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in league with Satan。
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THE MASTERY OF THE AIR
CHAPTER III The First Man to Ascend in a
Balloon
The safe descent of the three animals； which has already been related；
showed the way for man to venture up in a balloon。 In our time we marvel
at the daring of modern airmen； who ascend to giddy heights； and； as it
were； engage in mortal combat with the demons of the air。 But；
courageous though these deeds are； they are not more so than those of the
pioneers of ballooning。
In the eighteenth century nothing was known definitely of the
conditions of the upper regions of the air； where； indeed； no human being
had ever been； and though the frail Montgolfier balloons had ascended and
descended with no outward happenings； yet none could tell what might be
the risk to life in committing oneself to an ascent。 There was； too； very
special danger in making an ascent in a hot…air balloon。 Underneath the
huge envelope was suspended a brazier； so that the fabric of the balloon
was in great danger of catching fire。
It was at first suggested that two French criminals under sentence of
death should be sent up； and； if they made a safe descent； then the way
would be open for other aeronauts to venture aloft。 But everyone
interested in aeronautics in those days saw that the man who first traversed
the unexplored regions of the air would be held in high honour； and it
seemed hardly right that this honour should fall to criminals。 At any rate
this was the view of M。 Pilatre de Rozier； a French gentleman； and he
determined himself to make the pioneer ascent。
De Rozier had no false notion of the risks he was prepared to run； and
he superintended with the greatest care the construction of his balloon。 It
was of enormous size； with a cage slung underneath the brazier for heating
the air。 Befors making his free ascent De Rozier made a trial ascent with
the balloon held captive by a long rope。
At length； in November； 1783； accompanied by the Marquis
d'Arlandes as a passenger； he determined to venture。 The experiment
aroused immense excitement all over France； and a large concourse of
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THE MASTERY OF THE AIR
people were gathered together on the outskirts of Paris to witness the risky
feat。 The balloon made a perfect ascent； and quickly reached a height of
about half a mile above sea…level。 A strong current of air in the upper
regions caused the balloon to take an opposite direction from that intended；
and the aeronauts drifted right over Paris。 It would have gone hard with
them if they had been forced to descend in the city； but the craft was
driven by the wind to some distance beyond the suburbs and they alighted
quite safely about six miles from their starting…point； after having been up
in the air for about half an hour。
Their voyage； however； had by no means been free from anxiety。 We
are told that the fabric of the balloon repeatedly caught fire； which it took
the aeronauts all their time to extinguish。 At times； too； they came down
perilously near to the Seine； or to the housetops of Paris； but after the most
exciting half…hour of their lives they found themselves once more on
Mother Earth。
Here we must make a slight digression and speak of the invention of
the hydrogen； or gas； balloon。 In a previous chapter we read of the
discovery of hydrogen gas by Henry Cavendish； and the subsequent
experiments with this gas by Dr。 Black； of Glasgow。 It was soon decided
to try to inflate a balloon with this 〃inflammable air〃as the newly…
discovered gas was calledand with this end in view a large public
subscription was raised in France to meet the heavy expenses entailed in
the venture。 The work was entrusted to a French scientist； Professor
Charles； and two brothers named Robert。
It was quickly seen that paper； such as was used by the Montgolfiers；
was of little use in the construction of a gas balloon； for the gas escaped。
Accordingly the fabric was made of silk and varnished with a solution of
india…rubber and turpentine。 The first hydrogen balloon was only about 13
feet in diameter； for in those early days the method of preparing hydrogen
was very laborious and costly； and the constructors thought it advisable
not to spend too much money over the initial experiments； in case they
should be a failure。
In August； 1783an eventful year in the history of aeronautics the
first gas…inflated balloon was sent up； of course unaccompanied by a
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passenger。 It shot up high in the air much more rapidly than Montgolfier's
hot…air balloon had done； and was soon beyond the clouds。 After a voyage
of nearly an hour's duration it descended in a field some 15 miles away。
We are told that some peasants at work near by fled in the greatest alarm at
this strange monster which settled in their midst。 An old print shows them
cautiously approaching the balloon as it lay heaving on the ground；
stabbing it with pitchforks； and beating it with flails and sticks。 The story
goes that one of the alarmed farmers poured a charge of shot into it with
his gun； no doubt thinking that he had effectually silenced the panting
demon contained therein。 To prevent such unseemly occurrences in the
future the French Government found it necessary to warn the people by
proclamation that balloons were perfectly harmless objects； and that the
experiments would be repeated。
We now have two aerial craft competing for popular favour： the
Montgolfier hot…air balloon and the 〃Charlier〃 or gas…inflated balloon。
About four months after the first trial trip of the latter the inventors
decided to ascend in a specially…constructed hydrogen…inflated craft。 This
balloon； which was 27 feet in diameter； contained nearly all the features of
the modern balloon。 Thus there was a valve at the top by means of which
the gas could be let out as desired； a cord net covered the whole fabric；
and from the loop which it formed below the neck of the balloon a car was
suspended； and in the car there was a quantity of ballast which could be
cast overboard when necessary。
It may be imagined that this new method of aerial navigation had
thoroughly aroused the excitability of the French nation； so that thousands
of people were met together just outside Paris on the 17th December to see
Professor Charles and his mechanic； Robelt； ascend in their new craft。 The
ascent was successful in every way； the intrepid aeronauts； who carried a
barometer； found that they had quickly reached an altitude of over a mile。
After remaining aloft for nearly two hours they came down。 Professor
Charles decided to ascend again； this time by himself； and with a much
lighter load the balloon rose about two miles above sea…level。 The
temperature at this height became very low； and M。 Charles was affected
by violent pain in his right ear and jaw。 During the voyage he witnessed
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the strange phenomenon of a double sunset； for； before the ascent； the sun
had set behind the hills overshadowing the valleys； and when he rose
above the hill…tops he saw the sun again； and presently saw it set again。
There is no doubt that the balloon would have risen several thousand feet
higher； but the professor thought it would burst； and he opened the valve；
eventually making a safe descent about 7 miles from his starting…place。
England lagged behind her French neighbour's in balloon aeronautics
much as she has recently done in aviationfor a considerable time； and；it
was not till August of the following year （1784） that the first balloon