The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1910-09-03
AVIATION IN izso.
Balloon Flew Across Channel In Three
Hours.

Hours.
The flight Of NJ Alosant from Amiens
70 Deal suggests once more the attempt
made 50 long ago as June, 1885, By the
/ gallant bat i'll fated Pilatre &c Roster
DC Roulogne when lie and his companion,
NJ Romano, came % an 1ntimely end
through an explosion. 1t was more
apathetic in the case Of the former in
that he had been toe arst man to ascend
in balloon at all
When the brothers Montgrolller start
ed bsloonins in France in 1882, nothing
was attached 10 THE balloon, which on
the first OCCASION fell IN a field near
Fanesse. fifteen miles from the Champ
de Mars, where il had started, and after
being shot through by an adventurous
peasant, was eventually ticd to a horses
tail and torn TO shreds in tie course
Of gallop across country
A month later a second attempt was
made before the king and queen, when
cage was attached containing sheep,
cock and duck which were the first
living things to attempt the air. The
balloon, after ascending 90 the height
Of ! .440 feet, came down in field two
miles awap, and when the first arrival
appeared, the sheep was grazing and the
birds were none the worse. It was this
fact that caused the idea TO spring up
Of men themselves going up IN ball
loon, and the king louis XVII was
anxious that two conviets under SEN
tence Of death should be forced to make
the attempt This idea was wholly re.
pugant 10 the chisalrous and gallant DE
Roster. "Eh quoip he cried. de wills
eriminels auraiHet les premiers Ia gloire
de s'elevcr dams les airsl Non, non, celia
sera point"
And shortly after he himself, together
with his friend. the Marquis d'Arlandes,
made the experiment. which was bril-,
liant success But though the FIRST 10
trust himself IN the air, il was left to
n. Jean Blanchard to achieve the fur
Their and greater honor OF crossing the
channel and introducing new means
Of communication between the two coun-
tries. Starting from the top Of the
cliif near Dover castle with Dr.. Jeifries,
an American. as bis companion. ". Blan.
Blan reached the forest Of Guiues, near
Calais in less than three hours, though
they were in some perils OF waters be-
fore reaching their destination. Their
luggage was not inconsiderable for
short voyage and consisted Of the fol-
lowing articles, Nine bags Of ballast.
the French edition Of NJ. Blanchard's
voyage with Mr.. Sheldon 1.-THE first Eng.
lishman to ascend in balloon, on Octo-
Der 10, 1884, when with II. Blanchard,
be travelled from London to sunbury,
fourteen miles, in less than half an
hour a large inflated bladder contain
ing letters from people Of distinction IN
England to members of the French no.
bility. compass and other philosophic
instruments, a small bottle If brandy.
two silk ensigns. French and English,
some biscuits and two cork jackets.
While they were crossing the channel
al these things had to be thrown away
and their clothes al well and the deserip-
ton Of this emptying their wardrobe T
inevitably recalls the condition Of him
who brought the news from Client to
Aixs First 81 Blanchard threw of his
coat, then DR. Jeffries did the same,
a. they still descended. the Frenchman
Invested himself Of lis trousers aud then
only they began to 90 TIP and soon found
themselves over the forest Of Guines.
Dr. Jeffries then with difficulty managed
to stay tile progress by Selling the
branch Of a tree and they came safely
to ground between some trees, which
were Just open enough 70 admit them,
after having accomplished an enterprise
4whieh will perhaps b recorded to the
utmost PROSPERITY"
II, Blanchard was highly honored ana
richly rewarded b. the king Of France
ind was made a citizen Of Calais, while 4
pr Jeffriess an American, was made
! freeman Of Dover a monument was
raised at the spot where they alighted,
With the fact Of their flight duly III !
seribed thereon.-pall Mall Gazette.