EXCITING BALLOON ASCENT.

West Coast Times, Issue 555, 5 July 1867, Page 4

EXCITING BALLOON ASCENT.

(18031 THE HOME NEWS.)

An aeronaut named Hodsman, who ascended on Easter Monday from the Exhibition Palace at Dublin, descended safely at midnight near Appleby, in Westmoreland, the balloon having been taken by a strong upper current across the Channel in seven nours. The subjoined account of his aerial journey has just been published : — "When Mr Hodsman' left the gardens in his balloon, which was a comparatively small one, he was so confident of descending in at the most a couple of hours, that just as the rope attached to the car was cut he threw out a greatcoat and macintosh cape, saying that he would not be hampered with them. He left the gardens at a quarter to five o'clock, and ascended rapidly, but he had not gone far before he became aware that some of the apparatus of the machine was in such a condition as to place the regulation of its movements almost completely beyond his control. The result was that he was careered along by the force of the wind. Darkness having set in soon afterwards, the horror of the aeronaut's position may be imagined, when he heard, about 152 yards below, the roaring of the waves of the Irish Channel, over which he was then speeding. When about half-way across the Channel a rain cloud burst, and the storm dashed on the machine with terrific force, drenching and almost drowning its occupant. The aeronaut's impression at the time was that he really would be drowned by the deluge which was pouring upon him ; so, as a desperate resource, he threw out ballast, and, ascending through the cloud, emerged into a beautiful moonlit atmosphere, the cloud through which he had passed looking like a black pall beneath him, and the sound of the waves being deadened by j the distance. Presently that sound altogether ceased, and Mr Hodsman, judging that he had crossed the channel, allowed himself to descend, believing that he was somewhere on the Welsh coast. In this, however, he was mistaken ; for, after travelling for some distance overland, he managed to fix his grappling-iron in a tree, at the same time shouting to a man who was proceeding along a country lane. The man, however, on looking up and perceiving something huge, black, and indescribable floating in mid-air, instead of rendering assistance, took to his heels, terrified. He. however, gave an alarm, and some of his' fellows, endowed with more courage, went to the place described by the affrighted yokel, and rescued the aeronaut from his perilous position. Mr Hodsman then ascertained that he had arrived at Dufton, a village in Westmoreland, situated between Appleby and Penrith, and about four miles from the former place. On hearing his story every assistance was given and hospitality shown by the inhabitants of that place. It was about; midnight when he arrived, having, as he calculated, travelled 460 miles as the crow flies. The balloon, as a matter of course, was thoroughly drenched, but was not otherwise injured. Next, day Mr Hodsman telegraphed his safety to his friends, and the same evening passed through Penrith on his return home, none the worse for his aerial voyage across the Channel.

EXTSAOBDINABY SCENE IN COUET. — At Kingston Assizes, on the 27th March, William James Burton, 23 and John Hay, 20, were convicted of a burglary at Penge, and, several previous convictions having been proved against them, Mr Baron Bramwell sentencod Hay to ten, and Burton to seven years' penal servitude. The moment the sentence was pronounced both the" prisoners commenced a most fearful volley of abuse against the learned judge, the language they used being of the most horrible description. Mr Keene, the governor of the gaol, went up to them and endeavoured to induce them to go away quietly, but this only seemed to increase their violence, and the warders who were in attendance entered and endeavoured to force the prisoners away. They were, however, unablo to do so, and several policemen who were present jumped into the dock. A most desperate struggle took place, and it required the exertions of nearly a dozen constables to force the prisoners to the cells. Baron Bramwell ordered them to be brought back, and, addressing them as incorrigible ruffians, he observed that he had already passed a severe sentence upon them, but he found it was insufficient, and he should therefore add an additional period of five years' penal servitude to each. The prisoners upou this renewed their violence, and another most desperate struggle took place before the prisoners could be removed, and even after tbey had been placed in the cells below then 1 fearful oaths and imprecations resounded throughout the Court.

The American Press have recently let it out as a grievance that they had to pay the Atlantic Telegraph L6OO for the Queen's speech.

Superlatives are dangerous things. A man onoe wrote to his wife, "My dearest Maria ;" and by return post he received the cold reply, " Permit me to correct either your grammar or your morality,. Pray, who are your other dear Marias ?"