The Sun.
London, England, 1824-07-20 00:00:00

BATII, JULY 19.

Thunder-storms, racing and ballooning bate
this week been almost frightening Bath from her propriety.__
Our races commenced on IVednesday last, but unfortunately a
dreadful storm of thunder, lightning, and rain, commenced
before them. So early as nine o'clock the rain began to pour ;
but notwithstanding, the good citizens of Bath plodded their
weary way to Lanstlown, the place where the races are held...-.
Arrived there, a most extraordinary phenomenon met their
sight—a dense cloud seemed to rise front the earth towards the
west, and collecting into a round ball, drove over the plain,
scattering the rain with which it was charged in its progress.—
The darkness caused by it was so great that the spectators could
not see each other two yards apart. Some of course thought
that the earth had numbered its days ; and it was really amus-
ing to see black legs and amateurs, gentlemen and apple-
women, hastening front the Downs with terror in their looks,
and clothes drenched in the rain. The sport was of course rather
indifferent,—the Sontersetshirc stakes of 25 sovereigns each,
with 100 sovereigns added, were won by the Honourable Mr.
FE I. LOW ES'S Eclipse.
I'lte weather on the Thursday and Friday was more favour.
able—the sport but middling. On Thursday evening Mr. W.
BniDLE, the proprietor, gave a splendid gala at Sydney
Cardens.

On the evening of Friday Mr. GDAITAM made his promised
ascent with his balloon from these gardens. The evening was
beautiful, and the crowds collected on the adjacent hills were
immense. The company within the gardens was hut small,
which is much to be regretted, as Mr. 0. generously ascended
for the benefit of the Bath General Hospital. There were a
great number of ladies in gay equipages waiting near the place
of ascent. .
_ _

The scene within was gay and pleasing beyond description :
Two bands of music were playing—small cannon were fired at
intervals—and, to give variety to the entertainments, the eele..
brated IL DiAvoi.o ANTONIO displayed his extraordinary
feats on the slack-rope. In the course of the afternoon a young
gentleman offered 20 guineas to ascend with Mr. G.; but that
honour (though, perhaps, few would consider it as such) was
reserved for a hfr. ADAMS, of London.

The ascent was announced to take place at five o'clock ; but
it was half past six before it took place. At that time both
aeronauts"took their seats in the car,and the balloon immediately
rose with them, clearing the surrounding trees in gallant style,
and soaring aloft in a manner at once stately and majestic.—
golden lustre upon the machine, and made a appear quite
After attaining an immense. bight, the setting sun threw its
transparent. It remained in sight about 40 minutes. At first
its direction was north-east, but it afterwards veered round,to
the east, in which quarter it disappeared.
Mr. GRAHAM has very dbligingly favoured us with the fol.
lowing account of the Excursion:—
At half-past six wa rose with considerable rapidity from the
earth, and when we had attained a good elevation the view was
magnificent and striking beyond all description. The sun was
just setting; and the splendour of its appearance, combined
with the harmony of every thing around, strongly tempted me
to exclaim with the immortal Milton—
" These are thy glorious works, Parent of good,
Almighty ! thine this universal frame,
Thus wond'rous fair : Thyself how wond'rous then,
Unspeakable ! who sitt'st above these heavens
To us invisible, or dimly seen
In these thy lowest' works."
One object on the earth attracted our attention soon afterwards.
This object presented the appearance of a crawling animal,
something like a crab, and affhrtled considerable merriment
both to Mr. Adams and myself. This extraordinary pheno-
menon I have since ascertained to have been nothing less than
a horse with a man on its back !—We floated on an equili-
brium for some time, and then began to ascend. Our highest
altitude was about three miles; but the barometer having re.
ceived some injury, 1 cannot, without further examination,
determine the exact state of the atmosphere. The gas did not
expand a great deal. After remaining in the air almost an
hour and a half, we began to think of descending, and I
opened the valve for that purpose. As we approached terra
firma, however, it appeared very woody—therefore, we threw
out ballast, (601bs. of which we took out with us), and conti-
nued to float along at a moderate height. After doing so, for
minutes,ware descended at a quarter before eight between
Rarnbury, Berko, 46 miles from Bath, in per-
fect2o
two
woods
near
safety. The place of descent was quite private, and conse-
quently we had considerable difficulty in finding our way.—
'Having packed up the machine, and procured a conveyance,
we set off, and arrived at Sydney Hotel, Bath, at eight o'clock
next morning.
To this account it is but justice to add, that the conduct of
Mr. Graham was throughout cool and intrepid • and. that the
public of Bath were and are completely satisfied with the
ascent. Sonic men carry their charity to great lengths, but it
may be truly said that few have ventured so high in its cause.
It is therefore to be hoped that his exertions have met with
their proper reward.

