A BALLOON TRIP TO FLUSHING.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3818, 10 October 1883, Page 4

A BALLOON TRIP TO FLUSHING.

Mr Simmons, the aeronaut, gives the following account of his recent voyage:— "Before we mado a start at Maldon, several pilot balloons were launched m order to ascertain which direction _wo were likely to take. These pilots indicated several currents at low altitude, but as at the moment of starting the wind gave mo a good deal of trouble, I found it necessary to leave tho ground with great ascending power, and every attempt made to utilise currents would have been at the expense of gas or ballast, We had a desire to cross the Gorman Ocoan ; therefore overy ounce of ballast and overy foot of gas had to be cautiously used. Wo had not much time to enjoy the glorious panaroma before we found 'it necessary promptly to discuss the propriety of attempting to roach Holland or Belgium. Fortunately the atmosphere over England was clear Iho start was made at 11 o'clock. Wo kept over nearly tho middle of tho Blackwater. At 1.20 wo were over Bradwell having the mouth of tho river to our north ; at 1.30 just passing over the shores of Essex. Taking our bearings, we arc going straight for Rotterdam. If the wind continues we shall probably reach Holland before dark. The bottom of tho sea is clearly seen in every direction. Every channel and shoal is easily marked and forms a fibrous network. Wo see the man-of-war at Harwich very distinctly. Six steamers beneath us appear to bo almost in collision. The boll on the buoy east of the Blackwater is continually ringing. The sound is very clear to us. Wo arc at an altitude of 9,000 feet. Tho lightship cast of the Blackwater is about the size of a pea, but is very distinct. Although tho bell is constantly ringing wo can now and then hear shouts from decks. Wo throw out sheets of paper and find them being left a little to our north. This satisfies us that we are making still a trifle south of eastward, and our safety and the attainment of our object depend upon being able to continuo it. Two o'clock.—l havo not yet spent an ounce of ballast or touched any valve. Altitude at this moment 10,000 feet. Our feet are cold. We appear to be overhauling a mist to the south-east. 2.55.— We are enshrouded in it, and can sec nought but ourselves and our balloon. A few minutes later we have a magnificent picture of the balloon on the cloud. Wo can see our vis-u-ris doing everything exactly as wo do, even to the fingers distinctly handling tho ropes. Our ghosts are no dummies. We make them speak by shouting ourselves, and even _ m this they exactly imitate us. The grappling cablo which I havo let out is distinctly reproduced, its reflection or shadow running to the phantom car. I call Sir Claude do Crespingy's attention to this apparent ligature. He cannot see it where he is sitting, but immediately on coming to my side he sees tho rope as distinctly as I do. My blue serge suit looks now quite green and continues so for many minutes. The atmosphere is a very deep blue above us. The gas up through tho balloon is perfectly clear, and the great dome, with its gores and diamonds, has a very solid and assuring appearance. Everything is in perfect tranqmlity. We can hoar the beating of our hearts very distinctly. Our ears arc occasionally blocked, but we remedy this little evil by widely opening our mouths. At 4.30 wo both think there is a slight sound as of surf. We arcvervKlowly descending, and at 4.40 emerge on the other side of tho clouds, and can sec something looking like a coast-line to tho south-cast. We are still on the same course we started with. At 4.50 we have approached near enough to find that our imaginary coast-line is a long sweep of shoal, but it encourages us to think that wo have passed mid-ocean. Another long line of shoal now appears behind to the eastward. As if by magic we are in full view of six steamers, as we suppose. These are all coming from the cast. On nearer approach we see they are sailing vessels. They appear to expect we shall recpiiro their services, for they are tacking and dodging us. 5.10.—Tw0 steamers are distinctly visible, both going westward. s.so.—Sir Claude cries, 'Look there ;is that another shoal ?' We discuss this matter with much interest. Sir Claude cannot believe it is anything but mainland. I soon begin to think tho same, but it continues for a long time very indistinct, and as I look very fixedly at it for some minutes it appears to alter its shape, and I conclude it can be nothing but a streaky cloud. Instead of increasing in distinctness, this long sweep now grows ft little more dim, and at tho same time wo have other indications which make us think we have changed our courso and that there is a point at north in it. Now for some man.'cuvring to try and find out whether a sudden increase of altitude has changed our course. Sir Claude says two or three times that lie does not despair of the streak turning out to bo land. His distant vision was more distinct than mine. At G. 10 we are both perfectly satisfied that we arc in view of the coast to the cast. The sun had been for some minutes deeply shrouded, but he peeped between tho clouds, and under the influence of his rays the balloon instantly shot upwards with fearful rajwdity. Sir Claude said, "Do you not smell gas escaping?" But I did not, and had it not been for this safeguard of his the consequences might have been serious. In a few seconds wo wero over a vast area of what looked like mountains of snow, solid enough to walk on. The grandeur of this scene it would be utter folly for me to attempt to describe. Not the slightest movement could be detected in any part of this vast cloudland. Every mountain p <ak seemed to stand there fixed for ever. I now opened tho valve. We rushed downwards with great rapidity. A few seconds wero sufficient to bring us down from our highest position—l7,ooo feet—low enough to havo spread before our delighted vision the beach of Walcheren Island, on the north side of the Scheldt river, and tho mainland of Holland shutting us in to the south. W r o had already passed the mouth of the Scheldt I considered we were now safe enough, and I sketched the Walcheren, with "the town of Flushing just beneath us. Tho people were now hailing us lustily from all points. The balloon was brought down splendidly at Flushing, tho grnpppling iron taking a firm grip in a ditch surrounding a wheat field. This ditch acted as well as a fence round the balloon to keep off tho great crush. When ho had emptied and packed the balloon tho street thronged with people all the way to tho Hotel Wellington, where wo were entertained for a short time. After getting some refreshments we proceeded to the landing-stage, and there procured berths on board tho nuiil steamer Princess Mary for Quccnborough. I had almost forgotten to mention that the cold was intense over the mouth of tho West Scheldt at the altitude of 17,000 feet. I had 400 lbs. of ballast left when we came down, and our journey could have been prolonged but for our having promised Lady do Crospigny that wo would do our best to descend on reaching the coast. We landed at 7.