The Sun.
London, England, 1836-11-08 00:00:00

THE GRAND BALLOON.

It had been rumoured for several days past that the
grand balloon would ascend from Vauxhall on the first fa-
vourable day, and make the attempt to cross the Channel
and reach the shores of France or Holland. Many per-
sons thought this rumour was without foundation, and, as
no newspaper and no advertisements announced such an at-
tempt, it produced no sensation whatever, and nobody gave
themselves the trouble to make inquiry. This was exactly
what the proprietors of Vauxhall and Mr. Green desired.
It was considered desirable to have no mob in the gardens,
and that everything should be as quiet and as private as
possible, it not being the object of any of the parties con-
cerned to make money by the exhibition. The consequence
was, that yesterday, the day of the ascent, not a dozen peo-
ple were in the secret, and, with the exception of the persons
employed in the inflation, not a dozen persons were in the
gardens. The inflation commenced about seven o'clock in the
morning, and by one o'clock everything was in readiness.
The balloon was inflated almost to its utmost dimensions,
and appeared capable of sustaining an aerial flight for many
hours or even days. In the car were upwards of a ton of
ballast, several gallons of brandy and wine, a large supply
of coffee, cold fowls, ham, &c., an apparatus with unslacked
lime for heating the coffee, and every other appliance to in-
sure comfort and prevent starvation and cold. There were
also a supply of blue lights, stars, and other fireworks, to be
let down at night, if the voyage were not accomplished be-
fore dark, in order to enable the aeronauts to reconnoitre
the country from their elevation, and choose the point of
their descent, and a number of parachutes, to which letters
were fastened, to be dropped at intervals on the shores of
the continent, for the purpose of apprising the public of
their transit, arrival, and safety—in a word, a more com-
plete equipment cannot be conceived ; and it was highly en-
tertaining to see the preparations of the passengers, and the
good humour and confidence with which they shook hands
with their friends and took their seats. They were, more-
over, furnished with passports from the French and Dutch
Embassies, and with a letter for the King of Holland from
his representative in this country.
At 26 minutes after 1 o'clock the rope was let loose, and
the splendid machine mounted quickly into the air, having
in the car Mr. Green, Mr. Monck Mason, and Mr. Hol-
land. They rose most majestically, and with a celerity of
lespatch and regularity of motion which predicted success
co their undertaking. The atmosphere was more than usu-
ally clear, and the wind was blowing rather fresh from the
north-west. It was considered, that if the wind did not
change, they would be wafted across the channel by 6 or 7
o'clock, and that their course would be over Ostend, and
in the drection to Brussels. The wind, however, by 3
o'clock veered more to the north, which would of course
low the balloon further to the southward of the French
coast, and perhaps carry them across somewhere between
Calais and Boulogne, and it is also probable that on their
coming over the Channel a current of air would take them
in a direction from north to south, instead of from east to
west. All judgment on this hand is, however, little better
than conjecture.
Mr. Gye is already on the Continent to receive the in-
trepid voyagers, and Mr. F. Gye, with Mr. Hughes, jun.,
started last night for Paris to welcome their arrival, and to
arrange preparations for an ascent from that metropolis.