n, or the onforsunate
Many
wurild be d•e-iivrred off *iv co,lo of
ff..;irday bit'. i airy taw spit whvre the
'rano.. A flag
ball° m Amick the eat th. atro. aid *here C.pg,i,
Tempi- r and Mr. Gadnee •Pdiro thrown it. Tim, letter
voilvman .till lora at lb. b 110 ; t• le•111d that
rettirtrd in no dlelit
to. reromety to health is be,:ht
f ate of Mr Powell
ra-aeuro hy his strati milder as to
Much neatnern .ti.D rnir estur•d njt_lrourh-
out the Own by • stomas* re-elver; by Mr. Bi. d, the
statimmester, etatine that ° • Man In • •••"°d• hid hi.°
found ref the matt of Brittany ' Mettears• °ma ha tar
d•roatebrd. both to the stational...ter and postmaster
of W'r•anthi neither of whom could subrtantiste :he pur-
port of the 111,1111101. *bleb. it is presamcd, we. the result
either of as onfounded rumour or a cruel hots. At soy
rata, it buoyed u for a Was Mrs. leaking &Ad Obits the
wets iisW awaiting fatalism

WIDNIXDAY NICHT.
To-day the weather has interfered with the dragging
operati,in•, aid n.ithirg has been done. Nor hft any
mews Wen obtained from any other point, respecting
the missing gentleman and balloon.
BRII)PuIiT, Wednesday Night.
We regret to state that up to this period no clue
or intelligence has reached ii.. Mr. J. S. Fowler,
tt,ftinager of the Weymouth ad Portland S'etampacket
Company, arrived by an early m . sing train and pro-
ceeded to the harbour, in company with Captain
James Templer, A. IL "am, Ertl, H. Powell,
Nog., and several other gentlemen. Sour ti. b-f .re
these gentlemen arrive 1, the Comnridoie havug called
SA the harbour, put to sea and scoured the I,utekirta of
the bay, but, up to the last m 'meet of writing, had
met, with no snoceft. Captain Comas. by Trails of
orders received last night, proc.eded to Guernsey, sod
from thence to the French coast for inquiries. The
above-mentioned gentleman, aft r leaving the harbour,
walked over the cliffs to visit the scene of the sad
• ccurrenoe. A flag is still waving over the spot to
eatable the steamer and boats to Confine their search
within probabei localities. It is needless for us to
state that the relatives of Mr. Powell, as well as those
of Captain Templer and Mr. Al-Gardner are hour
lahour reluctantly forced to believe that Mr. Powell.
.P., will never again be seen alive. Captain
Tempi r, at first sanguine that Mr. Powell had
succeeded in crafting toe Channel in safety, shows
evident signs of despair with regard to the probable
safety of 11r. Powell He is Dow inclined to believe
that the balloon did actually colorises before getting
outside the confines if the Buy, and, c odrary to h
prior opinions is inclined now to place more reli.m.e
upon the statement =As by Mr. Harry G .id, who
, asserts that be diaticctly saw a balloon with • car
attached, alight upon the surface of the water, • few
I miles from shore. Although we earnestly hip. tbat
this was not the caw, yet, viewing the facts of the
, catastrophe at Hype, when Captain Templer and Mr.
Agg Gardner were thrown from the car, we He forced
reluctantly to place some reliance on the aftertioc. It
is possible that when the car was relieved of the we gilt
of thaw gentlemen, and, in addition, se•-rat la ire
of Walesa, An., 5.1.1 Mr. Powell discovered him.- f
alone with the balloon, that II should make a spe,ly
t t open the valve iii order t allow the whole
the gas t escape from the envelope. We keow th.t
Captain Templer, who watched the balloon intently as
it rc-a•ioln•leil with Mr. Powell. deckers,' that it s on
attained an atlituds of 6.000 feet or.. uutil • passing
cloud hid it from human view. But it is not pftrible
Piat Mr. Powell, wh we physical condition woos the
bal,o .n rose with him cannot be known, failed to cson-
mend the valve before the balloon attained ouch an
aditule, ant only succeeded in doinit so after he
ha I ascended such • iiistancle ? It is probable that
Mr. Powell, seeing the accident as he did, would make
every effort to briug down his machine, even before it
rose over p e water; but, fading in this, that be
endeavoured to make a descent in the way as near
shore as possible, so that aanstance could come to him
from the bea.h.

Wino:meg. Thursday.
