The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1868-09-19 00:00:00

steamers lying on the south quay, the usual place of de-
parture and arrival for stemters traversing the lake. The
Sinordon returned the salutes from miniature guns placed
both on dent and stem. A capital band on board cotnnsenced
its performance, and the guests cheered " La Ligne &Italie."
Nearly all of them were French. The journalism of France
was largely represented among the v,sitors. The French,
and especially the Parisians, are not a travelling people, arid
; very many of the gentlemen on board the Simplon had
I never heen in S wind latiol letter. It need hardly be said that.
For months mist wayfarers on the high nevi through i apart front its transcendant beauties. the Late of Geneva
Chelsea and Parson's-gr. en have noticed a circular struoture had peculiar interest for them. 'llse words of A oltaire
like a canvas gasonteter, which has risen in vast hulk some "M.. tire :',t to pr,micr," were quotel more than
hundred yards to the east of the inland entrance too Crewman; once ; there u-as allXiilllS gazing ott the island of
Gardens. No later than Motiolay last travellers by railway Jean Jacques, and when this was no: longer in view we
across any of the bridge:l east of Vanxhall were astonished had a general is, ok.out for the portion of the shore near
Loy what scomeol to be alter, templc with a low bronze do ome, whi.:ll the villa of Madame de Steel is climate. In order to
which was too be seen over the tr.:, ost the northern side of give the invited a full vies- of all that i, to he seen trim the
the river. But the gasometer d• temple developed its real lake, the Simplon crossed and recrossed from the north to
mthositig, on Thursday. Aoh o.,1::r strtu tore of canvas and the oath sides. A great portion of the latter is French terri-
beams 77 fest high and .270 feet Ii diameter, it forms a shed tory since the annexation of savoy and Nice. It is now in
for the created ball mn ever co obstructed. Mr. (II oisher the department of Haute Savoie. Even any one previously
informed its that the trail''' -is in which the majority of his ignorant of that fact might easily have surmised it yesterday
Valuable experiments were trie•l was about one-fourth the At the French land ng places everything and every one, the
size of that which has just co on menced its a.aial lift'. The gendarmerie included, were in gala torn-out. The uldoinitous
hornier held 93,000 cultic fo-d ga solid-'of is, th,, Asiolm, rham eagle a-as on all sorts of standards /mil flagstaffs, and as the
one contains 350,n0u cubic feet, is nearly spherical in shape, Simplon pa seol ato extr •orolinary quantity of powder wo.
and can lift eleven touts expended in doing honour and wishing God-speed to the
'rho statistics and arrangements of this monster balloon French company now about to peaceably invade Italy. The
may be touched upon Itricily, as it is destined to cater for %ilia of Prince Napoleon Jerome is an the north side or the
public patronage, and as no less than t.:20,000 is said to have lake, which is all in Swiss territory. I believe the Prince is
been disbursed upon bringing It to its present connolete state. not its switzeriand at present, but in and about the beautiful
It is tilled with pure hydro ogen, and is worked by a :demo little rustic residence of Count M ale, shi, near the extremity
engine of 200-horse power. The gas is made in the Private of the French territory and close to the mougin of the lake
grounds of the bailouts, and on a scale which has, perhaps, there were greetings. Salutes were exchanged as the steamer
never been attempted before in the history of chemistry passed, and a number of ladies stood on the balcony of the
Sonic 204),(410111s. of sulphuric acid and 110.00011os. of iron villa and in the grounds sorro ding the house.
filings have been conSuined. A disorderly stack of the fat There was nothing, however, like a spectacle till the
bottles containing the fonner, and a considerable litter of the S,inplon. crossing from the Castle of Chilton, aprroached
latter, are tithe seen in the yard, and two oloadole noes od BotiVeret, Closely follooweol by another steamer belonging to
mighty hands and a vast gasometer—all built up anti the company, and which had kept along by the South bank.
