The Farmville herald. [volume] (Farmville, Va.) 1890-1934, 1904-03-25
A PERILOUS VOYAGE

The name Of Spencer is inalienabl
associated with ballooniug-in fac
with any work associated. directly or IN
directly, with aerial navigation. Nh
Percival Spencer has recently invente
and completed the construction OF a new
sirship which Is destined to create SOM
sensation and records when It is takei
into the upper regions.
There are three Spencers. Percival
Stanley and Arthur. All. in their indt
Naual ways, have performed achieve.
ments," but the frst-named, Percival
may be regarded as the head Of the trio
and Is the subject Of this brief sketch.
The balloon and airship manufactory
OF the SDencers is situated at Highbury
England. 1t was there that our chat took
place.
What manner Of man is he who is 20.
ing TO tell us Of the most perilous voy.
age he ever made? Imagine a short
sguare-shouldered. dapper little man Of
say, between forty and the half century
OF years. Rather pale face, bushy.
brown beard trimmed to a point, well.
shaped nose, and eyes which he habit.
ually half-closes, and focuses" sky.
wards-force Of habit. Wears folders
and, when on duty, a kind Of naval dress.
with peak cap decorated with gold braid
Speaks with a well-modulated voice, and
In a deliberate, thoughtful manner. He
Is speaking now, so please give heed to
him.
Tell you Of the most perilous voy-
age / ever made?"-thus Mr.. Percival
Spencer. well, sit down, and l will re- /
late how / got lost in India and was
written down as dead. That was certain /
~ my most perilous voyage.
Il arranged to make a balloon ascent
and parachute descent some years acc
at Calcutta. Everything was prepared
satisfactorily, and an enormous crowd
Of people-estimated az 250OOO-assem-
oled on the ground. among the audience
being Lord Lansdowne Chen vlceroy).
the late Lord William Beresford. Slr
John Wilson (head Of the police). and
many princes. rajahs. and other noble
men Of the Indian empire.
"Well, as the time drew near 90 make
the ascent I discovered. much TO my an.
noyance, not TO say CONSERVATION. that
the carrying capacity Of the balloon was
not sufficient to convey both myself and
the parachute into the air. Here was a
predicamenti Ifelt that I could not pos.
sibly disappoint so vast and so disUn-
suished an assembly, yet it was equally
impossible that ! could carry out what
had arranged 70 do. Aftcrdeliberatine
Tor time, decided TO compromise. The
people should not be wholly disappoint. (
I'd. for would make an ascent with the I
balloon, minus The parachute.
Accordingly the latter was detached
ma merely sitting I'm a rope swing-nc
ar being used 10 parachute desccnts-l E
gave the signal to let 60. II
"rhis was at a quarter TO six fin the y
.vening. There IS no twilight I'm India
md az six # was dark. ] just had time
o look at my anerobarometer before the ,.
ight failed. After that my whereabouts y
ias purely a matter Of guess work 10 2,
ne. / had, prior TO my starting. made o,
ertain calculations as TO my ascent and ~
escent. which. however. had not con-
ded to those below. These calculations
'ent somewhat awry and accounted fot
be curious contretemps which ensued n
i had failed 10 notice that ne balloon w
'as not duly inflated. with tho result
nat my voyage was considerably OF
.ngthened On account Of the gas con. II
Inuins to expand until the slack por.