On Wednesday, after a few hours' work, the C.•m-
mneiore we. compelled by stress of weather, to come
dragging, and returned to Weymouth, whence she
went out again between 9 and 10n There lay (this)
moroing. The Rescue steamer searched sound and at
the island of dark Wednesday, Lot found nothing; the
search round the Channel hlanda wee to be resumed
by her to-day (Thursday), leaving the kunboat
to enquire on the Brittany cord. On Weeloes ray,
Capt. Templer, the relatives of Mr. Powell, Mr. ,
Fowler, and .Mr. Good, wenr again to the cldf, crow,
bearinge were taken, Capt. Templer made every ict•
vestigation, Mr. Good re-stated whst ho na,l seen, and
at leng:h on being asked whether Mr. Cool we. rigut
or wrong (he having stated the bolo pitcned in the
sea) Capt. Templer ceneluded Mr. Ce ood was ergot.
A large another of vessels left Portland on Saturday •
au I lunday for all parts, including the neighbourhood I
of lishant, and if Mr. Powell did escape the Coeunel,
the, may be • chance of his haviog bean taken else-
where by • pawing ship.
Ou Thursday 'Lemons telegrams were rweived in
Loudon from several sources, bringing tidings of the I
mi-siug Whom Saladin, but unfortunately none ~f
them contained any intimation that Mr. Powell waa
still in it. Mr. W. H. Lefevere, president of the
Balloon Sodety of Grtat Bs itairo, received a telegram
on l'lturialay afterno di from his bitter Mr. Lefevre,
at Jersey, ter ths hollowing effect :—" Powell's balloon
rep..rt.il to have been bighted off Cora) g last night.
shell mate further inquiries. ' On Thursday morning,
a so, Lord 'feuterders received a teligram at the
Foreign-Ali e from the British Vice-Consul at Cher-
g, that a li•herinan, name I Ca•tel Louis, Isl fly,
repor,ed has kg seen an o j,ci afloat he tVedneelay
in wiring, at seven o'clock, thirty miles from the French ,
coast, and twenty fro.o the E gush coast, Cape La
!doge* and Alderney. He did not approach nearer
than 200 ysrds, and being duak did not notice any
occupant. The British VicwOonsul immediat-ly sent
• vessel in march, aud if found the balloon will be
taken to Torquay, on the English coast. Lord
Teeterdao telegraphed te herbourg, urging that the
most strenous efforts eh rul.l be made to recover the
missing gentleman if possible. Mr. Issfevre believes
that though the fisherman may not have seen any
occupant, Mr. Powell might have been lying down
exhausted in tbs.'r of the 1,41000. Toe Admiralty has
received informal-in confirming this rep •rc from
Guernsey, and that H.M.S. La-her has gone to
inquire Into it.
A telegram received from Aber leen on Thom lay
stated that a light was seen I.y the officer,' 4,1.1 crew of
the stsatuer °mites. of Aberd, e.., which has ardved
there, and which was believed liy all on board to belong
to the ad sir g balltou. It ii', of course, almost lir,-
poseible that this cool I h ivy been the lost balloon
&lotus, but the particular-, as I elated by the °thistle
of the steamer, will he of sotere.t The right v/no fires
obwrved off Montrose Ness, at about qiiarter.paist four
o'clock that morning, on the pit quaver, and it
remained in sight about 45 minutes. The steward
called the second sessta's ettenti n t r the light, and
afterwards, • r distioctiy did the seamen make out the
11.11..0n, that the steamer's whistle was n .undel. The
offie,rs estimated the altitude of the balloon at about
fifteen degrees, and apparently ab”va the region
affected by the light north-westerly breeze then blow-
ing. By the. oir board the vessel as it wan mrving
slowly In the opposite directi on, and acc• Tiling to •
rough calculation by M-. Alex* Ider Smith, second
officer, it wool I pass on land between Montrose and
Besvie. The balloon appeared to be under perfect
control, and the crew of the vessel was ab•rut to fire
• rockets at it with the hops of effecting communication,
but the altitude was pronounce,' too hi.mh, The
steamer.a whiatle was blown, but no signal waa
received io reeponse.
The Foreign Office and Admiralty offices have
intereated th weaves extraordinarily on b-half of this
relatives of Mr. Powell. The former, besides acquaint-
ing their consuls sef the loss of the balloon, his asks
them to inform every one of the reward e offered for
the reco•ery of Mr. Powell, The Admiralty has Waled
strict orders to coastguards and marines and ta I hese
Majesty's vessels likely to c me across the ballo in if
slat to take at to the nearest pot. In addition,
several coawing or guard ships besides the Dasher
have been ordered to cruise roun 1 their respective
grouuds to pick up, If possible, any information.
Captain Templer now states that he is reluctantly
compel ed to subscribe Si the opinion that the balloon
diii dimmed into the sea, instead of, IA he first thought,
ascending in ths air and crossing the Channel. In
c insequence of this belief it has been decided I. direct
more particular attention to that part of the coast
where the balloon went riser the cliff, and the fisher-
men aloag the shore had been advised of the reward
offered.