provided specially—show the care taken to make the supply This second steamer also sported the French and Swiss
pertnatient and trustwo on/Iy. These things are to he seen c 01... in OS/lush/11, and was plentifully provided with little
tin the emlosed space behind the new hoarding divioling it broadsiole knots. As the two boats neared Bouveret salutes
from the high t road. The circular framework coVered with were fired from different points up the mountains which
canvas, 75 feet high and 270 feet in diameter, is in the centre tower over the tooth. lis some case, me could see neither
of this, and on passing through ome of its doors the the guns nor the men who tired thetin, the report and the
visitor finds Maiself in a home circus, the ring of which red glare which followed it appeareol here and there in
has for Mill's eye a hollow above which the balloon situations where one might least bare expected them. The
hovers, and into winds it semis to fit. Sinned's roe's egg shots followed in rapid thoongh irregular succession, and a-ere
with egg - cup to match, are suggested by the nsonstrons in, echoed arid re-echoed st:rill marvellous effect through the giant
flitted mass and its receptacle. From the latter comes the chain of Alps leading up to Mont Blanc. It was now past six
stout cattle to which the balloon is fastened, and as Welk O'clock, alid the setting sun coloured the surface of the distant
guides the ascent and descent. This is worked by steam Waters with an azure hue of exqnisite beauty, while the
front a drum 21 feet bug and 7 feet in diameter, which stands Portion glade,' by the mountains retained that light blue
at one side ot the canvas bllildill, and conies unflergmunol colour which forms one of the most striking characteristicsof
to the balloon. The whole of the mechanical arrangements lake Leman. The station at Bouveret lied been converted
merit the highest praise. They prevent atty of the rushing into a vast summer-house in the midst of a well-planted
and confusion which have hitherto characterised hallo ton garilen. Fir trees arid other evergreens had been removed
ascents in England. Everything is arranged on a scale and front other places, aud brought to that spot for the occasion,
with a precision which shows that the boilloon proprietors A special train was drawn up its frond of the station. The
conto mpiate ascents becoming a farnurite and permanent locomotive was so decked out in garlands that nothing but
amuse :mot. The ballots itself can lift 11 tons. 'rise weight the top of Its ftinnel presented the °Mitten, appearance.
of its cable is 21 tons, and Its length 2,001) feet. The ballmot, Immediately behind the engine was a large waggon got tip
car, netting. ropes, and paraphernalia weigh :li tons, which, as a bower, around which a-ere fruit trees and creeping
with its cable, make 6 tons of permanent weight, leaving a plants In this a hand was stationed. From Bouveret up
balance id fi tons as its available lifting power. Thirty too Sierre the country fontrs a portion of the Canton of
people are the complement the cur is intended to hold, Valens. At lionveret there was an °Metal receptkon by the
mid assuming these to average 150ibs eaCh, a balance lothl authorities, who Warmly congratillated NI. La Valerie,
of some 3 tons lifting power is left its favour of the tho President, and the other members of the Council of Ad-
balloon. tnittistration of the Railway Company. When the cougratu-
lations had been gone throughi, the party of travellers entered
The personal experience of those who went up on Thursday
is decidedly favourable to this hottest addition to tlie train, which left the staton amid a flourish of trumpets
politait entertainments Iletween three the loud andl mre oeated acclamations of a dense crowd
and four in metro-
the of and.
aftene moo West Lundell siilV a large brown globe—for the the inhaloitants. new „
balloon is nearly spherical its shape—mount slowly into the or, all the stations illi the way to Sion the populations had
air, the cable attached to it recalling the inflated balls and turned out and anuiteol the special train. By the rinse we
string which have been latterly it favourite child's toy. This had reacheol Mouthey, the second on the route, it had be-
was a Malik ascent, anol purely experimental. A quarter of come dark, but the station itself was inuminated with oil
an honed waiting, during whirls the balloon renlailleil above bun a; mot improvised trees, which had been planted in
at a distance of from Lao to 2,000 feet, and the word was front of it a few hours before, were hung with coidireol
given to the engine-men too poll down. Gradually and surely, lamps. Across the road vvas an melt of evergreens, from
and a itit no perceptible strain, the brown ball was brought which Chinese lanterns of various colours were suspended.
