The Sun.
London, England, 1852-08-23 00:00:00

TLIE SUN,

SCIENTIFIC BALLOON ASCENT.
(From the Athaneum.)
Your meteorological readers will doubtless be in-
terested to know the result of the experiments made
during the balloon ascent on Tuesday last, to which
you called their attention in your columns last week.
My time has been necessarily so much occupied,
that any account I can yet give must be very im-
perfect.
The main object contemplated by the projectors of
these aerostatic expeditions ia, the determination of
the laws of change in the temperature and humidity
as we rise in the atmosphere. Other experiments
and observations are not lost sight of; but it is pro-
posed to attempt at first only what it is probable can
be satisfactorily executed :—it being of more use to
do one thing well than many things imperfectly.
Such subjects as atmospheric electricity and (less
probably) magnetism may be taken up when the ob-
servers shall have become familiarised with their
work.
The weather on Tuesday, the day fixed for the first
ascent, was as good as could be hoped for in the midst
of so much variety as we have lately had. The infla-
tion of Mr. Green's great Nassau balloon having been
accomplished from the Vauxhall Gasworks, the ascent
took place about ten minutes before four P.M., with.
wonderfully few instrumental casualties, considering
the great oscillation of the car previous to starting,from
the action of the wind on the balloon. We rose steadily,
and continued rising until about thirteen minutes be-
fore five P.M., when the barometer indicated that we
were about 19,500 feet abbve the earth ; the tempera-
deg6s deg. of Fahrenheit's
lo
we
sat osut
rt
at
thur
me e - qb ue
ture, which was about 72 .at Vauxhall, having
b
fallen to 7 deg., or through
ar-
tsecrasle.coFvreormedtwheiteharctlhotuhde ,s
seemedythe
ing
composed of detached masses of cumulus—an inter-
mediate stratum of higher cumuli—and cirrostratus
and cirrocumuli above all. The first stratum of
clouds we passed very soon after leaving the earth, at
the height of about half a mile; the second seemed
about two and a half miles high ; but the highest
cirrostratus clouds were still above us at our greatest
elevation, although apparently not very far. Near
the highest point of our course, small star-shaped
crystals of snow of perhaps 1-25th or 1-30th of an
inch diameter were seen falling (possibly their appa-
rent fall was due to the rise of the balloon). Ob-
servations of the thermometer, hygrometer, and
barometer, were taken at very short intervals during
the ascent, and during the first portion of the de-
scent, until it became necessary to provide for
the safety of the instruments. Specimens of the air at
different elevations were taken for analysis. The
descent was accomplished with much ease, at about
twenty-five minutes past five P.M. ; and the balloon
was secured with little trouble near the village of
Swavesey, in Cambridgeshire, about 60 miles north
of London. This distance was passed over in about
an hour and a half, showing that an immense mass of
air was moving rapidly from the south. Accounts
received from various stations seem to show that this
strong south wind was prevalent over a large portion
of country. The thunder-storm which broke out on
Tuesday evening had not commenced during our
voyage, nor was any indication of it visible except a
shower at some distance. The sun was obscured dur-
ing almost the whole period.
At the elevation to which we attained no personal
inconvenience of any moment was experienced ; I
only perceived a slight oppression about the ears and
temples—but no difficulty in breathing. Mr. Nick-
Hug perceived, besides, a very slight difficulty in
breathing before reaching the greatest height, but the
feeling went quickly off, even before we began to
descend. So light was any inconvenience which
we experienced from the rarity of the air, that it did
not in the least interfere with our regular work of
observing and recording. The cold would, of course,
have become disagreeable had we continued long in it.
The first voyage should be considered chiefly as a
preliminary and educational one; neither the ma-
naging committee nor th© observers having had any
previous experience whatever in aerostation. It will
not be surprising, therefore, if the experience ga-
thered from the ascent of Tuesday should lead to
considerable alterations in the instruments and mode
of observing in future experiments of this nature.
The results obtained from this first attempt are
doubtless of much value ; but we are in hopes that
by some alterations in our mode of procedure a
greater amount of instruction may be derived from
subsequent voyages.
The Kew committee have been peculiarly fortunate
in obtaining the zealous co-operation of Mr. Green.
His great experience and well-known ability and
caution afford a guarantee that the risks attending
these expeditions will be reduced to a minimum. The
confidence which his dexterous management of the
immense but beautiful instrument cannot fail to in-
spire, will contribute much to that calmness in the
observer which is so necessary in the presence of an
usual phenomena.—l am, &c '
Kew Observatory, Aug. 19.

JOHN WELSH.

