The Express.
London, England, 1864-07-21 00:00:00

THE THAMES EMBANKMENT.

Yesterday the formal masonic ceremony of laying
the first stone of the Thames Embankment was
performed with as little ostentation as it could be
possible to conceive, in connection with a work
of such importance and magnitude. The Chair-
man of the Metropolitan Board of Works, and
several leading members of the board along
along
with the Hon. W. Cowper and Lord J. Manners,
the part and present Commissioners of Works,
assembled at the office in Cannon-row,
and at about half-past two o'clock pro-
ceeded, without any order of procession,
to the point where the "first moue" hung, like the
coffin of the prophet, poised in mid-air, but ready
to be sunk into its final resting place. A royal
standard and a union jack drooped lazily ever the
aperture, but beyond this there was no ceremonial
arrangement of any kind. Nevertheless, the cere-
mony was not without its • • features. The
huge stone hung suspended by a c in over a vast
chasm which dowesaded far beyond the bed of the
river, and on the water side of this chasm the great
caissons could be observed in close array, offering •
successful resistance to the coming tide, which
carried the whole water of the Thames away over
our heads. Without and above was the river, with its
steamboats, its barges, and the whole busy course
of its ordinary traffic ; within and beneath
was this quadrargular space of dry land,
in the midst of water, the stone pen-
dant in the centre, and the spectators peering
from the top, or straining over the descending
ladders, or crowded at the bottom waiting with some
impatience for the simple but important work of
the day.
The actual "laying the first stone" is a rite of
which few require to have a detailed description.
There is the stone, and the bed of concrete waiting
to receive it, and the bottle with the coins and
newspapers, and the silver trowel, which is to be the
perquisite of the masonic high priest of the occa-
sion. Sometimes there are the clergyman to give a
religious sanction to the work, and the ladies to
grace it by their presence ; but on this occasion
there were neither the prayers of the church nor
the smiles of the fair—the thing was done ea a mere
matter of business, and if there were to be any
festal accessories, they were reserved for a future
and more private opportunity.
It is needless to say that theexcellent Chairman of
the Metropolitan Board handled his trowel and
spread his mortar in a methodical aud artistic man-
ner. When that was done, the bottle containing
the coins and the newspapers was lowered into a
cavity which bad been prepared for the purpose.
and then the stone was lowered into its soft and
adhesive bed, there to remain until turned up for
the inspection of Lord Maceulay's New Zealander
when be comes to speculate over the ruins of what
once was London. The stone having been placed,
the Chairman of the Metropolitan Board of Works,
Mr. Thwaites, turned it into a tom rostrum,
and improved the occasion witrraaryfew well-
timed and judicious observation". He reminded his
hearers that the embankment of the Thames was
DO lately discovered necessity. Sir Christopher
Wren had applied his great mind to the subject,
and, in our own days, the painter Martin had
made sketches of proposed embankments. He
remarked how the necessity of constructing an in-
tercepting sewer, without interrupting the traffic of
the Strand, had precipitated the design of the
Thames embankment, and now the great work was
further advanced by the suggestion of a subterra-
nean railway, the effect of which would be ooze- 1
pletely to utilise the reclaimed laud. He thanked
her Majesty's government for their cooperation,
but more especially the Chancellor of the
Exchequer, who, by giving the government guanui-
tee for the neomeary advances, had, without mulcting
the general public to the extent of a shilling,
saved the citizens of Loudon eighteen thousand
a year during the whole period this grand river
esplanade was being constructed. The chairman
of the board was followed by the Chief Com-
misaioner of Works, who expatiated with much
enthusiasm on the results which the citizens of
Loudon and their visitors might expect from the
proposed works. For the first time they would be
able to see the Thames without a special pilgrimage
down a dirty lane for that purpose, and they would
see it in a new and decidedly improved aspect. The
poorer classes would have au open playground
and highway, and such of them as were of
an architectural turn, might compare St.
Paul's, the fined specimen of the Italian
style at the one cud of the terrace, with the houses
of parliament, the perfection of the Gothic, at the
other. We saw some critical heads shake doubt-
ingly as Mr. Cowper thus placed our metropolitan
cathedral and our houses of parliament at the head
of these respective schools, but it is only fair to
add that the members of the Metropolitan Board
of Works, who were present, gave an unhesitating
assent to the opinion thug expressed by the right
hon. gentleman. After Mr. Cowper, Lord J. Man-
ners added a few words, but the meeting was
brought to rather a sudden termination by the omi-
nous rattle of the pumps, and the appearance of
the water in tiny but rapidly iucresaing)casaidei in
the ineterstices of the great caissons, which were
our only prctectio• from the whole mighty flood
of the Thames at high water.