nearer and nearer, until the circular car beneath it assumed As the train entered the station the band played "God save
shape and sire, and the sto out strings :snot iron rings were the Queen." Why our national Anthem was chosen I know
caught by the drilled men in waiting, and run into the stout not, but probably it was because her Majesty is Sovereign of
iro:ot hooks waiting to receive them This done and the British India. We all descended at Nlouthey, and there
balloon is secure—the ease with which this olesioleraturn is was a demonatration in favour of France. Shouts of " Fine
arrived at being not the least intero,t log of the experiences la France !" were followed by cries of'• l'irrnt lex Parbdeno!'
—a compliment which worked the visitors up to the highest
oof the afternoon. The experienced French aeronaut under
whose personal care all ascents inure made, anol the manager pith of enthusiasm. They responded with " Vire la
of the unolertaking, go up together now, amid the cheers 8.i..
of all present, and whom these have been brought The tunnel through which we entered St. Maurice Was
down, and the balloon ilteol with the same rem- illuminated with a suddenness and effect that drew forth
bully and certainty as before a galogwaY is Placed, and a 1 the warmest expressions of admiration. At one Instant the
i se' oway through the mountain was green, next it was red,
party of thirty, including two French ladies and a little boy,
are passeol into the car. This is ch•eular, without seats, and : aid then greeti again. Every stone od the great cavern was
open in the midolle. A pill-box, with Its bottom knocked visible with startling distinctness. At St. Maurice there
would were more illuminations, more salutes, anol more fire-
ont, fixed to an range, and suspended in mid-air,
and balloon. Place within the , works? lout at Sion. our destination fir the night, a torch-
form a rough model of ear I light procession a-as added to give variety and still greater
first pill.loon another bottomless one of smaller sire, and run
is flooring between the two. Sin that the inside of the one anol dramatic effect to the reception of the Simplon co orn-
the outside of the other (ono ta 0 walls breast high, between pany in the Canton of the Valais. Vl-hen the trails
which the passengers stanot it, i ogle tile in a circle, ottol the polleol up at this station, there were the inevitable oomph-
simile is complete. The result is that, in noldition tot looking molts and congratulations between the town, a, represented
iiut upon the world, those in the balloon look down an ismer by the principal authority, and the railway company, as per-
circle, following the rope to the bottom, notch as if peering sonitied by M. La Valerie. Then a small regiment of hardy
over the sioie of a coal pit. The host experience is the least mountaineers, walking two end two, and each carrying a
agrecalole. The sailing or flying motion through the air is blazing Cords, preceded a procession of the leading inlialii-
inspiriting and delightful. The earth anol its dwelling- tarts and the olirecto ors of the company.. Sonic hundreds of
places, its trees, its roads, its rivers, drop slowly down, and visitors, each attended loy a porter or two carrying loaggage,
resolve themselves into a clearly defined, widely spreading brought up the rear. There was nets vehicle of any kind to
map. The steamers plying iiil the Thames recalled the toy - be had •so that we were all processionists whether we liked
boats at the Polytechnic ; the lolack ants rushing busily it or no;t—and many if us diol not like it—over a very dusty
to anol fro in the barren spme immediately below roaol oof three-onnorters of a toile in lengths. . . .
