The Sun.
London, England, 1850-07-23 00:00:00

VAUXHALL GARDENS.

A balloon ascent was made yesterday evening from
these gardens, by Mr. H. Bell, a gentleman who has
I invented what he calls a "locomotive," and in which
he made a trial voyage from the Phcenix Gas- works
in May last, under certain promising circumstances.
It will be remembered that a model was shown at the
Polytechnic Institution,- two or three years ago, of a
balloon armed with flyers similar to those in con-
nexion with a kitchen-jack, which, put into motion
by clock-work, achieved either a horizontal or ascend-
ing motion at will. Mr. Bell's apparatus seems to be
constructed upon the same principle, having a pair of
large spiral wings projecting from each side of the car,
working in contrary motion by multiplying wheels
within, the car being also furnish with a flattriangn-
lar rudder, fixed at the point of a long metal rod, to
which an arrangement of tackle gives universal motion.
The principle upon which the apparatus is firmed
would, no doubt, enable the aeronaut to propel his ves-
sel through the air laterally ' • but Mr. Bell presumes
upon being able to steer his huge machine in any given
direction, and so get over a difficulty which has
hitherto deprived aerostation of any sort of usefulness.
The balloon which he uses differs materially in shape
and appearance from those to which we have been ac-
customed. Upon the former occasion it was likened
to a monster vegetable marrow, and we cannot mend
the simile. It is a handsome, though an unwieldy
looking affair. Its length measures about fifty feet,
and its diameter about .twenty-two fret; the number
of cubic feet of gas which it is capable of containing
being about 15,000.

After a long and wearisome preparation of the ap-
paratus which was to effect the "locomotion," and
which we could not help thinking was far too slight
to encounter any "stress of weather" in the mid-
air, the balloon ascended in the presence of a con-
siderable number of spectators—among them severe!
individuals of scientific eminence. Mr. Bell himself
was the only occupant of the car. The balloon when
it was fairly released from the tethers which held it
to the ground, at once followed the course of the
wind, and passed over the trees towards Cremorne, in
which direction it continued to travel. We did not
observe that the aeronaut had any specific control
over the machine beyond that of turning it round.
It seemed to drift along the air like any other bal-
loon ; and it finally vanished from sight without any
apparent retrogression. We trust Mr. Bell eventually
accomplished a safe descent, of which some appre-
hensions were entertained at the gardens. It was
stated there that the experimental voyage to which
we have alluded was the first aerial journey that he
had ever attempted.

CREMORNE GARDENS.

Lieutenant Gale made another aerial trip from
these gardens last night. The balloon was inflated
at the London Gas-works, and proceeded along the
Thames, on board the Citizen (A) steamer, being
guid,d over Vauxhall and Battersea-bridges by
means of ropes. On approaching the entrance to the
gardens, the scene was indeed a novel one, represent-
ing as it did the monster structure walking, as it
were, along the road, followed by thousands of spec-
tator. Too much praise cannot be given to Mr.
Barney, the superintendent of the Citizen Steam.
boat Company, and Captain Cadwell, for the admira-
ble arrangements made for the safety and conveni-
ence of the visitors on board. The intrepid aeronaut
ascended about ten o'clock—the balloon takiiig a
north-westerly direction, and discharging showers of
chequered fireworks.

SPORTING IN TEL LIGENCE.
TATTERSALL'S—YESTERDAY.
Business was very flat, and, beyond an unaccountable
but temporary decline in Snowstorm, was wholly with-
out interest.