The Express.
London, England, 1863-08-13 00:00:00

BALLOON SURVEY OP PORTSMOUTH AND THE

ISLE OF WIGHT.

In a letter to the Times relating to a balloon
ascent made lest Monday evening by Mr. Coxwell alone
from the Portsmouth Recreetion•grounde, the airionaut,
after remarking that the wind was fresh from the west-
ward. proceeds as follows :—" Relying upon the careful
observations I bad previously made with chart, compass, and
pilot balloons, and allowing for local variations, I left the
North-end Gardens at 7.15, with full confidence as to my
probable course. The scene which opened out in the space
of five minutes was altogether novel. Instead of the wide.
spread laodaripe, so familiar to aerial voyagers, with its
variegated surface of green and brown 6slda, I now had a
commanding view of • beautiful island and of a town
and harbour so surrounded by water, with the Channel
beyond, that, hail it not been for the reliance I had in the
direction of the wind, appearances would seem to indicate
that I was likely to be blown away due south, and to
drift out to sea. Although I was provided with an ex-
cellent barometer, thermometer, fze.. by Negretti and Zara-
bra. and presented to ine by Mr. Glaisher, I had very
little opportunity iS using them frequently, and I felt how
valuable Mr. Glaisher's presence would have been in the
car. What most engaged my own attention was a general
survey of the town, fortifications, and shipping, with •
view of military applications for war purposes. I was
agreeably surprised, the atmosphere being clear, how well
I could perceive and count the cannon mounted on the
ramparts, the ships in ordinary, and, by their white streaks
and portholes, their relative sizes, whether corvettes,
frigates, or line-of.battle ships. The bold and leading fee-
tures of Portsmouth as a naval and military stronghold
might have been canvassed in an interesting manner had
had companions, instead of being alone. I very soon
satisfied myself most thoroughly as to the extent of ob-
jects visible to the naked eye and to an ordinary 'jai=
assisted by a common opera•glass. At 7.35 -barometer
26'6, thermometer 46—1 saw through a glass the visitors
on Rytle•pier promenading. The distance could not have
been less than seven or eight miles. I observed also
marines or soldiers of the line in front of a guard.
house, and several steamers between Gosport and Southsea
Castle. Being soon over the water, I had to withdraw my
attention and look ahead. The course of the balloon was
direct to Chichester, but a more southerly breeze began to
alter my course, and I hoped to reach Goodwood, where we
so lately descended after a scientific voyage from the
Crystal Palace. As the shades of evening came I found I
was making for several extensive woods on high ground
between Singleton and ArnodeL As I crossed the first
wood a large meteor shot towards but over the balloon from
an easterly direction, another quickly following: and
although I relied upon their supposed altitude, and felt
personal security, yet I could not but compare my situation
to that of a ship which receives a shot or two acmes her
bows, or perhaps a 211 b. rocket, as s warning to haul to or
alter her course in obedience to the dictates of an enemy.
The late hour of the night, and the high ground upon
which Nore Wood is situated. compelled me to cai.t anchor
among several high beech trees. Indeed, I had to let off gee
and leave the balloon suspended all night before I secured
►nd packed it up. Several gentlemen volunteered to assist
me at daylight, and we proceeded at 5 o'clock to the place
of descent with ropes. ladders, and hatcliets, ready to lop
off houghs or fell • tree, if necessary, rather than injure
the balloon. I was obliged to return to ii rra firma down •
tree at least 60 feet from the ground. It the morning the
b loon had quietly slid down through the boughs, and was
not in any way damaged. The magnificent and complete
bird's-eye view I had of the Isle of Wight would occupy too
much space and time to describe. Altogether, my voyage
on Monday was most exciting, and in many respects pecu-
liar, differing, as it did, from previous tripe."

WEATHER REPORT.-(THIS DAY.)

THURSDAY, AUGUST IS, 8 A.M.

„
B. LL. R. 1. !Z. Q. L R. S.
———
Nairn 30.03 59 4 W. 1 4 32 c
Aberdeen I 30.03 53 4 N.W. : 4 5 26 b 0.06
Lelth 3O 04 56 4 ' N.E. 2. 3 28 b 2
Shields
Scarborough 30.04 54 1 W. I 1 2 12 r 1
Greencastle— 24.41 55 3 ES.E. 2 1 4 c 0.12; 2
Galway
Valentin
Queenstown 2'9.9164 7 S. E. 1 3 3 12 c I 0.16; 3
Liverpool 59.9956 1 E.N.E i 2 2 32 r I 0.r61 1
Holyhead 29.9, 58 2 S.s. E. .2 2 14 c 'O.OB 2
Pembroke 9.91072 3 SE. 1 1 12 b' —I 1
Pen:ante 89.94 42 2 Z. 0 4 12 o I
Erma
L'Orient . .
Rochefort 30.04 69 .2 N. W. ,- . 3 28 -
Plymouth 29.96 60 5 I Z. 0' 5 14 c 1
Weymouth 30.0064' 3 ES.E. ' 3 3 10 c —l3
Portsmouth 819083 5 E.N.E. ; 3 3 16 m I
London -
Dover °9'l4 6 3. E 2• 3 8 b 1
Yarmouth 3O 90 62 4 ES.E. '4 • 4 4 o
Helkoland 30.05 57 3 Z. 0 4 24 b

PROBAHLI
FRIDAY. ON Till SATVILDAT.
.N.W. to N.E. and to NONTR.ENST. E. to light.