were schoolhoys in a play-grounol in few is:Mutes since ; the l'he sia:cial train loy which the line Was to he opened 1
Strips id drab tape stretching their deviens courses to right started from here at about one o'clock, and arrived at :nerve :
ant left :ire roo,ls ; the nionire mod old, oom 0,,,,,, „stem., ilk little more than half an hour. An the way from sion the
wiii„im.k h,„„iers, arms I „„,i it, I „.go tame „i„a wiii„h new line runs through a country aleounoling woth magnificent
a game oof olonninoes is epparcnil v I lo•ing ',hayed it Brompton scenery. There are hurl)' ratiges of mountains oon either side ; I
Cemetery, and it is its prone:boa oot white tombstones, some those to the right are covered with verdure nearly to the I
flat, souse topright, which an. recalling the old ganse. There tops ; those to the left are sublime ill their doormats height 1
seams a mighty stir anion c the pigmies below, and huzzahs and savage des dation. Several on them were capped with
: snow even yesterday, after a long continuance ot hots eather,
which become faint in the distance. but are never Inuit., lotst,
and whelk the sun was positively of scorching heat. There is I
come up to us cheerily. The small boxes drawn Ity ants,
' an easy incline all the way to Sierre, but the station lies in a
into which cabs and omnibuses have resolved themselves
valley surrounded on all sides by gigantic mountaius. The ,
twine their way along the sin ups of drab tape and almosi
. neighbourimod of the little town is always picturesque. '
amuse wonder by never deviating from their patii. A
schoolboy gives a shrill wh.istle, and we hear it as l'esterday it was much more so than usual. 'rhis canton of ,
o
if it were close by. The atmosphere is, unfortu- Switzerlanol is having its Tie at Sierre, and there is an en- ,
stately mazy; and a thick curtain of smoke and campment all about the shooting-ground. The green slopes
1 rising from the valley were dotted all over aith little white I
mist veils Westminster Altbey and St. Paul's. It
tents, and M. La Valerie and his company had come in to
needed the apparent proximity with which the irrepressible
Cry:tal Palace looms out oof the south too twisty some of us I assist Nature and the 'Eh. in making still more picturesque
that inn view is extensive at ill.
,
The great sim swiden I one of the most beautiful spots in this most beautiftff
i :
benols taken boy the River Thames, which seems to describe I Country.
'rile president of the railway administration and his col-
at least half a circle between Battersea and Putney . the in- I
t leagues contrived a spectacle which carried me loack to the
creasiog excitement of the ant, or men osnol women below ;
the green freshness of the fields heyoond Parsotes-green ; the int- 1 middle saes, Mid at the same time kept him ever conscious
possibility of recognising the familiar Losnolotto landmarks : i that he lived in the engineering period of the lotk century.
with ! The locomotive was brought to a stand sot. 300 feet short
and the absurd minuteness of the toy drains running
ridicul ,us smoothoess along their lilliputiont trenches, were , od a canopy raised 011 a little green mound. The canopy Was
slihjects commanding equal :Mno etti during the night At [ formed of Wmol work, concealed by foliage, amid which
a given word, we all waved dm hats to the pigmies exerting , fruit and flowers of various kiwis were placed as if they had
themselves out ollr iteltalf—one gentleman olroppin grown there. Beneath- g ,
his, to the in cute delight of the boys. When we , °l'l ma.,
a ith white lnen flowing down on his shoulders,
the canopy sat a venerable-looking
were asked to dicer, we cheered right heartily. But i Ile was arrayed in the full pontificals of a Roman Catholic
the novelty oof the situatioto was quite as impressive , loishoM. Arnaud hint stood the eanials of his cloapter with
all 115 pleasores ; and the lowering smoke and hare 1 their scarlet roochets ami white surplices. This was the
were tgal to a view which will, bus alr Glaisher's ' Bishop of Sion, who was in waiting too bless the locomotive.,
estimatio on, include lirigliloll. Nlargate, and the coast line I Swiss soldiers, rifle in hand, kept guard near his chair.
