the dominion of the air-第27章

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k　of　chimneys；　they　were　eventually　rescued　by　the　police　without　any　material　damage　having　been　done。

But　this　same　summer　saw　the　return　to　England　of　Henry　Coxwell；　and　for　some　years　the　story　of　the　conquest　of　the　air　is　best　told　by　following　his　stirring　career；　and　his　own　comments　on　aeronautical　events　of　this　date。　　We　find　him　shortly　setting　about　carrying　out　some　reconnoitring　and　signalling　experiments；　designed　to　be　of　use　in　time　of　war。　　This　was　an　old　idea　of　his；　and　one　which　had；　of　course；　been　long　entertained　by　others；　having；　indeed；　been　put　to　some　practical　test　in　time　of　warfare。　　It　will　be　well　to　make　note　of　what　attention　the　matter　had　already　received；　and　of　what　progress　had　been　made　both　in　theory　and　practice。

We　have　already　made　some　mention　in　Chapter　IV。　of　the　use　which　the　French　had　made　of　balloons　in　their　military　operations　at　the　end　of　the　eighteenth　and　beginning　of　nineteenth　the　century。　　It　was；　indeed；　within　the　first　ten　years　after　the　first　invention　of　the　balloon　that；　under　the　superintendence　of　the　savants　of　the　French　Academy；　a　practical　school　of　aeronautics　was　established　at　Meudon。　　The　names　of　Guyton；　De　Morveau　（a　distinguished　French　chemist）；　and　Colonel　Coutelle　are　chiefly　associated　with　the　movement；　and　under　them　some　fifty　students　received　necessary　training。　　The　practising　balloon　had　a　capacity　of　17；000　cubic　feet；　and　was　inflated　with　pure　hydrogen；　made　by　what　was　then　a　new　process　as　applied　to　ballooning；　and　which　will　be　described　in　a　future　chapter。　　It　appears　that　the　balloon　was　kept　always　full；　so　that　any　opportunity　of　calm　weather　would　be　taken　advantage　of　for　practice。　　And　it　is　further　stated　that　a　balloon　was　constructed　so　sound　and　impervious　that　after　the　lapse　of　two　months　it　was　still　capable；　without　being　replenished；　of　raising　into　the　air　two　men；　with　necessary　ballast　and　equipment。　　The　practical　trial　for　the　balloon　in　real　service　came　off　in　June；　1794；　when　Coutelle　in　person；　accompanied　by　two　staff　officers；　in　one　of　the　four　balloons　which　the　French　Army　had　provided；　made　an　ascent　to　reconnoitre　the　Austrian　forces　at　Fleurus。　　They　ascended　twice　in　one　day；　remaining　aloft　for　some　four　hours；　and；　on　their　second　ascent　being　sighted；　drew　a　brisk　fire　from　the　enemy。　　They　were　unharmed；　however；　and　the　successful　termination　of　the　battle　of　Fleurus　has　been　claimed　as　due　in　large　measure　to　the　service　rendered　by　that　balloon。

The　extraordinary　fact　that　the　use　of　the　balloon　was　for　many　years　discontinued　in　the　French　Army　is　attributed　to　a　strangely　superstitious　prejudice　entertained　by　Napoleon。　　Las　Cases　（in　his　〃Private　Life　of　Napoleon　at　St。　Helena　〃）　relates　an　almost　miraculous　story　of　Napoleon's　coronation。　　It　appears　that　a　sum　of　23；500　francs　was　given　to　M。　Garnerin　to　provide　a　balloon　ascent　to　aid　in　the　celebrations；　and；　in　consequence；　a　colossal　machine　was　made　to　ascend　at　11　p。m。　　on　December　16th　from　the　front　of　Notre　Dame；　carrying　3；000　lights。　　This　balloon　was　unmanned；　and　at　its　departure　apparently　behaved　extremely　well；　causing　universal　delight。　　During　the　hours　of　darkness；　however；　it　seems　to　have　acquitted　itself　in　a　strange　and　well…nigh　preternatural　manner；　for　at　daybreak　it　is　sighted　on　the　horizon　by　the　inhabitants　of　Rome；　and　seen　to　be　coming　towards　their　city。　　So　true　was　its　course　that；　as　though　with　predetermined　purpose；　it　sails　on　till　it　is　positively　over　St。　Peter's　and　the　Vatican；　when；　its　mission　being　apparently　fulfilled；　it　settles　to　earth；　and　finally　ends　its　career　in　the　Lake　Bracciano。　　Regarded　from　whatever　point　of　view；　the　flight　was　certainly　extraordinary；　and　it　is　not　surprising　that　in　that　age　it　was　regarded　as　nothing　less　than　a　portent。　　Moreover；　little　details　of　the　wonderful　story　were　quickly　endowed　with　grave　significance。　　The　balloon　on　reaching　the　ground　rent　itself。　　Next；　ere　it　plunged　into　the　water；　it　carefully　deposited　a　portion　of　its　crown　on　the　tomb　of　Nero。　　Napoleon；　on　learning　the　facts；　forbade　that　they　should　ever　be　referred　to。　　Further；　he　thenceforward　discountenanced　the　balloon　in　his　army；　and　the　establishment　at　Meudon　was　abandoned。

