The Sun.
London, England, 1864-06-20 00:00:00

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

SlR,—The balloon let t the gardens of the C►ystal Palace
at seven o'clock on the 13th inst., with a temperature of
62 deg. When 300 feet above the ground the temperature
was 59 deg., and declined gradually to 51i deg. at the
height of 3,100 feet above the level of the sea. The balloon
then fell to 2,500 feet. The temperature increased to 63
deg.; then declined to 46 deg. on the balloon rising to
3.500 feet. We kept da this level for 20 minutes, and the
variations in temperature were very small. From 7h. 35m.
to 7h, 50m. the height of the balloon varied but little from
2,700 feet, with a temperature varying from 51 deg. to 52
deg., being the same as when we first reached the eleva-

tion. At 7h. 54m. the height was 2,000 feet, and from
that time to reaching the earth, at Bh. 14m., the tempe-
rature was 53 deg. without variation. On the ground it
was found to be 54 deg.

The temperature on the earth daring the flight of the
balloon had decreased from 9to 10 degrees. The air at the
height of 600 feet above the sea had decreased by about 6
degrees between ascending and descending, but at heights
exceeding 2,000 feet no change had taken place.
The temperature at which water was deposited on bright
substances was 44 deg. on the ground, 40 deg. at 2,500 feet
high, and 38 deg. at 3,000 feet.

_ .
The degree of humidity of the air was 51 deg. on the
ground on starting, complete saturation being represented
by 100 ; it was between 60 and 70 in the air till 7h. 50m.,
and then increased to 77 on the ground.
A very delicate blackened bulb thermometer in the full
rays of the sun read from 1 to 10 degrees above another
delicate thermometer placed near to it with its bulb shaded
from the sun's rays. At times, when so situated that the
sun did not shine on the blackened bulb, the two thermo-
meters were alike.

The sky was cloudless, the air was clear, excepting in the
direction of London, and the successive views at the ordi-
nary elevation we reached were very beautiful. Shooter's-
hill and the several known localities were dwarfed to plains.
At the height of 3,000 feet sheep were easily distinguished,
but the earth seemed to without inhabitants, as the naked
eye could with difficulty distinguish man. The river was
seen to its mouth—the white cliffs at Margate were just
seen through mist—the horizon was misty all round. The
contrast between the thickly studded towns and villages in
Kent and the few in Essex was very marked.
There were in the car of the balloon, besides Mr Coxwell
and myself, the following officers :—The Hon. R. A, J.
Talbot, and Mr Charles Needham, of the Ist Life Guards ;
the Hon. W. B. Cast, Grenadier Guards ; Capt. T. Leslie,
Mr Mylles B. B. Adderley, Mr F. G. Burnaby, Mr H.
Emerson Westcar, and Mr J. Boswell, of the Royal Hone
Guards and Captain Turner, of the Rifle Brigade.
All these officers enjoyed the magnificent views so much
that at times I think they forgot their position in the car of
the balloon, being themselves insensible of any motion, and
all regretted our proximity to Sea Reach, which compelled
Mr. Coxwell to descend.

-- ---
The balloon touchal the earth at a quarter past 8, on tho
farm of Mr. Squier, about five miles from Brentwood.
Blackheath, June 18. JAMES GLAISHER.

MR. KUHR'S CONCERT.—The recital of classical
and modern pianoforte music by this consummate
artist, announced to be given at the Queen's Concert Room,
Hanover-square, on Thursday, promises a great treat to all
lovers of first class music worthily interpreted.
ENGLISH ROADS IN THE SEVENTEENTH CEN-
TURY.--S 0 bad were some of the roads, that it was
not at all uncommon, when a family intended to travel, for
servants to be sent on beforehand to investigate the coun-
try and report upon the most promising track. Fuller tells
us that during his time he frequently saw as many as six
oxen employed in dragging slowly a single person to church,
Waylen says that 800 horses were taken prisoners at one
time during the civil wars by Cromwell's forces, "while
sticking in the mud." Many improvements were made in
modes of conveyance during the century. A kind of stage
coach was first used in London about 1608 ; towards the
middle of the century they were gradually adopted in the
metropolis, and on the better highways around London.
In no case, however, did they attempt to travel at a greater
speed than three miles an hour. Before the century closed
stage coaches were placed on three principal roads in the
kingdom—namely, those between London and York, Ches-
ter, and Exeter. This was only for the summer season;
"during winter," in the words of Mr Smiles, "they did
not run at all, but were laid up for the season, like ships
during Arctic frosts." Sometimes the roads were so bad,
even in summer, that it was all the horses could do to drag
the coach along, the passengers, per force, having to walk
for miles together. With the York coach especially the
difficulties were really formidable. Not only were the
roads bad, but the low midland counties were particularly
liable to floods, w'hen during their prevalence it was
nothing unusual for passengers to remain at some town
en route for days together, until the roads were dry.—Rer
Majesty's