The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-10-23
FIVE MILES UP IN A BALLOON.
Remarkable Ascent Made Recently
from Ioulon's CRYSTAL Palace


Some interesting details are given by
the London Telegraph OF the balloon as
cent from the Crystal Palace on Septem-
Der 10. upon which occasion stanley
Spencer, an aeronaut, ana DR.. Berson,
OF the Berlin observatory, reached the
remarkable height OF 1900 feet. more
than five miles OF vertical altitude, which
is only 1900 feet less than that recorded
by Coxwell and Glaisher in their celc-
brated trip of September ). 1862 To OBJ
tain some particulars Of this noteworthy
ascent representative of the Daily
Telegraph called on Mr.. Stanley Spencer
I'VE started at 3 O'Clock in the after
noon" said Mr.. Spencer, land travelled
In a southeasteriy direction. This lasted
until we attained a height OF 1000 feet.
and we did not like It. because we saw
Sea Reach. at the mouth Of the Thames
ahead OF us Of one can say 50 when II
was so much below u.s., and we did not
fancy descending into II, although we had
life bouys with us However, after 10000
feet we got into another current travel
ing southwest. 1t was a lovely day, and
the cir was extraordinarily clear. Usual
~ when one makes an ascent one finds
the view obscurcd by clouds, but on
Thursday, at $500 feet we could see
the coast of France. along the east coast
deal OF the English Chanel, with dots on
it for the steamers. IT became dreadfuily
cold after this, but we were prepared
with heavy wo0llen clothing and partic-
uarly with wrappings for the legs. for
they are shaded from the sun by the side
OF the car and usually suffer most sun,
I'm spite of our precautions, we were both
shiverlng with cold. At 5000 feet the
air was so rarifed that l began 10 be-
come giddy. and had an indescribable
feeling of asphyXiation / looked at DR..
Bcrson. who was busy at the instruments.
and he was making a gurgling noise as
he breathed Oxygen" he gasped and so
| handed him a tube which led from one
OF the oxygen vessels and took another
myself. and we put them in our mouths
and sucked at them. The effect was mar
velous. and instead OF feeling exhausted
we felt quite eNhilarated. At 2iOVO feet
we had only four bags OF ballast LETT
and they were necessary to insure sara
descent So that after registering another
500 feet | pulled the valve rope ana down
we came At the highest point ! removed
the oxygen tube from my mouth Tor
moment. and at once the suhocatlhs
feeling seized me. but when l replaced
# | recovered Immediately. | feel con-
fident that with a good supply Of oxygen
great deal higher than has ever been done
yet"
How high is that?'
"Well. am inclined TO think that our
ascent was really the record. know
that GIaisher and CoXwell reported that
they recorded 80 900 feet. but after my
experiences yesterday l doubt II. nave
been ballooning all my life. and may rea-
sonaply be supposed 10 have become ac-
custcmed TO rarifed air; and Or. Berson
also has had much experience NOW we
both both found asphyxiation becoming
severe at 5000 feet and would certaily
have been unconscious before 1900 feet
bur for the oxygent gas. Glaisher and
Coxweu had no oxygen, and really
can't see how they could either OF them
have been conscious at 5000 feet l think
that some error must have been made.
What about the descent?'
1--WE came down at Romford all right.
We got decent bump, said Mr.. Spen-
Ger. cheerfully. but no harm was done.
| may say that when we landed there
was not sufficient gas i'm the balloon TO
keen IT I'D. The first part of the descent
was very rapid. so rapid that we let go
our ballast. We had 1t in bags over the
sides, fastened at top and bottom, so that
when we cut the string at the top the bag
fen over and emptied. When the sand
fell out, however, the particles were
caught by the air, and the result was that
although It passed out OF the bags, we
were descending faster than 1t was, 50
that It seemed to go up and, as you
will see presently, good deal Of 1t stuck
to the vanished exterior Of the balloon.
The bags. too. when they were lightened
of the sand. fioated up until the balloon
slackened it's downward pace. 1t Is worth
. ~ S.o 4g-
conding the balloon, which had been
rather more than two-thirde inflated.
was fully expended, and at 1900 feet we
lost a considerable amount OF gas.