The Sun.
London, England, 1864-07-07 00:00:00

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

Sir,— The result of the 21st scientific balloon ascent, as
compared with those found previously, are distinct and
highly interesting. The balloon was remarkably free from
revolving on its axis, enabling me to make for the first time
satisfactory magnetics' experiments. Also for the first time
I was enabled to make experiments with the view of deter-
mining the ratio of respiration to pulsation, an important
physiological inquiry.
The sky was cloudy at starting, but at the height of 800
feet it was clear, but of a pale blue ; the lower atmosphere
throughout the journey was thick, obscuring for the most
part the sun, and limiting the view to a few miles only.
The path of the balloon was from Sydenham, over Penge,
near to Bromley, down the Sevenoaks-road to Tonbridge,
over Goudhurst, near Cranbrook, overTenterder,toßomney
Marsh.

The views, though limited in extent, were beautiful, there
being a constant succession of parks and gentlemen's seats,
the whole country, so highly cultivated, appearing like a
continuous garden, the sun often lighting up water, giving
it the appearance of burnished gold.
When over Shortlands the fountains at the Crystal Palace
began to play, and although diminutive in appearance they
looked very pretty as lighted up by the sun.
The balloon left at 6u 331 m in the evening of June 27,
with a temperature of 63 deg. At 6h 37m we were over
Penge, at the height of 600 ft, and the temperature was
67 deg; our path was then near to Bromley. Passed over
Hayes-common at heights varying from 800 ft to 1,600 ft,
with temperatures varying from 55 deg to 57 deg. At 7h
lm the temperature was 55 deg ; at the height of 900 ft this
gradually declined to 43 deg by 7h 15w at the height of
4,200 it. The balloon then descended to 3,200 ft at 7h 26m,
and the temperature increased to 47 deg. At this time we
were passing down the Sevenoaks-road. We then turned to
ascend, reached 5,000 ft at 7h 42m, being at that time nearly
over Toubridge,and the temperature declined to 42 deg. Our
path then was a little south of Tonbridge, over Goudhurst,
near to Cranbrook, the balloon for the most part descending
with increasing temperatures to the height of 450 ft, nearly
over Tenterden, by Sh 54m, the temperature of the air at
this height being 49 deg. We then ascended to 6000 ft at 9h
Bw. The temperature here was about 37 deg. but it was too
dark to read the very fine column of mercury in my delicate
thermometer, and after this I could not read any instill-
meats. We touched the earth at 9h 21m in a field half a
mile from Cheyne Court, about four miles from Lydd and
five miles from the coast. At 9h 30w, by the light of a Luci-
fer match, I read the temperature at 462 deg ; the flickering
and transitory light was bad, however, to read by.
There was one peculiarity in this ascent, as I have already
mentioned, distinct from all others, and that was the fre-
quent freedom from any revolution of the balloon. At times,
for 10 or 15 minutes, certain objecfs kept in the same azi-
muth ; this enabled me to take 20 different sets of vibrations
of a horizontal magnet with as much accuracy as I could
take them on earth. The results of these experiments
showed clearly that the magnet vibrated in a longer time
than on earth. This result is very valuable in our present
state of magnetical knowledge.

There were in the car, in addition to Mr Coxwell and my-
self, Mr Woodroffe, of the Royal Horse Guards, Mr W. F.
Ingelow, Mr E. Atkinson, Mr J. Atkinson, Mr F. W. Ellis,
and Mr Collins.

At the height cf 1,600 feet, the number of pulsations in
one minute of the several gentler:Oen were as follows :—Mr.
WoArofte, 120 ; Mr Ingelow, 108 ; Mr. E. Atkinson, 78;
Mr Collins, 108 ; Mr Coxss all, 84; and myself, 104.:
The number of respirations in one minute were :—Mr
Woodroffe, 19 ; Mr Ingelow, 18; Mr E. Atkinson, 17; Mr
Collins, 11; Mr Coxwell, 15; and myself, 18k. Mr Collins
repeated the experiment with the same result, and spoke
very decidedly about his correctness.

The ratio of respirations to pulsations was therefore as
follows :—Mr Woodrifle, 1 to 6 ; Mr Ingelow, I to 6 ;
Mr E. Atkinson, 1 to 5; Mr Collins, 1 to 10; Mr Coxwell
and myself, 1 to sf.

At midnight at Brooklands Mr Coxwell's pulsations in
one minute were 90, Mt Collins 94, and mine 88 ; and re-
spirations were 18, 15, and 174 respectively ; therefore, the
ratio of respirations to pulsations were Mr Coxwell 1 to 5,
Mr Collins 1 to 6, and mine 1 to 5.

The ratio of my ordinary respirations to my ordinary
pulsations is 1 to 4i ; so that the removal of even the small
amount of atmospheric pressure as experienced on this occa-
sion, disturbed the system, but w!th advantage, as enjoying
the purity of mountain air without fatigue, increasing the
ordinary pulsations by 20 to 30 in a minute, increasing also
the number of respirations, but not to the same degree.
This disturbance had lessened, but had not ceased, two
and a half hours after we were again on the ground,
On the following morning my pulsations numbered 76
and my respirations 17 in one minute, and had therefore
assumed their normal valuo,
One of the results of the experiments on June 13 was so
remarkable—viz., a uniformity of temperature at the time
of sunset for 2,000 ft from the earth, that it became very
desirable to determine whether this was accidental or not;
for if not accidental the decrease of temperature with in-
crease of elevation which holds good by day might be re-
versed at night, at least up to a certain height ; 1 was
therefore desirous of having as many evening observations
as possible at this time of the year.

On June 201 ascended from the Arboretum at Derby two
hours before sunset and descended one hour before sunset,
with results in close accordance with previous days assents.
The experiments briefly detailed above would seem to show
but little difference of temperature at the times of sunset,
but it is to bo regretted I had no means of reading in the
balloon after nine o'clock.

Our place of descent was Romney Marsh. I have to
thank Mr James Holt, of the Alliance Inn, Brookland, for
kind guidance and assistance,

Th; three docents wiilain a fortnight were all managed 60