AVIATION (Continuation)
"From a spectacular point of view, the exhibition was undoubtedly an unqualified success, and indeed we doubt if any more sensational feat has ever been accomplished than that of the daring aeronaut who ascended almost to the height of a mile before casting off from the balloon. The programme was opened by the younger Baldwin attempting by the surest means to gain a pass for the regions of the blessed by diving from the top of an 80-foot bamboo tower into a net, set a few feet above the ground to receive him. We cannot say anything of this feat except by chronicling the extraordinary fact that he is still alive. When the hair of the spectators had once more assumed its natural position, the great event of the day was proceeded with. The process of inflating the balloon is a patent one - rarefied air being used instead of gas, as was the case in the abortive display of aeronauting witnessed here some months ago. In eight minutes all was ready and the signal given to cast loose. The balloon left the ground at an extraordinary speed, with Baldwin hanging to a rope ladder some fifty feet below it. The amount of nerve required to successfully perform such a feat must be wonderful or perhaps it would be more accurate to say that the man who can hang in mid-air tethered to a run-away balloon and go through a gymnastic performance has no nerve at all.
Mr. Baldwin's feat is undoubtedly one of the most sensational sights ever witnessed and will not soon be forgotten by those who were lucky enough to see it. When almost a mile above the excited crowd, Mr. Baldwin made his leap from the trapeze and descended with the speed of a meteor towards the ground. For the space of some seconds not a sound was heard, but the parachute soon filled and the speed of the descent was materially lessened and finally in a zig-zag fashion Mr. Baldwin came down as gently as an early bird on an unwary worm.
Then on the 18th inst., the Baldwins went to Macao with an exhibition which astonished the residents similar to that given in Hongkong. Some American missionaries were preaching in Macao at the time, and the sky-pilots of the first part and the sky-pilots of the second part had a heated argument about the wickedness of aeronautical exhibitions on the Sabbath. The Baldwins appear to have carried the day.
The Balloon craze apparently took on in Hongkong, for in the following year, one Senor Hernandez advertised that he would ascend on the night of November 9 from West Point. A large crowd rolled up to see the ascent.
A north-east monsoon was blowing at the time and to inflate the envelope a fire was lit alongside, and an attempt made to fill the balloon with hot air.
At last the sides began to puff out. Gradually then rapidly it swelled, and then it went up. But not in the manner they hoped. Flames suddenly burst from the top of the balloon and in a few seconds there was nothing left of it.
Burned and blackened, Senor Hernandez addressed the crowd. He expressed regret at the accident which had robbed him of everything he had on earth. Before the crowd dispersed a subscription list was opened to buy Senor Hernandez a new balloon but he gave no more exhibitions in Hongkong.
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AVIATION (Continuation )
"From a spectacular point of view, the exhibition was undoubtedly an unqualified success, and indeed we doubt if any more sensational feat has ever been accomplished than that, of the daring geronaut who ascended almost to the height of a mile before casting off from the balloon. The programme was opened by the younger Baldwin attempting by the surest means, to gain a pass " for the regions of the blessed by diving from the top of an 80 foot bamboo tower into a net, set a few feat above the ground to receive him. We cannot say anything of this feat except by chronicling the extraor- dinary fact that he is still alive. When the hair of the spectators had onee more assumed its natural position, the great event of the day was proceeded with. The process of inflating the balloon is a patent one - rarefied air being used instead of gas, as was the case in the abortive display af · aeronauting witnessed herew some months ago, In eight minutes all was ready and the signal given to cast loose. The balloon left the ground at an extraordinary spped, with Baldwin hanging to a rope ladder some fifty feet below it. The amount of nerve required to successfully perform such a feat must be wonderful or perhaps it would be more accurate to say that the man who can hang in mid-air tethered to a run-away balloon and go through a gumnastic performance has no nerve at all.
Mr. Baldwin's feat is undoubtedly one of the most sensational sights ever witnessed and will not soon be forgotten by those who were walucky enough to seeit. When almost a mile above the excited crowd, Mr. Baldwin made his leap from the trapeze and descended with the speed of a metero towards the groung For the space of some secords not a sound was heard, but the parachute soon filled and the speed of the descent was materially lessened and finally in a zig-zag fashion Mr. Baldwin came down as gently as an e arly bird on a unwary worm ?
Then on the 18th inst., theBaldwins went to Macao with an exhibition which astonished the residents similar to that given in Hongkong. Some American missionaries were preaching in Macao at the time, and the sky-pilots of the first part and the sky-pilots of the second part had a heated argument about the wickedness of geronautical exhibitions on the Sabbath. The Baldwins appear to have carried the day.
The Balloon craze apparently took on in Hongkong, for in the following year, one Senor Hernandez advertised that he would ascend on the night of November 9 from West Point. A large crowd rolled up to see the ascent.
A north-east monsoon was blowing at the time and to in- flate the envelope a fire was lit alongside, and an attempt made to fill the balloon with hot air.
At last the sides began to puff out, Gradually then rapidly it swelled, adn then it went up. But in the manner the hoped. Flames suddenly burst from the top of the balloon and in a few seconds there was nothing left of it.
Burned and blackened, Senor Hernandez addressed to
crowd.
He expressed regret at the accident which had robbed hin of everything he had on earth. Before the crowd dispersed a s ubscription list was opened to buy Senor Hernandez a new balloon but he gave no more exhibitions in Hongkong.
21
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