Close-up view of basket of James Comly (J.C.) McCoy's free balloon "America" at the Washington Gas Light Company plant, Washington, D.C., fully inflated, and ready for ascent on February 23, 1907. A crowd surrounds the basket, including Charles deForest Chandler (second from left); Alan R. Hawley (carrying small case); Leo Stevens (at rear, wearing flat-topped hat just to left of support ring); J.C. McCoy (standing with head through support ring); Augustus Post (beard and mustache, below support ring at right); Sir Chentung Liang Cheng, Minister from China, with his son (Asian boy and man at front, right of center), Charles R. Flint (second from right, holding cane), and Admiral Colby M. Chester (US Navy, ret.) at extreme right.