The National Register.
London, England, 1814-08-07 00:00:00

THE NATIONAL RPIIISTER.

AUG. 7.

'IL fireworks and the temple together certainly gave to the
ge.a ral gaze a very brilliant gratification in the Green Park.
gut St. James's Park was the chief place of attraction for all
those who feared to encounter the troubles of mobbing, and who
could afford to pay halt-a-guinea in the expectation, of personal se-
en! ity and comfort. All that was dreaded was, that even there, In
the timitod space of the lawn, with the unpretending refreshment
or the proMenade.of what is still called the Birdcage-walk, the In-
flux %%mild oe too great, or that the crowds in. the mall might be
tempted to invade the inclosnre, and disturb the select scene, and
make free with tl a accommodations which the booths afforded For
the honour of the London populace, we must say, that nothing dis-
agreeable of this sort occurred; and we must, in fairness add, that
it was exceedingly creoitable to the conductors of the fete, that
they hail so goad an opinion of the British public, that they did
not thi.,k it necessary to provide any military demonstrations for
the pm pose of contrmiling or overawing the dispositions of the po-
pii!acis.- Whatever order or &chitin) was preserved, was not owing
to the soldiery. of whom we never saw so few employed as on this
occasion, whereon many naturally thought that their assistance
world he materially necessary. The enclosed space iii St. James's
Perk being a level, and viewed at mice, appears rather small ; but
its actual dimensions are such as to contain thousands with perfect
ease.

Notwithstanding the immense crowds in the streets which we
have betore noticed, the access to this Park was very easy at several
gates. Between two and °Ace o'clock some thousands entered, and
their numbers graeually increased till dusk, when they augmented
very col•siderailly. ant the place had all the appearance of Vauxhall
en a full night. Besides the Birdcage-walk, the Parade, and the
r.t of Buckin boil e, outside •of the semi circular mailing,
ere appropriated to that in.rt of the public who paid for admission
Sa many de eriptions have been already given of the internal ur-
vaegimi.nts, that it is not necessary to add flinch on that scoria
Tells were pitched in rows along the sides of the Canal ; and at
regnlar inter.als. national flags were leristesl. A number of Thames
wateimen had permission to ply on the Canal. Many worthy citi-
zens and their families enjoyed an aquatic diversion for the first
and perlne a the last time, on this regal stream ; and several boat
races tooK place before diisk ; but the boats were just as they are
seen, on the river; not painted, decorated, and eusigned, as was
expected. Of the booths erected for the accommodation of the
company, many were untenanted ; those, however, which were
occupied had a pretty good share of business. The time, till dark,
•. was chiefly occupied by the company in walking backwards and
forwards, or getting their dinner,
THE BALLOON. law,' in front of Buckingham House was
enebsed for the purpose of tilling and sending up a balloon. At five
o'clock a most magnificent atrial globe was•sufficiently inflated, and
nearly all the spectators crowded round the spot. • The Queen, some
time after. came with a party of the nobility who had taken an early
dinner with her Majesty, to inspect the apparatus by which it was
filling. The balloon was ready to ascend about six o'clock, but its
flight was delayed a few mieutes, that her Majesty and the Princesses
• might witness the ascent. At twenty minutes past six, when the
cords which held the balloon were ready to be cut,it was found, th•it
the fastening which secures the network to the valve•at the top of
the balloon, had by some means been disengaged, and was held only
by a single twine. Under these circumstances, the new aspirant to
celestial excursions, Mrs. Henry Johnstone, was informed, that she
could not possibly accompany Mr. Sadler, jun. in his voyage, with•
out imminent danger to both. It was also strongly recommended
Mr. Sadler to decline his voyage altogether. This enterprising
young aeronaut. however, feeling, for the disappointment of the
public, was determined to go up, and he ascended about twenty-tint
minutes past six. Whilst the balloon was still hovering over the
Park, he threw from it a slumber of small paper parachutes, with
jubilee favours
.artaclsed to them, bearing various inscriptions.
' Alien above the London-docks the balloon appeared fin. 4 short
time nearly stationary, and it was not until a quantity of ballast
was. thrown out, that a quicker motion could be given to it.
On passinz over Deptford, at a considerable height, Mr. Sadler went
through a cl ud which left behind it on the railing of the car, and on
various parts of the balloon, a thick moisture, which soon becaine
frozen; and Mr. Sadler,fur a short time, felt the cold as intense as in
winter. Immediately over Woolwich the string which fastened the
net, AS was apprehended, suddenly broke, and the main body of the
balloOn was forced quickly through the aperture, nearly 18 feet. M.
Sadler, to prevent the danger which threatened him, caught the pipe at
the bottom of the balloon, and by hanging on it and the valve line, he'
prevented the balloon from further escaping. The valve, which had
fur bum time resisted every attempt to open it, in consequence of being

