The Savannah morning news., 1903-08-29
HIGHEST BALLOON ASCENT.
Altitude of $1,000 Feet Reached
Over Forty Years Ago.
From the London Telegraph.

Altitude OF 1,OOO rect Heucheu
Over Forty Years Ago.
From the London Telegraph.
The well-known meteorologist, James
Glaisher who died in England last win
ter, has left a full and corrected ac-
count of his historic balloon ascent,
made in 1862, when he reached the high
est altitude ever attained by man. His
first ascent with Coxwell was made from
Northampton on July II, 1862. They
rose to a hight of five miles, Travelled
sixty miles in two hours, and descend
ed just in time to avoid a dip in the
Wash. Two important things were
learned on the excursion; first they
passed through a cloud 5000 feet in
thickness, and so dense that the ball
loon was invisible from the car; and,
second, they dropped 1900 feet-from
$1,000 feet to 1900 feet-in one min
ute. But the great historic ascent,
made from Wolverhampton, took place
on Sept. 5, 1862, when the highest point
ever attained by men who survived to
tell the tale was reached, Mr.. Glasher
relates:
AT Isl the barometer read 1913
inches About 1852 or later l read the
dry bulb thermometer as minus 5 de-
'grees; after this l could not see the
column of mercury, nor the hands of
the watch, nor the fine divisions on any
instrument. / asked Mr.. Coxwell to
help me read the instruments. In con-
sequence, however, of the rotatory mo-
ton of the balloon, which had contin-
ued without ceasing since we left the
earth, the valve line had become en-
10 rIaI M h. Aal1 to IaAarr 4 T,.. 1r,.
and mount into the ring to readjust
it. l then looked at the barometer,
and found its reading to be 9% inches,
still decreasing fast, implying a hight
exceeding $4,000 feet.
Shortly after 1 laid my arm upon the
table, possessed of it's full vigor, but
on being DESTROYS of using 1t, / found
it powerless. Trying to move the other
arm | found it powerless also. Then /
tried to shake myself, and succeeded,
but seemed to have no limbs. In look
ing at the barometer my head fell over
my left shoulder. l struggled and
shook my body again, but could not
move my arms. Getting my head 10
right for an instant only it fell on my
right shoulder; then l fell backward,
my back resting against the side of the
car and my head on its edge. In this
position my eyes were directed to Mr..
my body / seemed to have full power
over the muscles of the back, and con-
siderably so over those of the neck
but none over either my arms or my
legs. AS in the case of the arms, so all
muscular power was lost in an instant
from my back and neck. / dimly saw
Mr. Coxwell and endeavored to speak,
but could not In an instant intense
darkness oVercame me, so that the
had gl66Qn1U lOGt
but | was still conscious, with as ac-
tive a brain as at the present moment
while writing this. | thought / had
been seized with asphyxia, and believ-
ed | should experience nothing more,
as death would come unless we speed
lily descended. Other thoughts were
entering my mind, when / became I'M
conscious as on going to sleep. l cam
not tell anything Of the sense of hear
ing, as no sound reaches the ear to
break the perfect stiffness and silence
of the regions between six and seven
miles from the earth. My last OBJ
seryation was at ISL, above $4,000 feet.
while powerless l heard the words
and observation, and /
knew Mr.. Coxwell was in the car
speaking to and endeavoring to raise
me. therefore consciousness and hear
ing had returned. 1 then heard him
speaking more emphatically but could
not see, speak, or move. ! heard him
say again, DO try, now, do Then
the instruments became dimly visible, |
and Mr.. Coxwell. and very shortly /
saw clearly. / said to Mr.. Coxwell. I |
have been insensible:' he said. You
have, and I, too, very nearly He told |
me he had lost the use Of his hands !
which were black, and poured brandy !
over them. Mr.. Coxwell told me that |
while in the ring he felt 1t piercingly |
cold, and that on attempting to leave (
the ring he found his hands frozen. He
had therefore to place his arms on the I
ring and drop down. He wished to
approach me, but could not. and when
he felt insensibility coming over him,
too. he became anxious 10 open the
valve. But In consequence of having
lost the use OF his hands he could not
do this. ultimately he succeeded bv
seizing the cord with his teeth and
dipping his head two or three times
until the balloon took a decided urn
downward - The descent took place |
II Cold Weston. seven and a half miles |
from Ludlow"
Thus one Of the aeronauts was In