k　in　hand。　　But　here　a　fatal　obstacle　presented　itself　in　lack　of　funds；　for　it　transpired　that　the　grant　voted　was　only　to　be　devoted　to　trial　ascents。
  It　was　then　that　Mr。　Coxwell；　with　characteristic　enterprise；　undertook；　at　his　own　cost；　to　build　a　suitable　balloon；　and；　moreover；　to　have　it　ready　by　Midsummer　Day。　　It　was　a　bold；　as　well　as　a　generous；　offer；　for　it　was　now　March；　and；　according　to　Mr。　Coxwell's　statement；　if　silk　were　employed；　the　preparation　and　manufacture　would　occupy　six　months　and　cost　not　less　than　L2；000。　　The　fabric　chosen　was　a　sort　of　American　cloth；　and　by　unremitting　efforts　the　task　was　performed　to　time；　and　the　balloon　forwarded　to　Wolverhampton；　its　dimensions　being　55　feet　in　diameter；　80　feet　in　height　from　the　ground；　with　a　capacity　of　93；000　cubic　feet。　　But　the　best　feature　in　connection　with　it　was　the　fact　that　Mr。　Glaisher　himself　was　to　make　the　ascents　as　scientific　observer。
  No　time　was　lost　in　getting　to　work；　but　twice　over　the　chosen　days　were　unsuitable；　and　it　was　not　till　July　17th　that　the　two　colleagues；　of　whom　so　much　is　to　be　told；　got　away　at　9。30　a。m。　with　their　balloon　only　two…thirds　full；　to　allow　of　expansion　to　take　place　in　such　a　lofty　ascent　as　was　contemplated。　　And；　when　it　is　considered　that　an　altitude　of　five　miles　was　reached；　it　will　be　granted　that　the　scientific　gentleman　who　was　making　his　maiden　ascent　that　day　showed　remarkable　endurance　and　tenacity　of　purposethe　all…important　essential　for　the　onerous　and　trying　work　before　him。　　At　9。56　the　balloon　had　disappeared　from　sight；　climbing　far　into　the　sky　in　the　E。N。E。　　The　story　of　the　voyage　we　must　leave　in　Mr。　Glaisher's　hands。　　Certain　events；　however；　associated　with　other　aeronauts；　which　had　already　happened；　and　which　should　be　considered　in　connection　with　the　new　drama　now　to　be　introduced；　may　fittingly　here　meet　with　brief　mention。
  The　trouble　arising　from　the　coasting　across　country　of　a　fallen　and　still　half…inflated　balloon　has　already　been　sufficiently　illustrated；　and　needs　little　further　discussion。　　It　is　common　enough　to　see　a　balloon；　when　full　and　round；　struggling　restively　under　a　moderate　breeze　with　a　score　of　men；　and　dragging　them；　and　near　a　ton　of　sand…bags　as　well；　about　the　starting　ground。　　But；　as　has　already　been　pointed　out；　the　power　of　the　wind　on　the　globe　is　vastly　increased　when　the　silk　becomes　slack　and　forms　a　hollow　to　hold　the　wind；　like　a　bellying　sail。　　Various　means　to　deal　with　this　difficulty　have　been　devised；　one　of　these　being　an　emergency；　or　ripping　valve；　in　addition　to　the　ordinary　valve；　consisting　of　an　arrangement　for　tearing　a　large　opening　in　the　upper　part　of　one　of　the　gores；　so　that　on　reaching　earth　the　balloon　may　be　immediately　crippled　and　emptied　of　so　large　a　quantity　of　gas　as　to　render　dragging　impossible。　　Such　a　method　is　not　altogether　without　drawbacks；　one　of　these　being　the　confusion　liable　to　arise　from　there　being　more　than　one　valve　line　to　reckon　with。　　To　obviate　this；　it　has　been　suggested　that　the　emergency　line　should　be　of　a　distinctive　colour。
  But　an　experiment　with　a　safeguard　to　somewhat　of　this　nature　was　attended　with　fatal　consequence　in　the　year　1824。　　A　Mr。　Harris；　a　lieutenant　in　the　British　Navy；　ascended　from　the　Eagle　Tavern；　City　Road；　with　a　balloon　fitted　with　a　contrivance　of　his　own　invention；　consisting　of　a　large　hinged　upper　valve；　having　within　it　a　smaller　valve　of　the　same　description；　the　idea　being　that；　should　the　operation　of　the　smaller　outlet　not　suffice　for　any　occasion；　then　the　shutter　of　the　larger　opening　might　be　resorted　to；　to　effect　a　more　liberal　discharge　of　gas。
  Mr。　Harris　took　with　him　a　young　lady；　Miss　Stocks　by　name；　and　apparently　the　afternoonit　being　late　May　was　favourable　for　an　aerial　voyage；　for；　with　full　reliance　on　his　apparatus；　he　left　his　grapnel　behind；　and　was　content　with　such　assistance　as　the　girl　might　be　able　to　render　him。　　It　was　not　long　before　the　balloon　was　found　descending；　and　with　a　rapidity　that　seemed　somewhat　to　disturb　the　aeronaut；　and　when；　after　a　re…ascent；　effected　by　a　discharge　of　ballast；　another　decided　downward　tendency　ensued；　Mr。　Harris　clearly　realised　that　something　was　wrong；　without；　however；　divining　the　cause。　　The　story　subsequently　told　by　the　girl　was　to　the　effect　that　when　the　balloon　was　descending　the　second　time　she　was　spoken　to　by　her　unfortunate　companion　in　an　anxious　manner。　　〃I　then　heard　the　balloon　go　'Clap！　clap！'　and　Mr。　Harris　said　he　was　afraid　it　was　bursting；　at　which　I　fainted；　and　knew　no　more　until　I　found　myself　in　bed。