The Sun.
London, England, 1864-01-18 00:00:00

THE SITN, LONDON, MONDAY EVENING, JANUARY 18, 1864.

WHERE CAN WE MEET AFTER THE
PANTOMIMES? My dear Fellow, Gentlemen sup
at SPANS', Covent-garden.

IIINAHAN'S LL WHISKY v. COGNAC,
BRANDY.
This celebrated Old IRISH. WHISKY rivals the finest
FRENCH BRANDY,
It i+ Pure, Mild, Mellow, Delicious, and very Wholesome.
Sold in Bottles, 3s. Bd., at the Retail Houses in London ; by
the Agents in the principal towns in England ; or wholesale
at

8, GREAT WINDMILL-STREET, W.
Observe the Red Seal, Pink Label, and Cork branded
LL Whisky."

THE best TROUSERS for gentlemen to wear
are those math. by ELSTOP., of 60, New Bond-street.
They are neither so low in price as to necessitate their being
carelessly put together, nor so dear as to gain only the
wealthy purchasers. "In medio tutisimus ibis."
ELSTOB'S TROUSERS, TWENTY-ONE SEIILLINGS

Mr, Glaisher's Balloon Ascent from Wool-
wich Arsenal,

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

SlR,—The Secretary o, State for War, the Right Hon.
Earl de Grey and Ripon, having kindly granted permis-
sion to the committee of the British Association to avail
themselves o; the facilities affordee in the Royal Arsenal,
Woolwich, for future b illoon ascents for scientific purposes
my 17th ascent on January 12th took place from there.

This series of experiments necessitates the use of the bal-
loon at all reasons oh .he year, winter as well as summer.
The last was on October 9. The weather in November was
far top windy to attempt an ascent.
Mr. Coxwel' was with nis balloon at Woolwich by the
middle of Decembe:: to get all ready by the 21st, but cir-
cumstances prevented .he ascent on that day. Again the
balloon was partially inflated on:December 30, and also on
December 31, on which day the inflation was nearly com-
pleted, but ice formed on the top o_ the balloon, and when
the filling was resumed a strong wind arose and nearly
drove the balloon on the gas holders, when Mr. Coxwell de-
cided upon letting off the gas and waiting for more favour-
able weather.

On Monday, January 11, the balloon was thoroughly
examined, and it was ready io ascend on Tuesday, at two
o'clock in the afternoon.
No balloon, as atr as I can ascertain, has ascended in
England during the presen' century in the month of Jan-
uary, and never one during any of the winter months, *which
has reached any considerable elevation.

Winter ascents are certainly the most 'hazardous; the
balloon requires constant watching and attention; we,
therefore, took our friend, F. Norris, Esq., of the Conser-
vative Club, who has made previous ascents, and could
assist Mr. Coswell as well as myself. Mr. Norris under-
took to watch the first deposition of uew on the hygro-
meters, and to fill two large bags wits air at the highest
point we might reach, for analysis by Professor Tyndall.
We took a dog and three rabbit« to nc4te their behaviour
when above the clouds, and the effects of low temperature
and sudden changes upon them.
HEIGHTS AND COURSE OF THE BALLOON.

The balloon left at seven minutes after two, with nearly
a south wind, and passed over the river Thames, out when
at the height of 400 feet the wind changed to a point with a
great deal of west in it, and we round ourselves passing
down the centre of the river. At 29, at the height of 550
feet, we fell into r strong S.W. current, and crossed Til-
bury Railway at 2 14. Hainault Forest was west at 2 21,
and our course was N.E., or nearly directly towards the
Blackwater river, Under these circumstances we did not
dare to rise as we intended. At 243 we saw f' large town
east of ue, which we thought was Chelmsford, and inferred
our course was nearly north. At 254 we saw Maldor and
the Blackwater at an estimates distance of 15 to 20 miles
east. We were then about 7,500 ft high. The wind continu-
ing south nearly we determined to go above the clouds. At
3 8 we were 8,500 ft high, and the wind veered to S.S,W.
At 3 16 we were 9,500 ft high, and the wind changed to
S.S.E., and continued in this direction, we believed, to our
highest point, which was nearly 13,000 ft. Then the earth
was quite obscured, and we had nothing whatever to guide
us as to our rate of motion or of our locality ; and, as the sun
would set in little more than half an hour, we gave up the
hope of reaching five miles high, resolved to pass down-
wards through the clouds and ascertain our position. At 3 37
we were 10,500 ft high, in five minutes we descended to
8,500 ft, and beneath the clouds still 6,500 ft from the earth,
which looked barren, and as there was no place that any of
us knew wo could not determine our locality at all. At four
o'clock we saw a forest of pines. We still descended slowly
to 1,2•50 ft by 47. We saw a village, and after passing this
the earth looked barren ; there were no villages and scarcely
any habitations. The mist was so thick we could not see
two miles ahead, and wo came to the ground at 4 15 near
Brandon,