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four feet deep。 The rudder is also very much larger； in proportion；
than that of the model ； and the screw is considerably smaller。 The
balloon is furnished besides with a grapnel； and a guide…rope ；
which latter is of the most indispensable importance。 A few words； in
explanation； will here be necessary for such of our readers as are
not conversant with the details of aerostation。
〃As soon as the balloon quits the earth； it is subjected to the
influence of many circumstances tending to create a difference in its
weight ； augmenting or diminishing its ascending power。 For
example； there may be a deposition of dew upon the silk； to the
extent； even； of several hundred pounds ； ballast has then to be
thrown out； or the machine may descend。 This ballast being
discarded； and a clear sunshine evaporating the dew； and at the same
time expanding the gas in the silk； the whole will again rapidly
ascend。 To check this ascent； the only recourse is； （or rather
_was_； until Mr。 Green's invention of the guide…rope；） the permission
of the escape of gas from the valve ； but； in the loss of gas； is a
proportionate general loss of ascending power ； so that； in a
comparatively brief period； the best…constructed balloon must
necessarily exhaust all its resources； and come to the earth。 This
was the great obstacle to voyages of length。
〃The guide…rope remedies the difficulty in the simplest manner
conceivable。 It is merely a very long rope which is suffered to
trail from the car； and the effect of which is to prevent the balloon
from changing its level in any material degree。 If； for example；
there should be a deposition of moisture upon the silk； and the
machine begins to descend in consequence； there will be no necessity
for discharging ballast to remedy the increase of weight； for it is
remedied； or counteracted； in an exactly just proportion； by the
deposit on the ground of just so much of the end of the rope as is
necessary。 If； on the other hand； any circumstances should cause
undue levity； and consequent ascent； this levity is immediately
counteracted by the additional weight of rope upraised from the
earth。 Thus； the balloon can neither ascend or descend； except
within very narrow limits； and its resources； either in gas or
ballast； remain comparatively unimpaired。 When passing over an
expanse of water； it becomes necessary to employ small kegs of copper
or wood； filled with liquid ballast of a lighter nature than water。
These float； and serve all the purposes of a mere rope on land。
Another most important office of the guide…rope； is to point out the
_direction_ of the balloon。 The rope _drags_； either on land or sea；
while the balloon is free ； the latter； consequently； is always in
advance； when any progress whatever is made ： a comparison；
therefore； by means of the compass； of the relative positions of the
two objects； will always indicate the _course_。 In the same way； the
angle formed by the rope with the vertical axis of the machine；
indicates the _velocity_。 When there is _no_ angle … in other words；
when the rope hangs perpendicularly； the whole apparatus is
stationary ； but the larger the angle； that is to say； the farther
the balloon precedes the end of the rope； the greater the velocity ；
and the converse。
〃As the original design was to cross the British Channel； and
alight as near Paris as possible； the voyagers had taken the
precaution to prepare themselves with passports directed to all parts
of the Continent； specifying the nature of the expedition； as in the
case of the Nassau voyage； and entitling the adventurers to exemption
from the usual formalities of office ： unexpected events； however；
rendered these passports superfluous。
〃The inflation was commenced very quietly at daybreak； on
Saturday morning； the 6th instant； in the Court…Yard of Weal…Vor
House； Mr。 Osborne's seat； about a mile from Penstruthal； in North
Wales ； and at 7 minutes past 11； every thing being ready for
departure； the balloon was set free； rising gently but steadily； in a
direction nearly South ； no use being made； for the first half hour；
of either the screw or the rudder。 We proceed now with the journal；
as transcribed by Mr。 Forsyth from the joint MSS。 Of Mr。 Monck
Mason； and Mr。 Ainsworth。 The body of the journal； as given； is in
the hand…writing of Mr。 Mason； and a P。 S。 is appended； each day；
by Mr。 Ainsworth； who has in preparation； and will shortly give the