〃　　A　gamekeeper　tells　the　sequel；　relating　that　he　observed　the　balloon；　which　was　descending　with　great　velocity；　strike　and　break　the　head　of　an　oak　tree；　after　which　it　also　struck　the　ground。　　Hurrying　up；　he　found　the　girl　insensible；　and　Mr。　Harris　already　dead；　with　his　breast　bone　and　several　ribs　broken。　　The　explanation　of　the　accident　given　by　Mr。　Edward　Spencer　is　alike　convincing　and　instructive。　　This　eminently　practical　authority　points　out　that　the　valve　lines　must　have　been　made　taut　to　the　hoop　at　the　time　that　the　balloon　was　full　and　globular。　　Thus；　subsequently；　when　from　diminution　of　gas　the　balloon's　shape　elongated；　the　valve　line　would　become　strained　and　begin　to　open　the　valve；　but　in　such　a　gradual　manner　as　to　escape　the　notice　of　the　aeronaut。　　Miss　Stocks；　far　from　being　unnerved　by　the　terrible　experience；　actually　made　three　subsequent　ascents　in　company　with　Mr。　Green。
  It　deserves　mention　that　another　disaster；　equally　instructive；　but　happily　not　attended　with　loss　of　life；　occurred　in　Dublin　in　1844　to　Mr。　Hampton；　who　about　this　time　made　several　public　and　enterprising　voyages。　　He　evidently　was　possessed　of　admirable　nerve　and　decision；　and　did　not　hesitate　to　make　an　ascent　from　the　Porto…Bello　Gardens　in　face　of　strong　wind　blowing　sea…wards；　and　in　spite　of　many　protestations　from　the　onlookers　that　he　was　placing　himself　in　danger。　　This　danger　he　fully　realised；　more　particularly　when　he　recognised　that　the　headland　on　which　he　hoped　to　alight　was　not　in　the　direction　of　the　wind's　course。　　Resolved；　however；　on　gratifying　the　crowd；　Mr。　Hampton　ascended　rapidly；　and　then　with　equal　expedition　commenced　a　precipitate　descent；　which　he　accomplished　with　skill　and　without　mishap。　　But　the　wind　was　still　boisterous；　and　the　balloon　sped　onward　along　the　ground　towards　fresh　danger　unforeseen；　and　perhaps　not　duly　reckoned　with。　　Ahead　was　a　cottage；　the　chimney　of　which　was　on　fire。　　A　balloonist　in　these　circumstances　is　apt　to　think　little　of　a　single　small　object　in　his　way；　knowing　how　many　are　the　chances　of　missing　or　of　successfully　negotiating　any　such　obstacle。　　The　writer　on　one　occasion　was；　in　the　judgment　of　onlookers　below；　drifting　in　dangerous　proximity　to　the　awful　Cwmavon　stack　in　Glamorganshire；　then　in　full　blast；　yet　it　was　a　fact　that　that　vast　vent　of　flame　and　smoke　passed　almost　unheeded　by　the　party　in　the　descending　car。　　It　may　have　been　thus；　also；　with　Mr。　Hampton；　who　only　fully　realised　his　danger　when　his　balloon　blew　up　〃with　an　awfully　grand　explosion；〃　and　he　was　reduced　to　the　extremity　of　jumping　for　his　life；　happily　escaping　the　mass　of　burning　silk　and　ropes。
  The　awful　predicament　of　falling　into　the　sea；　which　has　been　illustrated　already；　and　which　will　recur　again　in　these　pages；　was　ably　and　successfully　met　by　Mr。　Cunningham；　who　made　an　afternoon　ascent　from　the　Artillery　Barracks　at　Clevedon；　reaching　Snake　Island　at　nightfall；　where；　owing　to　the　gathering　darkness；　he　felt　constrained　to　open　his　valve。　　He　quickly　commenced　descending　into　the　sea；　and　when　within　ten　feet　of　the　water；　turned　the　〃detaching　screw〃　which　connected　the　car　with　the　balloon。　　The　effect　of　this　was　at　once　to　launch　him　on　the　waves；　but；　being　still　able　to　keep　control　over　the　valve；　he　allowed　just　enough　gas　to　remain　within　the　silk　to　hold　the　balloon　above　water。　　He　then　betook　himself　to　the　paddles　with　which　his　craft　was　provided；　and　reached　Snake　Island　with　the　balloon　in　tow。　　Here　he　seems　to　have　found　good　use　for　a　further　portion　of　his　very　complete　equipment；　for；　lighting　a　signal　rocket；　he　presently　brought　a　four…oared　gig　to　his　succour　from　Portsmouth　Harbour。
  The　teaching　of　the　above　incident　is　manifest　enough。　　If　it　should　be　contemplated　to　use　the　balloon　for　serious　or　lengthened　travel　anywhere　within　possible　reach　of　the　sea…boardand　this　must　apply　to　all　parts　of　the　British　Islesit　must　become　a　wise　precaution；　if　not　an　absolute　necessity；　to　adopt　some　form　of　car　that　would　be　of　avail　in　the　event　of　a　fall　taking　place　in　the　sea。　　Sufficient　confirmation　of　this　statement　will　be　shortly　afforded　by　a　memorable　voyage　accomplished　during　the　partnership　of　Messrs。　　Glaisher　and　Coxwell；　one　which　would　certainly　have　found　the　travellers　in　far　less　jeopardy　had　their　car　been　convertible　into　a　boat。　　We　have　already　seen　how　essential　Wise　considered　this　expedient　in　his　own　bolder　schemes；　and　it　may　further　be　mentioned　here　that　modern　air　ships　have　been　designed　with　the　intention　of　making　the　water　a　perfectly　safe　landing。