Washington telegraph., 1855-07-18

Navigating the Air in Balloons.

Navigating the Air in Balloons.
THREE HUNDRED AND FIFTY MILES IN FOUR
HOURS
The subject of navigating the air with
balloons. is again attracting much attention
and several experiments have of late been
made which rather go to show that it is
practicable. A few weeks since we publish
ed an account of the ascension of the cele-
ebrated e, onaut NJ Goddard. with two
companions from New Orleans. and making
the aerial ,rirnearly to Vicksburg. Missi>-
sippi. The same gentleman accompanied
by two others. also made another ascension
from Mobile last week but with what sue
cess we have not heard The most extraor-
dnary ascension. however is that of Mr..
Bannister, of Adrian, Michigan. who as
cended distance of 1886 feet, and trav-
eled distance of $50 miles in four honrs
and FIVE minutes, or nearly ainefy miles an
hour
Whether the investi cation relative to nav
igaring the air. will ever result in anything
practically beneficial to the world remains
70 be seen. The following description of
MIR. BanniSter's VOYAGE, taken from the
Adrian Expositor of the 18th, giving some
idea of the regions above us. and the atmos-
phere which prevails, will be read with in
tere>t
Mr. W. D. Bannister, now the most dar-
ing and successful eronaut on this conti-
nent. If not Of The world. who left this city
on Friday the 9Th inst, reached home on
Thursday, the l4th, from the town of Red
Bank, Clarion county. Pennsylvania where
he landed i'll jus four hours aud FIVE minutes
after cutting !oose from this place The dis
tance traversed is ascertained to be over
three hundred and sixty miles ,--conse-
quensly the aerial voyager must have travel
ed at the rate Of nearly ninety miles an
hour. Mr.. Bannistcr gave an account of
his voyage publicly. after his return on
Thursday. He states the view as he pass
ed over this city. to be beautiful beyond de-
scription-that language fails to tell the
beauties of nature as be passed through the
air.
Just as he left this city, he discharged
two bags of ballast, which sent him up with
great rapidty to an altitude of two miles.
lie then began to be sensible of the coldness
of the reception above clouds aud put on his
overcoat and gloves In thirty minutes he
passed Toledo. about two miles north of
that city at height of abu. two and a ha If
miles He then passed over Saud,:.ky and
at about IL o'clock he found himself south
of Cleveland. near Akron or Ravenna.-
Cleveland WAS distinctly seen and villages
dotted the map tenea h him in every direc-
tIon. About this time he judged that be
had assembled over 3 miles, and saws the at
winter days-to which the condition of Mr..
Bannlster' feet will testify. being badly fro
zen.
Mr. Bannister says he felt some like
coming down. when south of Cleveland.
but concluded to keep on. A bout l o'clock,
he passed over bank of clouds which shut
out the earth from his view The scenery of
these Glands was magnificent Their tops
were rolling and >urging in the wind like
an ocean of watery billcws aud lit mp by
the clear sun above, were flashing and glow
During his trip over these clouds, Mr. Ban
mister bad the pleasure of looking down up
IN thunder storm, two miles below him.
and the flashes of lightning lit up he crests
If the clond-waves with red glare of ter
rible beauty and grandeur The thunder
was not SO loud as when one hears it upon
the earth
Soon after leaving this storm to amuSe
others who could not run away from it. and
the red lebtning-lit billows of cloud to roll
on only in the vision of the great Day-G
which smiled benigrantly alike upon our
daring voyager and the angry lightning
the 2r"naut began to he sensible that while
he had been absorbed in the new and
strangely beautiful scenery around and be-
low him. a certain aged kmave who has done
vast deal of damage-one Jack Frost
had stolen into bis basket. and began to de-
vour him he had frozen his feet
1t was now near four hours since the bal
loon left Adrian. and with his feet frozen.
and an attack of .'sea Sickness caused by
connter current of air which at one time
struck his balloon. Mr. Banni>ter wisely
thought it time to seek terra frna and
opening the valve landed in Red Bank,
Pennsylvania. some fifty miles from Pitts
burg. and ninety miles from Erie Owing
to a sudden gust of wind. the balloon was
thrown into the top of dry oak tree. and
himself suspended some thirty feet from
The ground.
He was discovered during his descent, by
the people upon the farms, and twenty OF
more persons we're soon upon the spot gazing
with wonder upon the strange visitor from
the clouds
Most of the people. having never heard
of balloon. or AT least not having any def
uite idea with regard to one, they were moi
little surprised at the apparition. One
old lady thongh' an angel" was descend
ing-o'hers thought it was strange mon
ster bird-and two hunters actually followed
some miles to get shot at the monster -