503

frozen, at this time gave way, sled suffered ter eas to escape. A stet.
den shift of wind, whil,t the baliotai was apparently talliee into the
middle of the Themes at Sea Reach, carried it oboist Wu yards nv, r
the marshes on the Essex side, wh n the aeronart sviz d e oopot
nity of Making a gash in the balloon eath hoist, which the %vied
considerably widened, and occasion, d the esevee of the gas in 'peat
Saoler'r descent on this accennt %yes tallier snore pre-
cipitate and violent that: he multi have whited. lie landed, le,u ever,
in Mucking Marshes, sixteen miles below Graveseee, (..u. the Essex
cor.st, without sustaieiug any other injury than a slide sotaie, in about
Mrty minutes atter his departure trent the Perk. Mr. S. with hi, bal-
loon, was conveyed by a herniates bout to Giaeeseed, nom %%hence
he took a post-chaise and four to town. and arrived at Btekingliam
Mane at half-past three Tuesday morning.
The `disappointed lady, Mrs. H. Johnston, had a dove in her hand,
that emblem of • peace and charity, which she had ieteeded to sold
down to the earth on her celestial ascension. The. Duke of Weis
lington and several persons of distinction were present when the
balloon went up, which happened about six o'clock. People then
beguiled :heir tedious hours with eating or thinking, or observing
the progress of the illumination of the Chinese bridge, or the some-
what .distant noise of the firing on the Serpentine river. About
nine the bridge and pagoda were nearly, though they were not all
night completely illuminated according to the design, either
through the wind or some other accidental eircnntstattee. The
lawn was lighted up by two rows on each side of the canal, on
fiag-statf=, &c. of stars anti crescents placed alternately:
The Mall and the Birdcage-walk, &c. were illuminated by cir-
cles of lamps, embracing the trunks of most of the trees. The
Chinese Within ns, which promised • something fantasticatly 14.6.
aiding, by no means answered expectation; not limn any -Iola" e;:t
fault in them, but from the poverty of the kids placed in them,
which Was not sufficient to show off the whimsical awl pretty de-
vices painted on them If they formed a correct representation of
Chinese illumination, it must be stenbre indeed. About ten the
bridge, with its temples and pillars, and its towering, superstruc-
ture, became an object of singular beauty mid magnificence. Whe-
ther sneh a character of design had, or leaf not, any thing to do witlt
the matters of celebration, it unquestionably combined the elegant
and the picturesqee in the highest degree - It appeared a blazing
edifice of golden lire. Every part of it was covered with lamps, the
gas lights in proper places relieving the dazzling splendour with their
silver lustre; the canopies of the temple throw big up their bright
wheels anti stars, the pillars enriched with radiance, every rising
tower of the pagoda pouring, forth its 'fiery showers, and rockets
springing from the lofty to with majestic flights, almost prequning
to outrival the ancient inhabitants of the firmantext. The effect of
its vivid lights on the calm water which flowed beneath, the verdant
foliage of time surrounding trees, the scattered tents, and the minte-
rous assemblage of spectators on the lawn, might, without much by.
perbole, be called magical and enchanting. Alas ! too soon we shall
be obliged to speak of its departed glories ! too soon to tell the fate
of this superb creation of a splendid fancy ! At 10, discharges of
..etillery hurried all spectators to the western end of the Park, as
they announced the commencement of the superior tire-works in the
Green Park. Benches innumerable were brought by soldiers to eu-
able the fair portion of the assemblage to obtain a view of the Castle,
of which after all, only the upper part could he seen distinctly ;
that edifice being placed in a very low situation, instead of being
raised em a mound so as to render it couspicsions.
Then the gland display of pyrotechnics commenced, in number
we readily believe, never exceeded. Rockets in proftision led the..
way, and were continned at every interval trom both parks.
2
..seross, maroons, Roman candles, caffierine-witeels, serpents, stars,
flower-pets, girandoles succeeded each other, and were dischamed
with exrellel skill anti effect. That sort of firework called the
girandole was very frequently displayed, in thllitent colours, and
%vas decidedly the most beautiful of the whole. Nothing of the
kind could be imagined finer. But the *repetition of the thing',
with occasional pauses for mote than two hums, became esecssiv, Iy
tedious to all. it told no intelligible tele, though the I,u[rlic
had been informed that the of of the Castle were to give
something like a representation of at battle and a. singe. In•tead
sending np the fireworks, one or two at a time, if the had MIA
thrown up more in masse:, relieved by caulles and sockets, and
c"timsed in larger matses grad wtile, they would haet reached the
climax of magnitiNeice, in this hind of exitibitien, ami would have
produced a most striking efii•ct than half the tone employed
in frittering away ail ..te atiyantaees of this splendid art.
Pot we have now a sad story to tell. Near the exl
the fireworks, the Pagoda exhibited are appearance ii
much doubt. La tipper towers appeased enveloped in

piration of
hat rxcilt•tl
flame; said
st. .
. .