THE MONEY MARKET.
(From the Derbyshire Courier.)
The depression of every description of securities
which has occurred during the past week, forms a
noticeable comment on the unsettled state of monetary
affairs, and on the principles to which such fluctu-
ations may be traced, and which have been so repeat-
edly brought before our readers. If we were to credit
certain writers, the state of this country is rapidly
advancing towards unexampled prosperity. we
have had the advantage of being long secure from the
social and political disturbances which have so inju-
riously affected our continental neighbours ; the great
masses of our population are rendered contented and
peaceful by.the cheapness of all the necessaries of life,
emigration is drawing off in a continuous stream the
unemployed portion of our own people, and fast
emptying Ireland of a race apparently unim-
provable under the circumstances with which
they are surrounded in their own country ;
we have an active trade, and -agriculture itself
is recovering, in some of its branches at least,
from the depths of its depression. Now under
these auspicious appearances a most unexpected and
powerful auxiliary
has presented itself in the dis-
covery of large, amounts of that precious metal which,
in the eyes of many political economists, seems to be
regarded as the great arbiter of the wealth of nations.
Not in California alone, but in our own colony of
Australia we have the promise of a return of the golden
age. It is true that few attempt to explain to us
how the discovery of a certain yellow metal is to be
fraught with the predicted wonderful advantages, but
that such will be the case is very generally blieved.
How comn it then that nothing appears too incon-
siderable to shake the public confidence ? In such
a nation as ours there is, as a matter of course, no
period without some cause of public anxiety.
Just now we have the Kafir War and the
dispute about the American Fisheries both
subjects deserving of attention, but certainly
neither of them destined to exercise a very powerful
effect on the nation's prosperity. But there is another
cause which during the last week has been depressing
the mercury in the money market. Recent reports
speak ranch less favourably of the coming harvest
than
few showery
accounts. We have had also a
begin to askry days ;
money simultaneouslyfora augur a fall in the funds. Now,
character, and
all our vaunted prosperity is of
living so V„yanre4arteT) and that England is a country
should excite
tinuance of the
Yes the philosophers
vet! means that a deficiency in the
natio
r side.
apprehension as to the con-
seriuutuse of a few millions of money,
theel
far really done f
of t h prosperouss t
Stock
E x c conditionhange
bav
e?
reason and experience on
What have the
to get out and keep out an us ? They
d "the Bank of
gold discoveries so
oirtoint of paper
have done this. They have enabled
circulating medium greater 133' two
than has fora considerable time been in tj: millions.
England
The effects of an increased handsof
the public. .
circula-
tion
been witnessed again and
have again in
during the last half -
this country century.
has occurred, the money finding "" •
Whenever it
Bank of England through Ina
way from the
hands of traders, isvate
bankers, into the employed by
1 rgmg their transactions, carrying
those traders in enlarging • •
more spirit, employing more
on their affairs with _ .
and thus stimulating
hands, increasing production,
money every
consumption. With an abundance and the improve-
branch of industry thus improves,a
d increases that of
ment of each branch acts upon -n finds a readier
every other trade. The poor wan
find
market for his labour, the clever and intelligent
The
abilities.
a more active demand for theirßut,
nation is pronounced to be "prosperous.
bow
as we said, the Solons of Change-alley know
soon all this may be reversed. A bad harvest comes ;
a few millions of quarters of wheat come into the
country. A few millions of gold are Witchawn
from the Bank. Then the Bank reduces its Issues.
money becomes scarcer. The London and provincial
bankers are lessready
. to accommodate traders.
Evgr-
y kindof . The,
evil
itself felt from
The de •
Things
Now all this
And in spite tendency of a restricted circulation mikes
one end of the country to the other.
depression of one kind of trade
evident that iof
cut faster
try, injures another.
thie worse till a commercial panic ensues.
isf well known in the money market.
all favourable appearances, as it is
thanw have to buy corn, gold may go
and that if :1! can find its way into the coun-
medium will be de. gold goes out, our circulating
lating medium
be diminished
and that if our circu-
result—therefore,
ti:eminished distress and ruin will
the least echo of a tleneraere whisper of mildew, and
their deprder-storm in harvest, produce
-ate
effects on the money-market of the
metropolis.
sensing

At Wheal Harriett bimonthly
showed a balance in favour of m.rting, the accounts
mule of 3251. 16s. 9d.

ORNAMENTAL CEMETERIES.
The ancient custom of planting cemeteries and deco-
rating monuments with garlands of flowers, strongly
prevailing at different periods in foreign countries, was
carried to some extent in various parts of England.
In the "Flora Domestics," it will be observed that the
Romans alluded to the practice in their wills, and were
strongly reprobated by the primitive Christians, but in
the time of Prudentius the latter had adopted it, which
is expressly mentioned both by St. Ambrose and Jerome.
At the present time in Germany and Switzerland, it is
very usual to observe the tombs cultivated with shrubs,
and flowers, and the monuments adorned with festoons
of roses and jessamine. In the beautiful little church-
yard at Schwytz almost the whole of the ground is
covered with pinks; but amongst the numerous spots
appropriated to the purposes of cemeteries there is none
equal to the churchyard of Wirfin, in the valley of the
Selz% The tombs are ornamented with arabesque
forms, with pendent vases, in which are placed flowers,
and on either side perennial shrubs aro planted,
and, in addition, some graves are daily strewed
over with fresh-gathered flowers, by friends or
relatives of the inhabitants. In some parts of this
country, about the middle of the last century, the
practice was very prevalent of strewing sprigs of rose-
mary upon tombs, particularly in the north, and likewise
to place a basin of sprigs of boxwood at the door of any
house at which a funeral was to take place, as alluded to
in the following by Wordsworth:—
" The basin of boxwood just six months before,
L Had stood on the table at Timothy's door;
A coffin over Timothy's threshold had passed,
One child did it bear, and that child was his last."
While in allusion to the practice, we may exclaim with
Shenstone, " Oh customs meet and well!"—Builder.

THE NEW CRYSTAL PALACE.—Mr. Owen Jones
and Mr. Digby Wyatt have set out on an artistic tour
through France, Italy, and Germany, for the purpose of
collecting illustrations of architecture and sculpture, the
histories of which arts are to be represented by ancient and
modern specimens in the New Crystal Palace under the di-
rections of the gentlemen in question. Lord Malmesbury
has furnished Messrs. Jones and Wyatt with letters to the
different ambassadors on their route expressive of the sym-
pathy of the Government in their proceedings, and desiring
that every aid may be afforded them in the prosecution of
their design.