[TWOPENCE

CREMORNE GARDENS.= ASCENT IN A FIRE

BALLOON.

M. Eugene Godard, who signs himself, no doubt
with sufficient authorisation, " A eronaute de l'Empereur,"
has been engaged by the enterprising Mr. E. T. &lab, and
last night be made a remarkable and socremdal ascent at
Cremorne-gardens, in an enormous balloon of his own con-
struction, which he styles "The Eagle." Wu call the
ascent remarkable, because M. Godard returns, is some
measure, to the first principles of aerostation, discards gas,
and goes beck to the ordinary original " Mootgolfier "
balloon, which is commonly known as a "fire balloon."
For many years, until the introduction of inflation by
gas, balloons were known as Montgol ger., though animals
were more often employed than man to test the safety of
aerial travelling.
I. Godard's engagement at Comoros of course has
nothing to do with science, and is simply a sensational
attraction for the broad multitude, but the presence of
nearly every scientific me interested in ballooning, includ-
ing Mr. Colwell and Mr. Glanher, raised the experiment
of last sight far above the ordinary tea-garden level. M.
Godard's balloon is an enormous atrocity*, made of silk
inside, and very plain canvas outside, of the oediaary
pear-shape, covered with representations of the
French Eagle, and having sear the top a bine
carer via whisiirsarie—be bask the fassw4lot of kin
whitey-brown surface. Ent year M. Radar's "Giant
balloon was a subject of international interest, but "the
Eagle" far surpasses it is size, and the following statistics
may not be uninteresting. It is 117 feet 7 inches in height.
96 fat 9 lathes in eircamfereen 300 feet 6 iodise super-
ficial. 30,000 feet in area, 2,ooMbe. in weight, 498,566 =hie
entente, cattails' 4,793 square yards of silk is 1,910 pieces
of 96 stripes, 14,203 fast of stitching, 96 overlaps of joints,
154 feet long, making 13,848 feet more of sewing. 17,244
feet of galloon, which form the set work ; the galloon an
stitched on both aides, and contain 34.319 more feet of stitch-
ing. 24 compartments in the parachute require 6,824 feet of
stitching. The total number, 69,324 feet of stitching,
containing 2,706 days of work, and the :valve is
4 feet 8 inches in diameter, and the appendix is
24 feet 5 inches ; the opening of the latter is held rigged
by a woods° hoop, 32 cords to sustain the car,wbich weighs
5851 b., is dish shaped, and 13 ft. 2 inches in diameter, with a
border of 8 inches ; the whole constructed of several piers,
which on be disooosected and put together spin for con-
venience of transport. The hoop and the ear are also at-
tacked by 64 metal cords. In the centre of theca: is an 18
feat stove, including the chimney, 960 pounds is weieht„
6ft. 6in. in diameter, three cylinders, three bathes apart from
each other, invented by M. Godard, with a view to coun-
teract the effects of the radiated heat upon the occupants of
the ear ; inside the fine is a metal colander to intercept
sparks. The combetatibleemployed in lieu of gam is interim
eleaned from the ears and compressed into Moan. The
total weight of the balloon (including the grappling iron
cords 400 lbs., two supplementary pumps, 150 lbs., and
combustible, 500 lbs.) is 4,620 lbs.
The huge cylinder andfurnace inside the balloon give it a
very heavy, earthy appearance before it is 1100.841 with rari„
Sad air by lighting the fire, and give it a very hot, roaring,
apparently dangerous and steamboat engine-room appear-
ance when it is ready to start. Every soiestific precaution.
however, se before stated, has been taken to guard against
the neon of fire ; and the advantage of returning to the
Mccitgolfier system ia, that the inflation can be completed in
less than an hour. last night it only took 45 minutes ; and
M. Godard says that coder favourable circumstasoes be can
fill aid dart in less than half au hour. With a gas-filled
harem tie prewar of inflation is generally long sad tire-
some, somelimes beginning at ten o'clock in the morning,
sad sot being finished at six o'clock in the wining, th
mud hour for ".rending. What may be the respective
merits of the two systems in stormy weather, we leave the
learned in aerostatic.° to determine.

