The Express.
London, England, 1861-07-06 00:00:00

TO TIM EDITOR or TIM EXPILIMII

SlR.—The unusual circumetance of a balloon
passing over Landon yesterday afternoon at 3 o'clock
doubtless attracted the Oak* of thousands of your readers,
a. these aerial journeys are generally undertaken at a later
hour. The top in this awe was a private one, and was
attended with many circumstances of great interest. I
lift (Yemen...gardens at 2.:U p.m.. in the large halloos
belonging to Mr. Simpson, Mr. Lythgoe, the well•keown
20d skilled aeronaut, sell myself being the only occupants of
the ear. We passed shortly over the southern side of
Loudon. having a glorious view of the whole metropolis, at
ao elevation of about 4,500 feet— the smoke of the great
fire. St. Paul'. Cathedral, the Houses of Parliament and the
lodges being the tient prominent objects. We &lowly
pursued our voyage along the south bank of
the Thames, priming very near Greenwich Hospital,
Vrith. lartfonl and Graveased, till we approached
Snood. Here we crossed the River Medway, and had a
magnificent view of the Thames winding up to Chelsea-
Mr* on the west, awl losing itself in the sea on the east.
It was now about o'clock, and the sun suddenly breaking
through the clouds, and shining full on to the balloon,
canned us to ascend with some rapidity to en altitude of
about 10,0 W feet. The view of cloutblaul was now
something marvellous. We appeared to be in a
vast hail), or crater, formed by white elefede,
with an horizon sharply defined all round the edge me
patently on a level with ourselves. The air was very
ail.tlgh the run's rays beat powerfully upon us. We now
a perfect reflection of the balloon projected CO la
enormous scale on the vaporous clouds beneath. The
image was entirely surrounded by a rwrfixt circle of colour
precisely like a rainbow. After gazing for some quarter
of an hour on this beautiful scene) a break in the cloud' dhe
closed the earth beneath, and we found. not a moment tee
soon, that we were following the bed of the Medway with
dangerous rapidity towards the sea. Mr. Lythgcre, baying
before observed that the lower current had a more
sonth-easterly direction, allowed the balloon to
descend to within about 5,000 feet of the earth,
and
we thou pursuesl our journey direct for
Canterbury. At this stage we bed a clear view of the
roast, with Sheernem Point and Whitstable and Haws
Bay, the latter with its pier prepeting far into the sea.
We mold also io the other direction discern the form of
the end teem Deal towards Dover and Folkestone. The
ham paned over Canterbury, and descended rapidly, a
mile and a half beyond the city, into a chalk•pit, Mr.
Lythgeir wand i avoiding growing crops. In the connect half
an hoar the MOD= was packed up and born off in triumph
by the deliglikid owner of a donkey.cart. who happened to
be le the spot, to whom we °Designed iR We mamba
to the rare old city of Canterbury, accompattelibmz
drab et tented natives, whose feelip of
lowed vent in the most amusing remarks and conjectures,
It was really with difficulty we could persuade them that
we led come ell the way from London in such a frail
meeknee.

I must not forget to mention, that when at an elevation
of 3,000 feet we threw out a wine.tettle, one.third full of
water, and as it descended the water appeared to be forced
..ut of the bottle with great violence, like • jet of steam,
the bottle burying itself in a ploughed field beneath.—
I an, he., I.
London, July 4.

ACCIDENTS THROUGH FUMIGATION.