There　is　record　of　an　attempt　of　some　sort　that　was　made　to　revive　the　French　military　ballooning　school　in　the　African　campaign　of　1830；　but　it　was　barren　of　results。　　Again；　it　has　been　stated　that　the　Austrians　used　balloons　for　reconnaissance；　before　Venice　in　1849；　and　yet　again　the　same　thing　is　related　of　the　Russians　at　the　time　of　the　siege　of　Sebastopol；　though　Kinglake　does　not　mention　the　circumstance。　　In　1846　Wise　drew　up　and　laid　before　the　American　War　Office　an　elaborate　scheme　for　the　reduction　of　Vera　Cruz。　　This　will　be　discussed　in　its　due　place；　though　it　will　be　doubtless　considered　as　chimerical。

On　the　other　hand；　eminently　practical　were　the　experiments　co…ordinated　and　begun　to　be　put　to　an　actual　test　by　Mr。　Coxwell；　who；　before　he　could　duly　impress　his　project　upon　the　military　authorities；　had　to　make　preliminary　trials　in　private　ventures。　　The　earliest　of　these　was　at　the　Surrey　Zoological　Gardens　in　the　autumn　of　1854；　and　it　will　be　granted　that　much　ingenuity　and　originality　were　displayed　when　it　is　considered　that　at　that　date　neither　wireless　telegraphy；　electric　flashlight；　nor　even　Morse　Code　signalling　was　in　vogue。　　According　to　his　announcement；　the　spectators　were　to　regard　his　balloon；　captive　or　free；　as　floating　at　a　certain　altitude　over　a　beleaguered　fortress；　the　authorities　in　communication

with　it　having　the　key　of　the　signals　and　seeking　to　obtain　through　these　means　information　as　to　the　approach　of　an　enemy。　　It　was　to　be　supposed　that；　by　the　aid　of　glasses；　a　vast　distance　around　could　be　subjected　to　careful　scrutiny；　and　a　constant　communication　kept　up　with　the　authorities　in　the　fortress。　　Further；　the　flags　or　other　signals　were　supposed　preconcerted　and　unknown　to　the　enemy；　being　formed　by　variations　of　shape　and　colour。　　Pigeons　were　also　despatched　from　a　considerable　height　to　test　their　efficiency　under　novel　conditions。　　The　public　press　commented　favourably　on　the　performance　and　result　of　this　initial　experiment。

Mr。　Coxwell's　account　of　an　occasion　when　he　had　to　try　conclusions　with　a　very　boisterous　wind；　and　of　the　way　in　which　he　negotiated　a　very　trying　and　dangerous　landing；　will　be　found　alike　interesting　and　instructive。　　It　was　an　ascent　from　the　Crystal　Palace；　and　the　morning　was　fair　and　of　bright　promise　outwardly；　but　Coxwell　confesses　to　have　disregarded　a　falling　glass。　　The　inflation　having　been　progressing　satisfactorily；　he　retired　to　partake　of　luncheon；　entirely　free　from　apprehensions；　but　while　thus　occupied；　he　was　presently　sought　out　and　summoned　by　a　gardener；　who　told　him　that　his　balloon　had　torn　away；　and　was　now　completely　out　of　control；　dragging　his　men　about　the　bushes。　　On　reaching　the　scene；　the　men；　in　great　strength；　were　about　to　attempt　a　more　strenuous　effort　to　drag　the　balloon　back　against　the　wind；　which　Coxwell　promptly　forbade；　warning　them　that　so　they　would　tear　all　to　pieces。　　He　then　commenced；　as　it　were；　to　〃take　in　a　reef；〃　by　gathering　in　the　slack　of　the　silk；　which　chiefly　was　catching　the　wind；　and　by　drawing　in　the　net；　mesh　by　mesh；　until　the　more　inflated　portion　of　the　balloon　was　left　snug　and　offering　but　little　resistance　to　the　gale；　when　he　got　her　dragged　in　a　direction　slanting　to　the　wind　and　under　the　lee　of　trees。

Eventually　a　hazardous　and　difficult　departure　was　effected；　Mr。　Chandler；　a　passenger　already　booked；　insisting　on　accompanying　the　aeronaut；　in　spite　of　the　latter's　strongest　protestations。　　And　their　first　peril　came　quickly；　in　a　near　shave　of　fouling　the　balcony　of　the　North　Tower；　which　they　avoided　only　by　a　prompt　discharge　of　sand；　the　crowd　cheering　loudly　as　they　saw　how　the　crisis　was　avoided。　　The　car；　adds　Mr。　Coxwell　in　his　memoirs；　〃was　apparently　trailing　behind　the　balloon　with　a　pendulous　swing；　which　is　not　often　the　case。。。　In　less　than　two　minutes　we　entered　the　lower　clouds；　passing　through　them　quickly；　and