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172
Wonderful Balloon Ascents; Or, The Conquest of the Skies
·
Fulgence Marion
41
The
gossipping
and
prolix
Faujas
de
Saint
Fond
thus
describes
this
machine:--“It
was
painted
blue,
represented
a
sort
of
tent,
and
was
richly
ornamented
with
gold
Its
height
was
seventy
feet;
its
weight
1,000
lbs.;
the
air
which
it
displaced
was
4,500
lbs.
in
volume,
and
the
vapor
with
which
it
was
filled
was
half
the
weight
of
ordinary
air.
The
approach
of
the
equinox
having
brought
rain,
all
the
conditions
under
which
this
balloon
was
constructed
and
exhibited
were
unfavourable.
The
structure
was
so
large
that
it
was
impossible
to
get
it
together
and
stitch
it,
except
in
the
open
air--in
the
garden,
in
fact,
where
Montgolfier
commenced
its
construction.
It
was
a
great
labour
to
turn
and
fold
this
heavy
covering,
while
the
liability
of
the
thick
paper
to
crack
was
an
additional
difficulty.
Not
less
than
twenty
men
were
required
to
move
it,
and
they
were
obliged
to
use
all
their
skill,
and
every
precaution,
not
to
destroy
it.
No
balloon
had
ever
given
so
much
trouble.
On
the
11th
of
September
the
weather
improved,
and
the
balloon
was
entirely
completed
and
prepared
for
the
first
experiment.
In
the
evening
the
attempt
was
made.
It
was
with
admiration
that
the
beholders
saw
the
beautiful
machine
filling
itself
in
the
short
space
of
nine
minutes,
swelling
out
on
all
sides
and
showing
the
full
symmetry
of
its
artistic
form.
It
was
firmly
held
in
hand,
or
it
would
have
risen
to
a
great
height.
On
the
following
day
the
actual
ascent
was
to
take
place,
and
the
commissioners
of
the
Academy
of
Sciences
were
invited
to
be
present.
In
the
morning
thick
clouds
covered
the
horizon,
and
a
tempest
was
expected;
but
as
there
was
an
ardent
desire
that
the
ascent
should
take
place
without
delay,
and
as
all
the
gearing
was
in
order,
it
was
resolved
to
proceed.
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