The Express.
London, England, 1863-06-01 00:00:00

TO Tall EDITOR OP THE ELPIRIPB.

Sig,—l venture to suppose that your numerous
reader will peruse with some interest a statement of the
reunite at certain experiments wince I have recently uoder-
taloa with • view of ascertaining the possibility of taking
photographic pictures from • boon. It was not without
some miagiviogs as to my yucca's that I deterrnioed epos
making the attempt, but the subject wee one in which I felt
deeply interested. and accordingly resolved upon making •
trieL Mr. Ouwell very kindly offered to give seta in his
oar to puma or my mutants at any public ascent ; but I
preferredtmeeially retaining the menus of that geatleman,
sad swum the exclusive use of his Mammoth balloon, so
ea to be able to conduct my experiments at any period
during the day which might seem most &dyeable.

All the usual arrangementa having been made, the car
was fitted up es • dark room (as I bad resolved upon em-
ploying the wet collodion proem), the cameras were fixed,
a plate had been prepared by my assistant (Mr. Collings),
and about 12 o'clock on Thursday kit we started from the
reworks at Bell-green Lower Sydenham, and proceeded
in a southeasterly direction. We rose rapidly from the
grouted, so as to clear the chimneys of the gas works ; sad
this swift ascent caused the halloo(' to revolve so quickly at
first that it would have been makes to expose the Plate
which we had prepared. This rotatory motion of the
balloon continued more or lees throughout the whole jour-
ney ; sod it coastitutes indeed the most aerials obstacle
with which the photographer has to contend. In about a
quarter of an hour, and at an altitude of nearly 4,000 feet, as
registered by asmall pocket barometer, the car became much
more stationamand acoordingly I now determinedupon taking
• picture. The exposure was almost instantaneous ; but
the brief period that elapsed between pouring on the deve-
loping solution and the appearance of the image was to me
one of the most anxious napalm : the problem of the actinic
or nonacitinic properties of light at such an altitude was to
be solved, and tt was with some pardonable degree of exul-
tation that I beard my assistant say " the picture has
moved" (which, for the information of the non-photographic
reader, means that there was a picture, but note good ots,
owing to some movement in the object to be photographed
or in the apparatus). On bearing the above I was greatly
relieved, and said, " All right! Prepare another." 1 now
felt that fully one-half of my most sanguine expec!
ta tions were realised, and that I had established
the important fact that photography is possible
at such a distance from the earth, and that
its StICONS depends almost entirely upon the rapidity with
whkdithe sensitive plate can be agreed. One plate after
soother was exposed and still "moved, moved." This seemed
to me inexplicable, for the exposure was as instantaneous as
it could possibly be effected. On sitting down to reflect on
the cause of this moving, Mr. Coxwell kindly volunteered
to descend from his usual place in the ring, and assist me if
I wanted any help. Meanwhile we bad penetrated into a
cloud ; but I was not fortunate enough to meet with any of
those glorious visions which have beam so ably described by
some of your correspondents. I regretted this all the more,
because that slight movement which would be fatal to a
terrestrial landscape would not have been so apparent in a
photographic picture of the sky. On emerging from
this cloud the objects beneath us were much
clearer than before, and the halloos, althoogh
still travelling at the rate of about 15 miles an
hour, was much steadier in its motion, rotating only once in
some two minutes. More plates were now exposed in rapid
succession from both aides of the car with much better re-
sults, bat still leaving " quelque chose i darker." Some
heavy firing was heard, and pronounced by Mr. Coxwell to
be at Woolwich, a distance of WOW 8 or 10 miles : at every
report the car shook perceptibly, so much so that any
attempt at obtaining pictures at that time would have been
quite useless. One circumstance I noticed which I think
deserves mention : I had focussed a lovely park and man-
sion, when to my chagrin I saw the picture leave the ground
glass. I wished to see it again, and took hold of one of the
ropes that suspends the car to the balloon, and by sucosesive
" pulling" at the rope succeeded in jerking the
view back again, bat, of course, by so doing I had
imparted • movement to the balloon that prevented me
doing anything further for some time. The main object of
what WU essentially an experimental trip had been obtained,
and it had been demonstrated that photographic views can
be taken at elevations ranging from 3,000 to 6,000 feet from
the ground.
Some alterations of detail in the arrangement of cameras
and abutters will be needed previous to another trip, and I
may throw out a hint for the benefit of my professional
confreres sod of amateurs, that a circular form of car will
probably tend to check that rotatory motion which is so
much against us. One thing seems clear to me, that the lenses
must be uncovered without any exertion or movement on
the part of the photographer. An apparatus for this p
independent of the camera, would, I think, be best,
perfect immobility on the part of the occupiers of the car
would tend greatly to gettin good sharp pictures. I shall
assuredly continue my expertmenta, and on the good old
Italian motto, " Ohs dura mace," I am confident that perm-
venom will result in still greatei: income.

Fool* Wheel satisad with the results of my prelim'.
me:periniants now determined upon descending. The
was now passing over the valley of the Medway.
and the very beautiful landscape reminded me forcibly of
that part of Lombardy called the Mann, as seen from
the mountain tops at the side of my native city of Como;
the hop gardens almost vied with the vineyards of that
district, but as we drew near the sharp pointed poles the
prospect became decidedly Ism pleasant. Thanks to Mr.
Conwell, however, we descended in perfect safety at Barn-
jut, about two miles from Maidstone, on the property of
Mr. Whitehead, whose only answer to our apologies for
having so unceremoniously descended in one of hie farm-
yards, was a hearty English welcome, offering us conveyance
to the railway, and expressing hie regret that we did sot
alight in the park near his maarion, where we should ham
been more oornfortable.—l am, he.
Hatton-garden. H. NEGRETTI.

