The Port Gibson herald, and correspondent. (Port Gibson, Claiborne Co., Miss.) 1848-18??, 1851-03-21
MISCELLANE E0US.
From Harper's Nsso Monthly
Sailing in the air-History of Aero
nautiCs.

=
In the United States, many aerial voyages
have been performed The first Of these was
made by Frenchman, NJ. Blanchard, in Janu
ary. 1898, from Philadelphia, at which General
Washington was a spectator. Giiio and Ro
bertson, both Europeans, were the next after
Blanchard. NoAmericaus were engaged in the
business until sir. Durant, an Ingenious citizen
OF New York, took il up after Robertson He
made a number of aerial excursions, and was
shortly followed by new adventures in the art.
among whom The most celebrated is MIR. Wise.
a piano>forto maker in Philadelphia, who in
1899 hetook himself to the trade OF ascending
in balloons, and who up TO this date has made
upwards Of hundred ascenis.
Mr.. Wise is entitled 10 The merit Of having
carefully studied and mastered ahe scientific
principles of aeronauIics. and he is among The
most enthusiastic OF his profession. While adj
mtiing that the art has advanced but little since
lis first discovery, compared with other sciences,
he anticipates from il, il perseveringly cultva-
ted by men OF genius. the most splendid results,
adopting, as tile motto on the title-page of his
work, the couplet from Shakespeare:
"There afemore things in heaven and earth Ho
ratio,
Than are areamt of in your philosophy"
Some of his seats have been daring enough,
and others still more perilous heis willing TO
undertake. t
Not long after commencing the practice Of
his new profession, MIR. Wise resolved to test
Ihe practicabiliiy OF descending in safety with
The balloon, after il had burst. at the elevation of
a mile or two. 1t would then. he conceived,
TORN parachute, and, from the resistance IL
would meet with from the atmosphere in its de-
scent, would gently let him down to the earth.
Having prepared balloon of cambria muslin,
which he coated witthis newly yinvented varnish.
be ascendea, as had been advertised. from Eas-
tun, in PennsvlvaRia, on the llth Of August,
1888. at a few minntes before two O'Clock, af-
fernoon, with the full determination of making
the experiment, though he had concealed his
intention both from the public and from his per-
sonal friends He carried upwiih him two par.
achutes, the one containing cat. the other
dog AS the balloon approached dense body
Of black thuader-clonds, some vivid flashes OF
lightning, accompanied by violent peals OF thun-
der, greeted his upward course. This gave the
first part OF his voyage terrific but grand and
imposing appearance. II seemed 10 him as il
heavens artillery were celebrating these efforts
Of the new born science and acting on his imag-
ination, this inspired him with fresh determin-
alton to explode the balloon. AT different eleva-
tions, he detached first one and then another OF
the Isarar hutr, si. .ii- t"iI
| ded in safety. At The altitude of about 1000
feet, the gas became expanded to It's utmost ten.
sion, and the balloon was still rising, making
it evident that, unless the saiety-yalye was
speedily opened to allow portion OF the gas 70
escape, an explosion would speedily ensue. Al
This critical moment he became somewhat excl.
ted and looked over the side of his car, he obsery
| ed the sparkling coruscaiions oi lIghtning'
springng from cloud to cloud, mile beneath
| him, as the thunder storm was passing, IN its
last remnants below He took out his watch,
noted on bis log book the time twenty minutes
| past two--and as he was about returning u 20
his pocket. thinking whether i was not best, ey
oneninc the valve. 10 abandon for the pFesenl
his faporiIe idea, the balloon exploded. His
confidence in the success OF the experiment
never lorsook him, yet he admits that this was
moment of awful suspense. The gas rushed
with rempestuous noise from the rupture IN the
| top, and in less than ten seconds. The balloon
was empted of every particle of hydrogen
| The descent at first was rand, and in nomen
l or two. on looking up. be discovered that TIN
] balloon was canting over, bui the weight ot thf
car counteyacled its tilting tendency, giving I
an osciIIiating mofinn, which it retained anti !
reached the earth. which it etrnck with a ylolen
/ conclusion. and the car striking the earth 90
lioely. MIR. Wise was thrown forward from
about ten feet. The landing was made on
/ farm about ten miles from Easton, aud man
minutes had moi elapsed before be had resolve'
Fin his mind 10 repeat the experiment in Phlia
delphia on the first opportnnIts
Having arrived In Philadelphia 10 the mont'
i IF Senlember Immediately folluwings he eonsn'
lied several scentifie gentemensas a. 10 his ln'efs
/ tiaf = Doubsfulof the safety Of the expeF'Enen'
i thoue neither questioning ~ to the phllnsepn.
of atmospheric resistance nor the theory q con