The Sun.
London, England, 1863-08-13 00:00:00

TIM SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY EVENING, AUGUST 13, 1863

Coxwell's Description of a Balloon Sur.
vey of Portsmouth, 4tc.

As my recent aerial reconnaissanceat
proprietorAldershot
had been witnessed by Mr. Brown, the
of the Portsmouth Recreation Grounds, I was ap.
plied to by that gentleman to ascertain whether I
would attempt any experiment of a similar charac-
ter at this famous seaport. Having explained the
nature of my engagement at Aldershot, and that it
was in compliance with Government orders, Mr.
Brown decided to have a public ascent. I agreed
to make' one or two conditions—Firstly, that it
should take place if the wind was fair for the Isle of
Wight; secondly, that I would offer no objection
if I could even skirt the coast or proceed somewhat
inland.
Mr. Douglas, the engineer of the gasworks, in-
tended to make very considerable preparations for
the inflation of my mammoth balloon, but time
would not permit him to do so by the 10th, on
which day Mr. Brown had promised to have an
ascent.

It was doubtful even whether my balloon—the
Evening Star--could be filled, so that I borrowed
a small one from Mr. Gouens, and it was well filled
by the appointed hour-7 o'clock—the wind at that
time being fresh from the westward, which occa-
sioned much doubt as to whether I would make the
ascent or not.
Relying upon the careful observations I had pre-
viously made with chart, compass, and pilot bal-
loons, and allowing for local variations, I left the
North-end Gardens at 7.15, with full confidence as
to my probable course. The scene which opened
out in the space of five minutes was altogether
novel. Instead of the widespread landscape, so
familiar to aerial voyagers, with its variegated sur-
face of green and brown fields, I now had a com-
manding view of a beautiful island and of a town
by water, with
and harbour so surrounded the
Channel beyond, that, had it not been for the re-
liance I had in the direction of the wind, appearances
would seem to indicate that I was likely to be blown
away due south, and to drift out to sea. Although
I was provided with an excellent barometer, ther-
mometer, &c., by Negretti and Zambra, and pre-
sented to me by Mr. Glaisher, I had very little op.
portunity of using. them frequently, and I felt, how
valuable Mr. Glaisher's presence would have been
in the car.
What most engaged
my own attention was a gene-
ralt survey of the town, fortifications, and shipping,
with a view of military applications for war pur-
poses. I was agreeably surprised, the atmosphere
being clear, bow well I could perceive and count the
cannonmd, by
mounted on the ramparts, the ships in ordi-
nary, and, their white streaks and portholes,
wih,ehtehbe
or l
dcorvettes,frigates, or
line
ifor f
-eblaattitv z
lee
sehi
ipe es:
of Portsmouth as a naval and military ;stronghold
might have been canvassed in an interesting in".
ner had I had companions, instead of being alone.
I very soon satisfied myself most thoroughly es
to the extent of objects visible to the naked eye
and to en ordinary vision assisted by a common
opera-glass. At 7'3o—barometer 26.6, thermome-
ter 46—1 saw through a glass the visitors on
Ryde- pier promenading. The distance could not
have been less thvn seven or eight miles. I observed
also marines or soldiers of the line in front of a
guard house, and several steamers between Gosport
and Soutlmea Castle. Being soon over the 'water, I
had to withdraw my attention and look ahead The
course of the balloon was direct to Chichester,. ts eut
a more southerly breeze began to alter my course
and I hoped to reach Goodwood, where %yeso '
lately
descended after a scientific voyage from the Crystal
Palace. As the shades of evening came I found I
was making for several extensive woods on high
ground between Singleton and Arundel. As I
crossed the first wood a large meteor shot towards
but over the balloon from an easterly direction,
another quickly following; and although I relied
upon their supposed attitude,
and felt personal
security, yet I could not bat compare
my situa-
tion to that of a ship which receives a shot or
two across her bows, or perhaps a 241 b rocket,
as a warning to haul to or alter course in obedi-
to the dictates of an enemy.
The late hour of the night, and the high ground
upon which Nore Wood is situated, compelled me to
cast anchor among several high beech trees. Indeed,
I had to let off gas Bnd leave the balloon suspended
all night before I secured and pecked it up. Several
gentlemen volunteered to assist me at day light, and
we proceeded et 5 o'clock to the place of descent
with ropes, ladders, and hatchets, ready to lop off
boughs or fell a tree, if necessary, rather than in
jure the baloon.

I was obliged to return to terra firma down a
tree at least 60 feet from the ground. In the morn-
ing the balloon had quietly slid down through the
boughs, and was not in any way damaged.
The magnificent and complete bird's-eye view
bad of the Isle of Wight would occupy too much
space and time to describe. Altogether, my voyage
on Monday was most exciting, and in many respects

peculiar, differing, as it did, from previous trips. I

_ - -
beg therefore to furnish you with my own accoun

of it, trusting that some few of your readers may
find it interesting.

CULTIVATION OF PEACHES AND NECTARINES.—
Peach and nectarine trees thrive Well in the same
kind of border that is made for vines, and it is requisite to
lay a quantity of hard rubble or strong gravel beneath the
border to prevent their roots running down. In a span-
roof orchard-house plant the trees on each side of the centre
walk, at a sufficient distance from the walk, that the
branches will not obstruct the pathway, but they rosy be
allowed to extend over the pathway at seven feet high. If
both sides of the house are planted in this manner with
poach, nectarine, and plum trees alternately, there will be
a perfect grove, which will have a most enchanting effect.
Ilibberd's Gardener's Magazine.
THE COMMISSION ON THE HEALTH OF OUR
INDIAN TROOPS.—After getting together all the
evidence they could think of or desire, the investigating
comuissioners put it into the hands of Mies Nightingale,
to whom the institution of the whole inquiry is in great
measure due—requesting her to comment on it for their
guidance. They wisely and fortunately chose to print her
commentary with their report. It is to be hoped that it will
also be published separately, that it may convey some very
important knowledge to thousands of persons who never
dream of sitting down to the study of an enormous Blue-
book.—Once a Week.
A YANKEE BULL.—A Massachusetts judge has
decided that a bubbsinci may open his wife's letters, on the
ground—so often and so tersely stated by Mr. Theot,hilus
Parsons, of Cambridge—that the husband And who are
vac, lid tkg the husband is that me

is the union of the several princes, that every State
should keep its sovereignty intact, but that there
should be complete unity
Emorg their several rulers.
If this result is achieved, the Congress now about
to take place will have tffected more good than
generally ensues from such meetings, that too
often begin and end in wordy warfare, and have
nothing stable or lasting to show for the result of
their vaunted intentions. FRANCIS JOSEPH has
come forward in an unexpected manner at this
time, and it is to be trusted that he will redeem
the fledges he has given of good will to the true
interests of all States, whether they be Em-
pires Kingdoms, or Confederations. Ile has
evinced a desire to be ruled by the
principles of truth and justice in contra-
distinction to the arbitrary laws of despotic
councils, and in doing so he has conferred signal
benefits on his own dominions. If he now seek to
impart the same influence elsewhere, and show to
those who are perplexed by distracting and diverse
opinions that union is strength, and that the basis
of all strong constitutions is the recognition of po-
pular rights, he will be doing the greatest service
in his generation, and earn for himself a place in
history that is only accorded to the benefactors of
their kind, whether they be crowned heads or
obscure individuals. When a powerful Monarch
joins the march of progress and follows enlightened
views, the best results are sure to ensue, and the
most propitious events may be confidently ex-
pected,any undue hopes being
in, or the beholders foretelling a too flattering
without indulged
augury.