An immense crowd mumbled to witness IL Godard's
mutt, and by six o'clock there wen probably sot less
than twelve thousand persons present. The heavy-lookiag
eaterier of the balloon, and the accounts of the iron work
IDSiall, sourished doubts as to the practicability of the
assert, sad it was sot wild the immense mass rapidly rams
from the ground, and swayed to and fro before the ipso-
talon, that the public confidence began to revive. At
a quarter to eight the whole fabric stood up amongst
the tress and poles of the somewhat crowded ground.
and the various ropes that held it to the earth were
end away one by eise. M. Godard ram rapidly
resod the solid wicker ear, goatees orders through
• speaking trumpet with pardonable excitability.
Two gentlemen took their places in the ear—Mr.
Prows., and an officer in the Guards, and a third heavy
military gentleman leaped is, much easiest the wish of
If. Godard. Many were left behind who had parchseed
seats, but who had doubts at she eleventh hour. The deal
rope was cot away, sad the huge ball, half the height ad
the menu:need, rolled rather than rose towards the sent Side
et the garde... Here it met a Arm lofty polo to whit*
some of its detaining ropes had berm attached, and this
pole was beet creaking on to the roof of a theatrical Swims
Cottage, which broke in like • piece of ornaroeutal
pastry. For a few same& the balloon seemed to return to
the prdens, and to dowsed towards the peas, while the
etchers were seem desperately throwing the small trusses
of ocanpremed straw into the month of the fiery farness.
IL Godard raved through his trumpet, and the excitement
mused normal ladies to faint, and a large portion of the
crowd to rush panic-stricken towards the hotel. Is less than
amino* however, the " Fagle" bad regained her buoyancy,
and she rose with extraordinary steadiness above the lofty
trees of the warders. There was little wind alining, and
her course appeared to be in the dlreetioa of Woolwieb.
Her appeerance was peculiar, as she had no variegated
stripes of colour, like the ordinary oil-skin balloooa ; the
yellow furnace gletnaed jest taxies the travellers sad trader
her neck, and numbers of small straw trams hung &agilely
naderamith her car. The balloon safely desceaded at Gnaw
wick.

The brat in the balloon was almost painful ; but neither
aistougst Englishmen nor Frenchmen VII a murmur beard
as steadily, one after one, the trusses of straw were passed
into the flea. At so time did the balloon amend each above
half a mile, and at so tees did that ugly roaring, crackling
clunour cease ; but M. Godard was bland and brave, his
fellow-countrymen ware courteous and courageous, and the
Englishmen held their tongues.

Three times the balloon pared over the Th►mes ; and
when it wee resolved to alight, N. Godard was over the Isle
of Dogs. He had fixed his eye, however, upon the Fad
Greenwich marshes, as an open space in which the &meet
could be safely attempted. Very nicely and skilfully mien.
Wed were hi sea•oeuvres Traversing the Thames at en
exceedingly low elevation, the balloon jest grounded upon
the shore, within a dozen yards of the water. Distinctly
to understand the MOM, excitement of the next three
minutes, it should be borne in mind that the tire was stilt
roaring merrily away ; that the machinery, so admirable for
Its medal purposes, would have caused sad havoc bad there
been anything like a general upset ; and that at this pert&
=dm moment six men could exert very little control over •
balloon capable of colatitude( IdO,OPO cubic feet of air.
Touching the shore, the balloon tore away, the big canvas
flapping, the bright fire burning, whilst right in frost rose •
stone embankment. The shocks were rough, and had the tra-
vellers been novices in this particular method of locomo-
tion we might now have some awkward casualties to relate.
Just before each bump, however, men made a little leap,
and thus bsulked its force, m • cricketer, to catch • ball,
draws back his had instead of protruding it. Still, with
all there precautions, it was a nasty drive ; it occupied
perhaps a minute—it seemed half an hour—ad there was a
strong inclination to cheer when the threatening stoma
were passel. On now into a potato field ; soother rise ; a
wild tendency to leap at a chimney ; a strong " exhibition "
of reatraiot is the shape of a hundred sensible Esglishmen
tugging away at the ropes, and obeying the orders that
were given—and the whole thing was over.

Altogether the sweat was a stioe.essful u the one ISMS
Let year in Paris, when 100,u00 attended, with the Emperor
at their head. The value of the balloon is said to be 4,0004
sterling. The sweat will be repeated a Moeda,.

TES ASSAULT ON A LADY NVAR GLAWIAW.—.
Miss Adis, the voting lady who .0 so cruelly assault. I on
Bstarday evening, was os Tuesday altornaon in • maw
(nameable ocediVon than es the previous evening, &Monet
her We is still in danger,