S. F.., moderate, nue. ilue.
to B.E. and to Winer CVISTI). S.F. to S.W. and to
S.W.• moderate, va. \.:t'., moderate to
riable, showery. fresh, with some
%lim% en.
N.E. to .S.E. and to aorracoAsrs. ES.E. to S.W. and to
S.W., light to fresh, W. S. %Y., showers,
fine, v,nahle to fresh.
N.E to s.E. and S., SOCSR•EASI. S.s.E. to W.S.W.,
light, variable, tine. fight to fresh. tine.
- •• ••• - • - • -

North.Ewa=.l2aithness to Norfolk. West= irmegal to Corn-
wall South=-Channel and Bay Comas. South-fwat=Stralt of
Dover to Norfolk.

B.—)Mrometer corrected awl reduced to 32? at hall tide level.
Each ten feet, of vertical elevation, eausin uh mt one hundredth
of an inch I,IMINUTION : and est+ ten degrees, :shove 32v, caus-
ing nearly three hundredths INCr.vssit. h.—Exposed therm.,
meter In shade. D.—Difference of wet bulb for evaporatioa and
dew point,. W.—Wind, direction of Till a—two points Litre of
niagnetir). F.—Force ;I to I.2—estimated . X.—Extreme tutee
Alael, last report. Q. —t)uartor whence Exria.ms: force NNE,?.
to 32=N,. I. - : b.—Line sky. v.—clouds detached;)
f.—fN; —lightning : in.—misty. 'liar, —overeasj
dull); r.—rain s. snow I.—thunder. It. Beira-fall, snow se
hall ....melted, biIICC last report. rs.--va disturbance ,1 to
Z.—Calm.

Cmcet. HOAX. —A very discreditable hoax wan
played on the people of Warrington, on Tuesday. They
were informed by planed that a speci..! train would leave
Warrington for Liverpool. on Tuesday, for the purpose of
seeing the Channel fleet, which was lying in the Mersey. The
train went, but the fleet was on the coast of Scotland.
DlELaflettoLV AccIOENT. A painful sensation
has beau recently occasioned at Hampton Court and its
nerghbaurho.l by the meloneholy death of the youngest
' son of Mr. Kinlnali, who hold.. an appointment in her Ma.
jesty's household. The urine tueete young genthooon was
liahiog ou the afternoon of the del iust. in the canal in the
Home Park, and appears to have fallen soddeuly, during the
ahem,' of the gentleman who accompanied him, from the
parapet at the end of the canal, where the water, though
apparently only two or three feet. deep, is in reality of great
depth. As soon as his disappearance was known a search
was made, but the body was not discovered for nearly two
hours.
reosera-rs IN LINCOLN,IIIIIP, 474..-111
this extensive agricultural district harvest prospects almost
everywhere are of the most promising ehoracter. 4in all the
beet soils the wheat crop looks spleudid, and farmers anti-
cipate an abundant yield. Harvest eperatioos are being
pushed on vigorously, and, wills a continuance of fine
weather, a large breadth will le, eixurely garnered during
the present week. The late reins have materially improved
all kinds of spring corn. Barley, which of late years has
been au iudilfereut crop, is expected to Le over an averages
and the quality of the samples was scarcely ever finer.
more especially with respect to malting sorts. There is
likely to be a pleotif Oh yield of oats. Many fields have
Leen carried in excellent condition, and present appearances
indicate a moat abundant crop. Beans are not so good am
was expected, the plait having suffered in many pl.:esteem
the late drought. Tie pastures have wonderfully improved
since last week, awl a great alteration for the better is
noticeable in the turnip crop. Mangolds are pretty fair. In
Nottingleumihire harvest operations are becoming general.
and this week a good deal of grain will Ise gathered. He.
ports from Car inns parts of this onuntry state that the har-
vest will be most ehundant. As yet there are no cont.
plainta of the disease in potatoes. The grans lands are
looking much better. From the tieighbourhowl of leeby.
Linoolushire, it is stated that the wheat rem is the best
obtained since Itch, the eats being fine, well tilled, sod free
from disease; the crops are, however, ninth storm.lircken.
Barley is coed on soils naturally adapted to the growth of
that crop, but on strooger soils it is variable. Itound Boston
better crops were never known. In the neiglibeerhood of
March the wheat sad oat crops appear to be prolific, and the
potato crop elan looks welL In the Terelrieg Hundred of
ESIMIX many fields have bees cleared, and the .41110 report
might douldlesa be made with respect to other localitiea
Eartcra Counties