CONTINUATION.
It is interesting to find that an individual of the same name, presumably the same man, or else his brother, who had stunted with him in 1891, visited the Colony at the beginning of 1910 and gave another ballooning exhibition. The balloon as usual with such circus shows was inflated with hot air.
The date marks the period when these events were passing out of fashion. I shall take the newspaper account of the time.
In its issue of January 31, 1910, the S. C. M. Post reports :-
"All roads led to the scene of the balloon ascent on Saturday afternoon. It is difficult to make an estimate of the number of spectators but they were there in their thousands. The vacant piece of ground opposite Victoria View (Now the site of the Peninsula Hotel) was densely packed, Signal Hill carried a picturesque weight upon its shoulders, the roof and sides of Holt's Godowns were like a rookery, the enclosure from which the ascent was made contained hundreds of payers, launches and yachts manoeuvred in the harbour opposite, ships at anchor had their quota of spectators, on Hongkong overall a mile away crowds assembled ten deep.
"The balloon was inflated near Holt's Godowns with hot air from a glowing blaze of firewood and oil, slowly stretched out the folds of the monster thing. In front of the intensely interested throng, it filled out and increased in size till its top was on a level with the roofs of the huge godowns. The spectators were on the tip-toe of expectancy. The ropes were seen to part then 'He's off' Hi Yah. The balloon rose rapidly and gracefully so straight that it seemed as if the aeronaut (Mr. Ivy Baldwin) would make his descent from where he rose. In two minutes the balloon was a tiny thing against the sky. Necks were strained backwards, the man was just a dot below the sphere.
"His movements could scarcely be seen, but in a second he detached himself, and the balloon overturning emitted clouds of smoke. Some thought it had caught fire. It had been on fire before the ascent began, but there was no fire now and it was only letting loose in little clouds the smoke which had filled it.
"In a few ticks of the watch the parachute had spread like an umbrella, and it gave the spectators a thrill of pleasure to see the aeronaut confidently wave a hand to them as he rapidly zig-zagged downwards. Attention was diverted from the balloon as the aeronaut sailed over the harbour, and there was a rush to the waterfront to see the end.
"He struck the water some hundreds of yards from the shore with a splash and was promptly picked up by one of the harbour launches. In case of accident he had provided himself with a life preserver. He was landed close by Holt's Wharves none the worse for his immersion, smilingly remarking to a lady admirer as he passed by that it was 'wet in the water'."
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Page 31
CONTINUATION.
me name
It is interesting to find that an individual of the sa-
presumably the same man, or else his brother, who had stunted with him in 1891, visited the Colony atthe begin ning of 1910 and gave another ballooning exhibition. loon as usual with such circus showS was inflated with hot ait.
The date marrks the period when these events were passing out of fashion. I shall take the newspaper account
of the time,
The bal-
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In its issue of January 31, 1910, the S. C. M. Post reports :-
" All roads led to the scene of the balloon ascent on Saturday afternoon. It is difficult to make an estimate of the number of spectators but they were thre in their thousands. The vacant piece of ground opposite Victoria View (Now the site of the Peninsula Hotel ) was densely packed, Signal Hill carried a piccuresque weight upon its shoul- ders theroof and sides of Holt's Godowns were like a rookery the enclosure from which the ascent was made contained hundreds of payers, launches and yathes manoeuvred in the harbour opposite, ships at anchor had their quota of spec- cators on Hongkong overal mile away crowds assembled ten deep.
"The balloon was inflated near Holt's Godowns of. lot air from a glowing blaze of firewood and oil slowly stret- ched out the folds of the monster thing. In front of the intensely interested throng, it filled out and increased in size till its top was on a level with the roofs of the huge godwons. The ppectators were on the tip-toe of ex- pextancy. The ropes were seen to part then " He's off " Hi Yah. The balloon rose rapidly and gracefully so straight that it seemed as if the aeronaut (Mr. Ivy Baldwin ) would make his descent from where he rose. In two minute the bal- loon was a biny thing aginst the sky. Necks were strained backwards the man was just a dot below the spere.
"His movements could scarcely be seen, but in a second he detached himslef, and the balloon overturning emiited clouds of smoke. Some thought it had caught fire It had been tire before the ascent begay but there was no fire now and it was only letting loose in little clouds the smoke which had filled it.
" In a few ticks of the watch the parachute had spread Like an umbrella, and it gave the spectators a thrill of pleasure to see the aeronaut confidently wave a hand to them as he rapidly zig-zagged downwards. Attention was dever ted from the balloon as the aeronaut sailed over the harbour, and there was a rush to the waterfront to see the end.
" He struck the water some hundreds of yards from the s hore with a splash and was promptly picked up by one of the harbour launches. In case of accident he had pro- vided himself with a life preserver. He was landed close by Holt's Wharves none the worse for his immersion smilingly remarking to a lday admirer as he passed by that it was ret in the water.
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