ANNIVERSARY OF ills MAJESTY'S CORONA-
TION.—Yesterday the anniversary festival in commemoration
of the Coronation of his Majesty George the Fourth was cele-
brated by the Gentlemen Members of the Coronation Fleet, ut
the Ship Tavern, Water-lane, Tower-street, when a highly re-
spectable and numerous attendance took place, amongst whom
we noticed many naval °Ricers, and gentlemen of the White-
hall and other sailing matches. At five o'clock the company
sat down to a sumptuous dinner. Sir F. 011131 ANNY, Bart. in
the Chair. The evening was passed in uninterrupted harmony
anti enjoyment.—ln the course of the day E. NETTLEFOLE,
Esq. the Commodore, expressed his regret that in consequence
of high water not answering on that day, the superb silver cup
and cover intended to be sailed for in honour of his NI AJEsT Y's
Coronation, was postponed till Thursday next.
MM. Bouffe-Baudry and Bonaventure, two
persons residing in Paris, became so disgusted with life that
they resolved to drown themselves together, In order to exe-
cute this resolution, they went to St. Germain. llaving made
their wills, and written farewell letters to their friends, they
walked to the banks of the river, and threw themselves in at the
same time. M, lionaventure, however, had no sooner reached
the bottom than the natural love of life resumed its influence,
and he succeeded in gaining the shore. He returned to St.
Germain, where he made a declaration of the facts. lie was
afterwards imprisoned at Versailles; but has since been set at
liberty.

MEXICO.
We have just been favoured with the per
al
of a most important letter from Vera Cruz, date°l
June Ist, which is too long, and reached us
late to admit of its entire insertion in our Journal
to-day.

" Vitt CRUZ, JUNE 1.--TIII3 country
r
the eve of a great political commotion. TileJ'
is
at the present moment, no Government 10'1t,
ever—some of the States refuse to join 01° C°11;
federacy others, are most anxious f" t,
return of FrunutDE. There are no men or tale:
at the head of affairs, or indeed in the countril
with the exception of ITURBIDE. I
notl
formed, even by the old Spaniards/ ""k
intrigues succeeded in undermining him (aid'

are now all voluntarily leavipg the Colvit''ol''
—that his party is very strove, and his 2rEivo
evidently desired. I give you the latest 14"

from the haterior:—

" Generals QUINTANAR and BURTONSTP"
,t
men of great talent and influence, have itesd''
an insurrection in Guadalaxara, and l'a
ie
h
stationed themselves with 4,000 men at :
de Leon. They have dismissed the Congn'i:
dispersing its members in all directions. if
b
ostensible object is to declare Guadalaxara °tie
or,
pendent of Mexico—their real one, the red.' of
blishment of ITURBIDE. The Congress had ab'
10,000 troops ; but this event has very materi3f,
diminished their numbers, and desertions are re
►
quent and considerable. Colonel REQu"°':'„l,
1200 men, has revolted at Schuacan, near Joi3`ea
has possessed himself of the town, and dis3r/11