When the persons with had been Conveyed by the train were
whenever the day is clear. lint too look flown the hiller
ring of the ear was too realise the situation far More practi- , let down at a pavilion erected for the banquet which was
eally tMon when scanning the hinkl,i,pe oor gioessing at the : to come off in the evenittg, and when the indispeostsble
Sollials iir sights below. 'rime stout rope alid the dial with . yin rl• honneur h n dad heeisposed of, a gain was fired, and
the Moveable hanol, marking w ith great nicety how the i On engine: haying hi -ti a 'thrill
sad friamPhant
strain upon it varied ; the ca., vas house, mow shrunk it, 1 a I whistle, adValiced at a slow pare till within a few feet of
little ring and the robjeets in it into, (loots, all recalled one to 1 where the lash. op was feated. Monseigneur then rose anol,
with his mitre on his head and his pastoral staff in 11 i s left
eart h. ihe gratims and checks of the rime were, however,
very sligld, both in asemothog oinol descending, and the , hand, advanced tothe front of the canopy, where he delivered
return Was made and the party landed without a hitch. The , a really eloquent aoldress With much force he alluded to
trip occupied exactly serdsteen ...Mates, anol the extreme I many of the scientitic improvements winch have been made
1 in our own day, and expressed the delight he felt at seeing
height gained was from 1,500 to .2,090 feet.
1 the progress of intercommunication between the different
_.
, peoples of the earth. Ile regarded the fact that he had been
An accident wilich happeneol oon Saturolay will prevent selected to pronounce a benediction on the the engine as an
the " Captive " loallmo fro out making moi.e ascents for a I act of faith on the part of the company—an acknowledgment
time. A gasometer is its course of construction for the pm- i befoore all men that Good is the Lord of Science. In conclusion,
pose of ensuring a constant supply of hydrogen to the 1.1- ! he said he hoped that no intercommunication with other
Imn. A steam tire engine was employed to MI the well , people would ever make the inhabitants of the Canton of the
muter the gasometer, when sense id the sparks a-ere Carried . Valais cast off their simplicity of manners, impair their faith,
to the retorts, and sixteen of these exploded, when some of Inc diminish a patriotism for which the Swiss were pre-
the fragments were driven over the lofty screen surroonnoling eminent. The bishop then read the prescribed prayers, and,
the loalloon, and as another ascent Was contemplateol on that sprinkling Moly water on the engine, pronounced in Imiedic-
day, the disappointment was great to those who flocked to , tion upon it and a I the vast assemloly who witnessed the
the Ashburnhosm Grounds. ' cereal' my.
There was mow a general movement to a pavilion, which
was a perfect diorite'n in its way. A large womolen roof,
I supported at the corners 011 natural trees, some light wood-
: work outsiole, a gallery and tribune within, a fountain play-
-1 ing in the centre, evergreens, flowers, fruit, inscription. in
I all directions, tables for between six and seven hundred
I people. This was the structure and its ornamentation, but
110 pavilion ever stood in a grander spot. From which ever
siole of it you looked, there were the lofty Alp., range
behind range, at but a short distance. In your immediate
neighloourimal the Swiss Valley, witls its green slopes and
quaint chalets, and the white huts of the riflemen. There
were other teas about, too, in which the peasantry were
making merry while awaiting the unrivalled illumination in
the eventor. The dinner was no plentifitt in viands end WllleS
that arid the 650 guests had been entertained a banquet
for :ill comers was curried on for several hours afterwards.
What the name -of the caterer may be who Managed this in
the tniolst of the Alps, with only the resources oof a village
nthr at hand, I don't know. I think some of our Londoon
dinner contracton ought to try and Mid it out, Its might
give them a useful lesson. Soup, fislt. anti meats were
served up hot, and there was coffee mood to what is to bc
had at the loest cafos in l'aris. An eXuberalice of sneakiest
hollowed dinner, each oorate as the par./0 wan granted to
him m ~,,,, tins a tribune much higher than a chorch pulpit.
I should not. perhaps, omit to mention that among the
too:lsis was " The English Press."
