The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1898-10-05
Five Miles Above the Earth.

LONDON, Sept. 29.-The balloon as
cent made ON Thursday at the Crystal
Palace by Stanley Spencer, the we'll
known acronautic expert, and DIR.
Berson, the Berlin scientist, has
aroused great interest in scientific cir
cles. simultaneously an ascent was
made in Berlin, with view to COM
pairing observations taken Of the den
sity Of the atmosphere at different alti-
tudes there with similar observations
over London.
Stanley Spencer narrated his expe-
riences to the World correspondent as
follows
"When we reached $4,000 feet we
had a magnificent view. We had
drifted over Essex and could trace the
whole southeast coast Of England and
the coast Of France for hundred
miles with absolute distinctness. The
English Channel was pale glare dot
ted with ships, looking like black
spots. A little beyond us was the
great gaping mouth Of the Thames,
while the North Sea stretched away
in far expanse. Rivers and estuaries
on the Enclish coast were distinctly
traceable as in mammoth map.
CAT $4,000 feet I threw out more
ballast, and we rose to $4,000, at
which altitude the rare6cation of the
atmosphere began to tell on us. We
had the utraost difficulty in breathing.
Prof. Bersen was livid and gasping; [
was the same. We had a large cylin-
der of compressedoxygen gas strapped
to the side of the car, with two tubes,
each terminating in face mask. We
each took a mask and breathed the
pure oxygen, and were instantly re-
stored. 1t was a delightful expert
ence, this sudden relief from deathly
oppression.
1.-THE balloon remained stationary
at $4,000 feet; so more ballast was
thrown out until we reached the enor-
nous altitude Of q, 900 feet. At that
height enough had been accomplished;
so we descended slowly and steadily
to $4,000 feet. Then the speed in
creased, and the balloon began to
rush through the air with frightful
velocity, dropping 1000 feet in fifteen
seconds. I had thrown out ballast
fast to stop her, and when we had fal-
len 10000 feet at this rate our down
ward course was checked by current
Of warm air, which caused the balloon
almost to take the form of para
chute, thus checking its'descent.
"The sand we had thrown out now
overlook us, rattling on the balloon in
a most startling and unexpected man
ner.
"The alterations Of temperature we
underwent were extraordinary. We
started in blazing sun with the ther-
mometer at 80 in the shade; at q 800
feet we registered 81 degrees frost.
In spite of our thick fannels and the
unclouded sunshine, while people five
miles below us were sweltering in
tropical heat we were shivering vio-
lently. Our metal oxygen tubes were
thickly coated with ice.
"We eventually reached the ground
in safety, having been up ninety min
utes."
"Why did you not try to break the
record by completing the other 1000
feet ?" Mr.. Spencer was asked.
"That would have been too danger
Gus" he answered. Eve should have
had to sacrifice our ballast and would
have none left to check our descent.
Besides, although Cozwell and Glaisher
say they attained $4,000 feet in 1862,
I ar inclined to doubt the authenticity
Of that record. We were nearly dead
at 27 500 feet.
GAS to the scientific results, neither
nor DR.. Bersen can say anything
until comparison has been made with
the results of the Berlin ascent. 1t
was the most exciting and altogether
delightful ascent have ever made. -
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