public a more minute； and no doubt； a thrillingly interesting account
of the voyage。
〃THE JOURNAL。
〃_Saturday； April the 6th_。 … Every preparation likely to
embarrass us； having been made over night； we commenced the inflation
this morning at daybreak ； but owing to a thick fog； which
encumbered the folds of the silk and rendered it unmanageable； we did
not get through before nearly eleven o'clock。 Cut loose； then； in
high spirits； and rose gently but steadily； with a light breeze at
North； which bore us in the direction of the British Channel。 Found
the ascending force greater than we had expected ； and as we arose
higher and so got clear of the cliffs； and more in the sun's rays；
our ascent became very rapid。 I did not wish； however； to lose gas
at so early a period of the adventure； and so concluded to ascend for
the present。 We soon ran out our guide…rope ； but even when we had
raised it clear of the earth； we still went up very rapidly。 The
balloon was unusually steady； and looked beautifully。 In about ten
minutes after starting； the barometer indicated an altitude of 15；000
feet。 The weather was remarkably fine； and the view of the subjacent
country … a most romantic one when seen from any point； … was now
especially sublime。 The numerous deep gorges presented the appearance
of lakes； on account of the dense vapors with which they were filled；
and the pinnacles and crags to the South East； piled in inextricable
confusion； resembling nothing so much as the giant cities of eastern
fable。 We were rapidly approaching the mountains in the South ； but
our elevation was more than sufficient to enable us to pass them in
safety。 In a few minutes we soared over them in fine style ； and
Mr。 Ainsworth； with the seamen； was surprised at their apparent want
of altitude when viewed from the car； the tendency of great elevation
in a balloon being to reduce inequalities of the surface below； to
nearly a dead level。 At half…past eleven still proceeding nearly
South； we obtained our first view of the Bristol Channel ； and； in
fifteen minutes afterward； the line of breakers on the coast appeared
immediately beneath us； and we were fairly out at sea。 We now
resolved to let off enough gas to bring our guide…rope； with the
buoys affixed； into the water。 This was immediately done； and we
commenced a gradual descent。 In about twenty minutes our first buoy
dipped； and at the touch of the second soon afterwards； we remained
stationary as to elevation。 We were all now anxious to test the
efficiency of the rudder and screw； and we put them both into
requisition forthwith； for the purpose of altering our direction more
to the eastward； and in a line for Paris。 By means of the rudder we
instantly effected the necessary change of direction； and our course
was brought nearly at right angles to that of the wind ； when we set
in motion the spring of the screw； and were rejoiced to find it
propel us readily as desired。 Upon this we gave nine hearty cheers；
and dropped in the sea a bottle； enclosing a slip of parchment with a
brief account of the principle of the invention。 Hardly； however；
had we done with our rejoicings； when an unforeseen accident occurred
which discouraged us in no little degree。 The steel rod connecting
the spring with the propeller was suddenly jerked out of place； at
the car end； （by a swaying of the car through some movement of one of
the two seamen we had taken up；） and in an instant hung dangling out
of reach； from the pivot of the axis of the screw。 While we were
endeavoring to regain it； our attention being completely absorbed； we
became involved in a strong current of wind from the East； which bore
us； with rapidly increasing force； towards the Atlantic。 We soon
found ourselves driving out to sea at the rate of not less；
certainly； than fifty or sixty miles an hour； so that we came up with
Cape Clear； at some forty miles to our North； before we had secured
the rod； and had time to think what we were about。 It was now that
Mr。 Ainsworth made an extraordinary； but to my fancy； a by no means
unreasonable or chimerical proposition； in which he was instantly
seconded by Mr。 Holland … viz。： that we should take advantage of the
strong gale which bore us on； and in place of beating back to Paris；
make an attempt to reach the coast of North America。 After slight
reflection I gave a willing assent to this bold proposition； which
（strange to say） met with objection from the two seamen only。 As the
stronger party； however； we overruled their fears； and kept