'rile illumination commenced as soon AB the evening ball
hecionie dark. A signal Will having been fired, a shower of
rockets was soit up from an open space hi front of the
pavilion. For our instant this attrocted the :ottentioon
of a vast concourse of people which had by this thee
assembled in the valley. Whea the light of the rockets
had died away great was the astonishment of the straligerls
and enthusiasric the admiration of all too find that the Alps
themselves were illuminated. Fires burnt on some if the
highest peak, : fires blazed 011 the sioles half-way .111.1) ; and
the flames of huge bonfires ascended from the base od the
chain of tremendoms mountains enclosing the valley. In
another second fresh rockets shot up from the front of the
pavilion, wheels of coloured tire flew round aml sent red
sparks awl spangles in all directions : cannon I.omed ,
volleys of rifles were tired ; bands folayell : and men and
wonted and children joined in wild acclamations. The effect
was absolutely magical. This woonderful illumination con-
tinueol for more than an hour, and must have been seen at
places many milea distant from Sierre.

In another letter, dated the 9th instant, the writer
thus continues his interesting description of the
Feb s
In my letter of Monday morning I mentioned that there
was to be an excursion over the biemmi, a pass which La
Ligne Internationale d'ltalle is not to traverse. This portion
of the inauguration .fetes has been gone through, and 'With
complete success. It was two o'clock on Monday monting
before the first day's proceedings at Sierre had been brought
to a close, and all of us were back at shot. As early as eight
011 Monday morning, the first special train was ill waiting at
the Sion Station, to take us to Sierre again, en nute to the
Gemmi. It was the first train that had been seen steaming
through hares parts by the people at large as they were at
their ordinary occupations. The effect it had an them was
something curious to witness. They stopped their field work
as we passed, and running to the embankments gazed with a
stare of vacant wonder at the train while it flew lay.
Wherever there was a numerous assemblage id spectators,
as at the villages, the driver of the engine saluted them with
a shrill whistle. . . . .
Arrived at the Sierra we found the inexhaustible vin
d'honeur here awaiting us; but we had to wait a long time
ourselves for the late sleepers at thedifferent stations on the
line. M. La Valette had determined that we should all cross
the Gemmi in cavalcade, and we remained till eleven o'clock,
when all hail arrived. A flourish of trumpets announced the
fact, and at this signal there was a scene such as never had
Item. witnessed in the Alps Horses, mules, mail muleteers
came running in I all elates, and in le-s than five
minutes nearly 100 mules and horses stool in line on the
plateau of Sierre. Every one if the invited was furnished lay
NI. La Valette with a ticket, On which waa inscribed the
numher id his animal and the name of his guide. In a very
short lone we were all mounted, and the order for the
march salts given. There were a number of ladies in the
party. Indeed, some had come fl.Olll long dist mei,' and
solicited permission to join in this most curious excursion.
Nearly every eNeursionist was furnished with a white
timbrella t most if the gentlemen wore whitecaps q• helmets ;
MO the ladies were attired in habits awl hats ornamente
with the feathers of wild birds. As, headed by M. La Valette,
we rode out from the Green Valley, and not upon the high
road lemaing to the mountain of which we were about to
n lake the ascent, the cavalcade looked like stocking so much
• all Eastwat earavan .

I, we ascended the heights which open up a view of the
' re .4 the Rhone valley on the right 1.1 the traveller, and
•I q ill so magnificent a perspective ,if the Rhone glacier in
I !,•, distance. it was proposed that the caravan should bee. am: a
. !iliMly Of amateur itinerant vocalists. Ladies and gentlemen ,
. . oilled in singing. The chorns,s were taken urn hy the gnides,
, 1 for miles we hail a vocal concert, probably the most
- o gular ever heart anywhere. Among the mild, were many
. ) • 'iii the German Cantons of Switzerland, the rest were froni
1 ; I ~• French, We had the choruses in he MI languages, but the
''ire was adniirably preserved, and the wild Alps echoed
the voices again and again. When this had Lire cm for some
Irene , the lwiys. of whom there was a considerable numher
among the guides, led off in mountain chants, each verse of
which ended in long and loudly renderol notes designed to
evoke the most prolonged echoes from the deep recesses of