SUPPLY 01 WATER TO THE Disruorous. The
oeremony of inaugurating the South Fess: Waterworks,
established bye company having for its object in the first
instance the supply of the towns of Brentwood, Rumford,
liked, Barking, sad the surrounding villages with pure sod
wholesome water and ultimately to convey the supply to
the eastern districts of London, took plats on Saturday
at the source of the supply, namely, the stupendous
chalk pits situate at Grays, near Pardee., on the
northern shore of the Thames, The Lord Mayor had under.
takes to preside over the inauguration by starting the
engine which was to give the first supply to the town of
Brentwood, but be wee absent in consamenoe of severe
indisposition ; Mr. Alderman Gibbon, however, who bad
been deputed to represent him, undertook the teak.
On reaching Grays by special train, carriages were in wait-
ing to convey the company, about 160 in number, to the
scene of °pastime. where they were met by a large body
of local geotry, including a large cumber of medical and
scientific gentlemen. The company were received on the
ground by Mr. Alfred Smee, F.R.S., chairman ; Mr. Edward
&don, of the firm off Easton and Amos, engineers ; and Mr.
Bak, secretary of the company, and having been conducted
to the engine-hones, Mr. Singe addressed the assembly, ex-
plaining that the company had been formed to utilise the
beautiful and, as they believed, inexhaustible supply of water,
instead of allowing it, as had been the asee for manv yen,
to run by millions of pllons daily to mate into the Thames.
Their mains were LW on to Brentwood, which line they pro.
posed to open that day. The water wee not only of the mot
anigular purity, but its temperature was of the highest im-
portation, being cool in summer and moderately warm in
cold weather. Mr. Alderman Gibbon, after expressing his
deep regret at the absence of the Lord Mayor through ill-
ness, performed the ceremony of starting the engine,and
I the force of the water was shown by hydranta, which threw
it up a considerable height. After exploring the obalk.pita
to view the water inning in every direction from the fissures
of the chalk, sod having partaken of refreshments in the
beautiful grounds of Mr. Reason the owner of the pro.
party, the company apin mounted the carriages, sad after
a beautifolaide of ten miles, during which they stopped once
or twice to see the hydrants worked, thin showing the
water was programing, they reached the outskirts of Brent-
wood, facing the Artillery Barracks, where the reservoir
wee impeded. The company then proceeded through the
town of Brentwood, which was gaily decorated with flags in
honour of the comakm, to the grounds belonging to Moms.
Bayer and Key, when a marquee had been emoted, and
where a very magaificeet Meunier awaited the company,
and to which nearly 200 invited COMP sat down, under the
presidency of Mr. Alfred Same, the chairman.

•
Tim LONDON Lianazir. —On Saturday the
twenty-second annual general meeting of the member was
held at the Library, 12, St. Jantra-equare ; the Parlor
Clarendon, the president, occupying the chair. Prom the
report it appeared that the total number of subeeribers was
882, and that on a comparison of additions zed tomes la the
Isar there was a pin of 2961. The committee announced
with regret the death of the Marquis of Laoadowne, re of
the tine-presidents, and Sir Garr C. lAMB, one of the
committee of manag•emeot. The Prime of Wake had con-
sented to become • patron of the library, in the plow of his
lamented father, the late Prises Cowart. The number of
boor added to the library by purchase was 1,200 volumes
and 16 pamphlets. A new edition of the catalogue was in
the prose. The number of volumes issued during the year
wu 24,162. The reeeipts amounted to 2,1221. Llts., and the
earner to 1,859 f. 11.., leaving a Ware of 2631. The
noble Chairman rid that the audition of the institution
was sound, if not a matter for congratulation, and meted
that an effort Would be made to obtain additional public)
support, for which (he raid) an adequate return would be
given. He paid an eloquent tribute to the memory of the
Marquis of Wedowee and Sir Hump C. Lewis, and con-
cluded by propoaing a resolution thaaking the Prince of
Wales for hU gracious consent to become patron of the
which was unanimously carried. Lord Lytteltan
liwrsaZeted vice-president, in the place of the Marquis of
Lowdown*, and the Earl of Carew= trustee, lathe place
of Lord Lyttelton. The Rev. P. T. Oahe, preacher of
Larthes-inn' and Sr John Shaw Leisure were appointed
to resneles in the committee of margemer, ester by
the death of Sir G. C. Lewis and the radratioe of Mt.
Arthur Helps. The proceeding terminated with a vote of
thanks to the noble chairman.

DR. DR ..1011011's LICHT-BROWN CoII Livia On.
—The following, le a commendatory opinion of Dr. de Jough's Oil
from cos of the ems fltestrioes and experienced plipMam of
Use suntre. Sir Remy Yank Bart., Ptlystclan in Ordinary to
the Queen in freass4 thus writes I ham frequently
is
Dr. de Joegli's Light-Brown Cod Liver 04]. I ccoMder ts
In he a very pare ea sat likely to Ciliate diarist. and a there-
with: agent of peat -toldvalue.Dr" only In capinded bottles,
and ea, Sy . oach agents, Amer, Harked,
M Os. Maar& looks, sod siseits.--LAtherilsuraL]