The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-10-09

Every thing was ready on Friday; but the wca-
| ther was unfavorab!e. On Saturday morning the
sky had cleared of, and the imitation of the balloon
was commenced. The operation was tedious, and
when il WAS finished, about two O'Clock, tho
weather had again changed, and it was pouring
down dclugc ot rain. The rain ceased, but thick
clouds continued TO obscure the sky. II would have
been natural under these circumstances to abandon
the idea Of ascension. Some Qne remarked in pres
ence of the two Travellers that it might be useful to
know the decrease of atmospheric temperature with
the elevation at moment when continued cur
tain OF clouds quite concealed the heavens from
view. The reiractions of moderate heights depend
upon the law which regulates this decrease Now
1t sometimes happens that the sky becomes very
suddenly clear of clouds; but in these cases there
must remain in the atmosphere traces more less
| notable Of the anormal decrease of temperature
which the clouds had caused. Observations made
in arostatic ascensions, undertaken fine weather,
are not completely applicable to this particular
"Besides, there are numerous occasions when OBJ
servations are made through breaks in the clouds.
| ESQ soon as MN Bixio and Barral enabled
to judge from these and other considerations which
it Is superfiuous to specify, that their ascension
might be useful, they took their laces in the car
and darted into the air All the details Of this
cension will be made known TO you by the minute
journal written in the car itself, and which NJ Reg
| nault will read in your hearing / will content
myself with saying, that at the greatest elevation
reached by our travellers they experienced no pain
nor difficulty of any kind in breathing; did NJ
Bixio feel upon this occasion the lively pain in the
ears which he suffered on his first ascent This
emption was owing doubtless to the care he took to
maintain the air contained in that organ at the
same pressure with the exterior air. by performing
every now and then the act Of degutition We
add that the two physicians encountered a layer of
clouds more than five thousand metres (l6,405
feeD thick; that they never reached the upper
face OF this cloud; that their descent commenced,
IN spite OF them and contrary TO their desire, at
height OF about 900 metres, (22 goo feet;) that
this involuntary descent was caused by rent which
had taken place in the lower portion OF the balloon.
"Let US speak now OF the observations which our
nFn had tla g
When they had reached their superior station In
this cloud of five thousand metres, a rupture took
place IN the vaporous mass which enyeloped them,
through which they caught glimpse Of the clear
blue sky. The polarscope, turned in that direc-
ton, showed an intense polarization; when directed
of the assure in the clouds upon the clouds them
selves, polarization was, on the contrary null This
must not bc considered as repetition of the expe-
riment made on the former ascent for then The in-
strument was directed upon light reflected by the
clouds, whereas upon THE occasion 1t was in that
light that was remarked the total absence of polar
zation.
"An interesting optical phenomenon has signal
lied this ascension. Before attaining their great
est elevation the layer of clouds which covered the
balloon having diminished in thickness, or become
less dense, our two observers the sun, weak
ened and quite white At the time they per-
ceived below the horizontal plane of the car, below
their horizon, and at angular distance from that
plane equal to that which measured the height of
the sun, second sun similar to that which would
have been reflected from sheet Of water situated
/
natural they should. that the eecond sun formed
by the reflection of the luminous rays upon the no.
rzonta surfaces oficy crystals melting in that
porous atmosphere
"Let arrive at the most extraordinary result
a rcsutquite unexpected, which has been furnished
by the thermometrical observations. Gay Lussac,
in his ascension when the weather fine .or ra-
ther slightly vaporous, had found temperature of
degrees below zero, Q5.13 Fahrenheit,) at an
elevation of 7 ,0i6 metres, (23,0l9 feet That is
the minimum which he observed. This tempera-
ture Of g 3 below zero, IN. Bxo and Barral
found in the cloud AT an elevation of about 6 900
metres, N9,os6 feet But from that point, within
space of about 600, (l 500 fet) the temperature
varied IN n manner quite extraordinary, and be-
yond all expectations am going to cite the num-
Der which results from several observations; but
before doing so, must caution my auditory, that
they must not without reflection, give way 10 an
impulse of incredulity, for shall prove, in a
ment after, that the result which am about to
nouncc is exact.
NM Barral and Bixio saw at the height Of 1000
metres, little distance from the superior limit.
the Centgrade thermometer descend to 3go below
zero. This is 30 degrees below what Gay Lus-
found at the height, but in a serene at
mosphere. | have hastened to prove that this ex-
traordinary number not affected by any error
Of observation. The barometer used TO determine
their elevation was naturally furnished with Their
mometer intended TO give the temperature of the
mercury. This thermometer had only been grad
uated to 81 degrees below These 81 degrees
IL seemed ought 10 suffice for the greatest elevation
which il could be supposed our travellers would
ascend. Well, the mercury had descended below
this 37th degree The whole of it, however, had
not entered into the reservoir. BY estimation
which should not be far from the truth. having been
made by n physician of the merit of NJ. Rcguault.
the thermometer wss at two degrees below 37o.
The thermometer of the barometer therefore marked
80 degrees.
I'M. Walferdin has invented very ingenious
thermometers dd5rsrsemenf, which give the mimi
ma OF temperature to which they have been ex-
posed The thermometer Il marina is in very gen
sra he h.siren hat he hat
is TO say the thermometer uinilHa. which il lcss
known, were more generally used by physicians
IL will render important services TO meteorology.
NJ Walferdin bad furnished NM. Bxio and Bar
raj with one Of his thermometers Ininima. This
thermometer, with arbitrary divisions, in
closed in casc pierced with numerous holes in
order TO permit free circulation OF the air At the
request OF the two travellers II had been scaled.
The seal was brought back untouched, and it was
broken at the college of France in the presence of
MN Rcgnault and Walferdin. Minute operations
proved that the thermometer minima had de-
scendcd to 80 Z.
"After these two precise observations il is hardly
necessary TO say that the proof Of extraordinary
fall of temperature is found 10 result from the fact
that travellers found il impossible to read the
indication Of several thermometers Of which liquor
had descended TO the cork stopper which supported
them. NJ Barral tried TO rid himself Of these corks
by means Of pen knife, but his fingers being stiff
fened with cold, the instrument fell through the
net work Of the NJ. Bixio succeeded no better
IN bis attempt 10 mako use OF n knife. The fact Of
the nlmott instantaneous fall of temperature in tho
cloudy mass, Is discovery which interests meteor
ology in the very highest degree. What is the
particular constitution of cloud, which qualities
il by means of radiation towards space, or In somc
other manner, for such prodigious ooldnessl This
is question which, at the present moment, il IL
most prudent only 10 announce. Perhaps this
snormal constitution plays part in the formation
OF hail Perhaps IL is the Of those consider
able changes OF temperature which arc suddenly
experienced In given place. The solution OF
these questions ia reserved for the future but this
fact in no wise detracts from the importance Of the
observation.
"In the journal which NJ. Rcgnault is about 70
read the Temperatures have been determined by
that physician and the heights calculated by M.
Matthew. This is saying enough TO cause the re-
suits announced TO be relied upon with complete
confidence. Ii estimated by the calculations of
NJ. Matthew, that two travellers reached Gle
vation Of OOi metres, (22 $50 feet, a little more
than 81 miles.) This IL about dozen metres less
than Gay Lussac's greatest elevation. But IT 10
right 20 observe that the rules by which height ia
calculated, repose upon the hypothesis Of nearly
uniform decrease OF temperature, and that in this