The Sun.
London, England, 1861-08-03 00:00:00

A BALLOON ASCENT' BY IVI9.HT.

----~=

The following adventures were experienced a few
days since during a balloon ascent by night :
The ascent was made in the Royal Normandie,'
constructed for Mr. Simpson, of Crernorne Gardens,
at a cost of £6OO, the conductor of the expedition
being Mr. Lythgoe, the experienced aeronaut of 94
previous journeys. The day chosen for the ascent
was that of the recent aristocratic fete at Cremorne
of the 24th tlt., and two seats had been secured by
Mr. Arthur Vivian and Mr. Noel Anderson. At
eleven o'clock -at night the balloon was released,
and shot into the air.

" So strong was the wind blowing at the time
that, instead of, as is usual, ascending gradually,
they were hurried in a lateral direction, threatening
to carry away the minarets of the artificial Eastern
city erected in the gardens. Although the passage
over the metropolis in a north-easterly dit ectiun
was so rapid that in eight minutes, they had left
the suburbs far behind, yet they had time to be
•truck with the extraordinary appearance of the
vast town by night, when, by the lines of lights,
every street and square was clearly traceable and
every well-known locality identified. They now
discharged ballast, and, quickly ascending, passed
through the lower strata of the clouds, the earth
utterly shut out, and themselves surrounded alone
by masses of black vapour. The dense darkness and
grave-like stillness, broken only by an occasional
earth sound, such as the distant lowing of cattle or
the faintly-heard bark of a dog, indicating perhaps
some village being passed over, impressed the voy-
agers with thd most solemn sensations. Many
miles being thus traversed, it was deemed expedient
by Mr. Lythgoe to penetrate the clouds beneath,
in order to ascertain the nature of the surface,
of the' country, with the view of effecting a land-
ing. On emerging from the clouds, a fiat country
could be dimly discerned, and preparations were
instantly made to let go the grappling• iron on the
first favourable opportunity. This soon occurred,
and it was not till then—when as they approached
the earth field after field, as it were, flew from
under them—that they realised the fearful 'velocity
at which they were travelling. The grappling-
iron was dropped, an instantaneous check was felt,
proving that a firm hold had been taken ; in another
instant a sharp snap was heard, and the balloon,
swaying to and fro, burst again into the air.
"Now was put to the test the experience and
presence of mind of Mr. Lythgoe, who, deprived of
the usual means of effecting a landing, had, it ap-
pears, but one course open to him, viz., bursting the
balloon against trees or some other opposing-object,
thereby exhausting her powers. Seeing a bank of
trees at some distance, he made up his mind, if pos-
sible, to run into them, and, to effect this purposo,
descended on to the land. The wind was blowing
with frightful force, and the car dashed against the
earth with such a shock that Mr. Vivian was nearly
stunned, and Mr. Anderson, not having time to
secure himself sufficiently, was thrown partly out
of the car as it turned over; his head and shoulders
being thus pushed along the ground. In struggling
he pitched with a somersault from the car, and, on,
recovering, found himself, at 12 o'clock at night, in
the centre of a field of beans, the balloon long ago
vanished. After some difficulty he made his way to
alvillage two ar three miles distant, which, o,n in-
quiry, was discovered to be High Roding, in the
north of Essex. He was sheltered in the cottage of
a labourer, who said he had heard shortly before, as

he was returning home shouts issuing from the
clouds, which he not unnaturally concluded to be,
unearthly; immediately %After which lie became
sensible of a gigantic body rushing past his ear.
The cause of his fears was soon interpreted by
the traveller.

" The balloon, relieved of 2501b5. in weight
—much ballast having been lost at the time
of the first concussion with the earth—shot
up like a rocket to the supposed incredible
height of three miles and a quarter. Mr. Lythgoe
allowed as much gas to escape as was deemed at all
consistent with safety in descending, but still it was
some time before the balloon began again to take a.
level course through the air. The cold at this
height, where the temperature is stated to have been
below 40 degrees, was intense. The deep silence
was relieved only by the flapping of the silk, which
w,as like the reports of firearms. At last, as indi-
cated by pieces of paper thrown out, they com-
menced gradually to. descend, 'when before long a.
dull grumbling sound was heard which resembled
the moaning of the ocean. This sound died away,
but recommenced very shortly; and a break in the
clouds below opened to their view the sea imme-
diately beneath them ; but watching the line of
breakers on the shore, they, to their infinite relief,
discovered that the course of the balloon was bear-
ing gradually inland. It was determined now,
immediately on coming over the land, to let out the
gas as quickly as possible, and effect a landing at
all hazards. The shock was terrific; and the wind
blowing very heavily at the time the balloon mach:
the most tremendous bounds, dragging the two in-
mates of the car banging OR by the ropes over more
than two miles of country, carrying them through
dykes and many other obstacles. When sufficient
gas had escaped from the balloon. to prevent her
from rising again, at an agreed signal they both let
go at once, and, after a series of somersaults, found
themselves on their backs on some marshy land, the
balloon being brought up a few hundred yards' dis-
tance against a mill, from which it however very
quickly escaped, and was no more seen.
" After some difficulty in crossing the country
the travellers arrived at a labourer's cottage-door,
and, on being admitted, discovered that they were
close to Lowestoft, on the coast of Suffolk, the hour
being two o'clock in the morning.
" High praise is due to Mr. Lythgoe, the aeronaut,
who displayed great skill throughout, and main-
tained the most perfect coolness and presence of
mind.
, 4, The balloon has since been found."

