The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-01-09
Beginning Of Aeronautics
 Encouraged By Washington

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 The important part now played by aerial craft in warfare and in peace would probably not be so surprising to our ancestors if they could return to earth, as we sometimes imagine There is ground for belief that George
 Washingiton believed that the bal- loon, although in his day it was a very
 crude coI1trivanpe, could be developed to a point where it would be useful to mankind in general Gen Washing ton was one of the patrons of the first
 balloon ascension in the New World,
 which took place at PhiEadelpGlia just 122 years ago today, Jan. g, 1793. The aeronaut was a FrenchTnan. Jean Pier re Blanchard who later made a bal-
 loon trip across the Esngfisi1 Channel.
 Balloons had been in use in Europe
 for ten years when Blanchard came to America with a hydrogen balloon to exhibit his craft before PhiIadelphi ians. President Washington was an inter ested observer of the ascent, and be- fore Blanchard stepped into the car
 the President gave him q letter, which aan as follows.
 E s.Georg1e Washington, President of the United States Of America, to all to whom Ithese presents come:
 sT1pe bearer hereof, Mir. Blanchard,
 a citizen of France. proposing to as- adeErhia, at 10 o'clock a. m.. this day, to pass in such direction and to de- scend at such place as circumstances
 may render most convenient; these are. tterefore, to recommend to all cltizens Of the United States, and oth- tllrn or joaIrney ying elsewhere. they opp pose no hinsdraIce or mo1estatfon to
 the said Mir. Blanc1ard:
 s.And that, on 6ne contrary, they re- ceive ana aid him with that humanity and good will which may render hon  dndivi dual so distinguished by his eff
 forts to establish and advance an art | in order to make it useful to mankind in general
 sGdven under my hand and seal at the city of PhiIadefphia. this Sth day
 depce of America the seventeenth ? 1 A contemporary account of Blan- chard's ascent and journey, which oc- c11pded forty-sdx minutes, covered f1f- teen miles. and ended in Deptford township, New Jersey, says that .fan
 i1nanense concourse of spectaitors'' as-
 senFJled at the Prison Court to see the
 ascent several cannon were fired
 from the dawn of day until the mo
 ment of elevation. A band of music land, when it began to rise. the majes- ltical sight was truly awful and inter eSting. The slow movement of the l band added soleTnnfty to the scene. As soon as the clock had struck
 10. everything being punctlally ready,
 MT. Blanchard took a respectful leave tof all the spectators, and received | from tn eha1lds of the President a pat- per; at the same time the President spoke 3. few words to this bold ad- l vanturaer, who immediately 1eaped into t11is boat, which was painted blue and Ispangled > MT. Blanchard was dressed in a plain blue suit, a cooked I hat. and white feathers. After a few minutes, the wind bIowing from the northWard and westward. the baa- loon rose to an immense height, and Etlnen shaped its course toward tine lsoUthwaqd and eastward. Several 4 1gent1ea1en galloped down the Point I Road. but soon lost sight of it, for ii lulloved at t91c rate of twenty miles an l hour. Great numbers who had ne glected to purchase tickets. were af- f1icted with considerable regret at not llhaving been immediately present in the Pddson Court to see the prepara- tions, and to witness the undaH1nted tcountenance of the man who thus sub I timely dared to soar through the re gionS of the air,