COWES, ISLE OF WIGHT, Aiv.l.

ROYAL YACHT SQUADRON INTELLIGENCE.

Arrived, July 26.—The Claymore, John Harvey, Esq.,
from Southampton. 27th—The Flirt, Sir Percy F. Shelley,
Bart., from Poole ; the Arrow, Thomas Chamberlayne,
Esq., from Southampton. 29th— The Ballerina, John
Davenport, Esq., from the eastward. 30th—The Zoe, the
Earl of Yarborough, from the eastward. 31st--The Alba-
tross, Thomas Brassey, Esq., from Honlleur.
The following yachts are at the station :—The Royal
WthYelEugenie,d' Esq
yachts the Victoria and Albert, Fairy, and Elfin ; the Aline,
tChaep
Anaconda,t .S.A. T 1
Philipso
Powys, L. tAlarm,he
Es
qi‘x
Joseph
.;
Richard Frankland, Esq. ; the Fair Rosamond, John
Wardlaw, Esq.; the Albatross, Thomas Brassey, Esq.;
At h.esiltiarlllienrgi Ballerina,
..lcolln D;tahveenßpcoartt, Beatrice,
; t,
J.
E h.e
W.ikßi nogu,s Col.E s
(IS r;
the Cayman, R. B. Baxendale, Esq. ; the Shark, S. R.
Black, Esq. ; the Titania, the Earl of Rosse ; the Clay-
more, John Harvey, Esq. ; the Flirt, Sir Percy F. Shelley,
Bart. ; the Kohinoor, Captain James Legard, R.N. ;
the Dream, George Bentinck, Esq., M,P. ; the Ursuline,
Henry Villebois, Esq. ; the Brunette, A. H. Davenport,
Esq. ; the Larrock, Colonel John F. Clifton ; the Wizard,
William Delafield, Esq. ; the St. Lawrence, G. R. Ste-
phenson, Esq. ; the Oak Apple, H. M. Hammersley, Esq. ;
the Isabel, H. Lambton, Esq. ; the Capuci, Lieut.-Colonel
Charles Baring; the Gipsy, the Hon. C. H. Cust ; the
Susan, the Earl of Hardwicke ; the Albertine, Lord
Londesborough ; the Lotus, the Earl Vane.
The Royal Yacht Squadron Regatta commences on
Monday next with a match between the American yacht
America, and the Alarm, for 100 soya.
On Friday the Prince Consort's Cup, value £lOO, will be
sailed for by cutter yachts of the squadron.
On Wednesday the annual dinner of the members takes
place at the Castle.
Thursday, her Majesty's Cup, value £lOO, will be, "ilea
for by schooners of above 100 tons.
The annual display of fireworks in the evening•
by the Royal
On Friday a Cup, value £lOO, will he given _
~,.. of v Royal
Yacht Society, to be sailed for by Yee"— - an- -
yacht club.
The Town Regatta is fixed for this day'
duck hunts, &c. when there will
be numerous rowing and sailing matches,
take place on that
Ban ll
The Royal Yacht Squadron wi
evening.

GALLERY,
............—_—__ _______
proprietors, Messrs.
CANTERBURY HALL AND FINE ARTS
WESTMINSTER-ROAP.--This deservedly popes
merit has just been re-decorated by the ar
establish-
, The genera
elegant
81118
tlNilnotrtoofathane diult:inolreyi,sina alivaehryt
green, With, the panels and
and mouldings flake white and
gold ; tb e columns are in
imitation of the rarest marbles, and
tale and the richly-ornamented , balcony front, present a
with their gilded cap'
most pleasing effect. The
winding Wine at in the
Spacious ante hall, with its gorgrjous rp,iiinga and marbling,
forms a very striking
l' feature., The work has been well
executed by Mr. Wi ain
S?..nderson, of Lambeth, from lb
design and under thel sly perintenelence of Samuel Field,
Esq., archictect.

ISLINGTON PROPY aETAR
-17 SCHOOL.—The annual
distribution of prizif, at this school took place on Friday
evening, the vicar. of Islington and rural dean occupying
the chair. The, "!itevs. E. Garbett, Boyle Lecturer ; W. B.
Mackenzie, J. 'Carver, and many other clergymen and lay-
men being present. The Rev. U. A. Giraud, M.A., master
of St. Jo'An's Westminster, gave a very favourable report
of the ix/log:ledge shown by the boys in classics, divinity,
histoxy, and geography ; while highly creditable reports of
the. mathematical, Prenr ji,
by the Rev. T. A. Cod :, M.A. lecturer at King's College ;
the Rev. T. Marzial, and German studies were given
examiner at Eton College ; and the
goy. Dr. Christliab) respectively. After the recitation of
the Latin and Engli: sh prize poems, the head master, the
Rev. R. W. Bush, 1 *LA., read a long list of the honours
gained during the yr !sr by pupils of the school at Oxford,
Cambridge, King's
Colli tge, and in the Goverpxsent oompte
i thin examination/ J.