ht　a　current；　on　which　it　was　rapidly　carried　towards　and　over　the　main　land；　and；　when　twelve　miles　beyond　Dieppe；　it　became　easy　to　descend　to　a　lower　level　by　manipulation　of　the　valve；　and　finally　to　make　a　successful　landing　in　open　country　beyond。
  A　few　years　before；　an　attempt　to　cross　the　Channel　from　the　other　side　ended　far　more　disastrously。　　Jules　　Duruof；　already　mentioned　as　having　piloted　the　first　runaway　balloon　from　beleaguered　Paris；　had　determined　on　an　attempt　to　cross　over　to　England　from　Calais；　and；　duly　advertising　the　event；　a　large　concourse　assembled　on　the　day　announced；　clamouring　loudly　for　the　ascent。　　But　the　wind　proved　unsuitable；　setting　out　over　the　North　Sea；　and　the　mayor　thought　fit　to　interfere；　and　had　the　car　removed　so　as　to　prevent　proceedings。　On　this　the　crowd　grew　impatient；　and　Duruof；　determining　to　keep　faith　with　them；　succeeded　by　an　artifice　in　regaining　his　car；　which　he　hastily　carried　back　to　the　balloon；　and　immediately　taking　his　seat；　and　accompanied　by　his　wife；　the　intrepid　pair　commenced　their　bold　flight　just　as　the　shades　of　evening　were　settling　down。　　Shortly　the　balloon　disappeared　into　the　gathering　darkness；　and　then　for　three　days　Calais　knew　no　more　of　balloon　or　balloonists。
  Neither　could　the　voyagers　see　aught　for　certain　of　their　own　course；　and　thus　through　the　long　night　hours　their　attention　was　wholly　needed；　without　chance　of　sleep；　in　closely　watching　their　situation；　lest　unawares　they　should　be　borne　down　on　the　waves。　　When　morning　broke　they　discovered　that　they　were　still　being　carried　out　over　the　sea　on　a　furious　gale；　being　apparently　off　the　Danish　coast；　with　the　distant　mountains　of　Norway　dimly　visible　on　the　starboard　bow。　　It　was　at　this　point；　and　possibly　owing　to　the　chill　commonly　experienced　aloft　soon　after　dawn；　that　the　balloon　suddenly　took　a　downward　course　and　plunged　into　the　sea；　happily；　however；fairly　in　the　track　of　vessels。　　Presently　a　ship　came　in　sight；　but　cruelly　kept　on　its　course；　leaving　the　castaways　in　despair；　with　their　car　fast　succumbing　to　the　waves。
  Help；　nevertheless；　was　really　at　hand。　　The　captain　of　an　English　fishing　smack；　the　Grand　Charge；　had　sighted　the　sinking　balloon；　and　was　already　bearing　down　to　the　rescue。　　It　is　said　that　when；　at　length；　a　boat　came　alongside　as　near　as　it　was　possible；　Madame　Duruof　was　unable　to　make　the　necessary　effort　to　jump　on　board；　and　her　husband　had　to　throw　her　into　the　arms　of　the　sailors。　　A　fitting　sequel　to　the　story　comes　from　Paris；　where　the　heroic　couple；　after　a　sojourn　in　England；　were　given　a　splendid　reception　and　a　purse　of　money；　with　which　M。　Duruof　forthwith　constructed　a　new　balloon；　named　the　〃Ville　de　Calais。〃
  On　the　4th　of　March；　1882；　the　ardent　amateur　balloonist；　Mr。　Simmons；　had　a　narrow　escape　in　circumstances　somewhat　similar　to　the　above。　　He　was　attempting；　in　company　with　Colonel　Brine；　to　cross　the　Channel　from　Canterbury；　when　a　change　of　wind　carried　them　out　towards　the　North　Sea。　　Falling　in　the　water；　they　abandoned　their　balloon；　but　were　rescued　by　the　mail　packet　Foam。
  The　same　amateur　aeronaut　met　with　an　exciting　experience　not　long　after；　when　in　company　with　Sir　Claude　C。　de　Crespigny。　The　two　adventurers　left　Maldon；　in　Essex；　at　11　p。m。；　on　an　August　night；　and；　sailing　at　a　great　height　out　to　sea；　lost　all　sight　of　land　till　6　a。m。　the　next　morning；　when；　at　17；000　feet　altitude；　they　sighted　the　opposite　coast　and　descended　in　safety　near　Flushing。
  Yet　another　adventure　at　sea；　and　one　which　proved　fatal　and　unspeakably　regrettable；　occurred　about　this　time；　namely；　on　the　10th　of　December；　1881；　when　Captain　Templer；　Mr。　W。　Powell；　M。P。；　and　Mr。　Agg…Gardner　ascended　from　Bath。　　We　prefer　to　give　the　account　as　it　appears　in　a　leading　article　in　the　Times　for　December　13th　of　that　year。
  After　sailing　over　Glastonbury；　〃Crewkerne　was　presently　sighted；　then　Beaminster。　　The　roar　of　the　sea　gave　the　next　indication　of　the　locality　to　which　the　balloon　had　drifted　and　the　first　hint　of　the　possible　perils　of　the　voyage。　　A　descent　was　now　effected　to　within　a　few　hundred　feet　of　earth；　and　an　endeavour　was　made　to　ascertain　the　exact　position　they　had　reached。　　The　course　taken　by　the　balloon　between　Beaminster　and　the　sea　is　not　stated　in　Captain　Templer's　letter。　　The　wind；　as　far　as　we　can　gather；　must　have　shifted；　or　different　currents　of　air　must　have　been　found　at　the　different　altitudes。　　What　Captain　Templer　says　is　that　they　coasted　along　to　Symonsbury；　passing；　it　would　seem；　in　an　easterly　direction　and　keeping　still　very　near　to　the　earth。　　Soon　after　they　had　left　Symonsbury；　Captain　Templer　shouted　to　a　man　below　to　tell　them　how　far　they　were　from　Bridport；　and　he　received　for　answer　that　Bridport　was　about　a　mile　off。　　The　pace　at　which　the　balloon　was　moving　had　now　increased　to　thirty…five　miles　an　hour。　　The　sea　was　dangerously　close；　and　a　few　minutes　in　a　southerly　current　of　air　would　have　been　enough　to　carry　them　over　it。　　They　seem；　however；　to　have　been　confident　in　their　own　powers　of　management。　　They　threw　out　ballast；　and　rose　to　a　height　of　1；500　feet；　and　thence　came　down　again　only　just　in　time；　touching　the　ground　at　a　distance　of　about　150　yards　from　the　cliff。　　The　balloon　here　dragged　for　a　few　feet；　and　Captain　Templer；　who　had　been　letting　off　the　gas；　rolled　out　of　the　car；　still　holding　the　valve　line　in　his　hand。　　This　was　the　last　chance　of　a　safe　escape　for　anybody。　　The　balloon；　with　its　weight　lightened；　went　up　about　eight　feet。　　Mr。　Agg…Gardner　dropped　out　and　broke　his　leg。　　Mr。　Powell　now　remained　as　the　sole　occupant　of　the　car。　　Captain　Templer；　who　had　still　hold　of　the　rope；　shouted　to　Mr。　Powell　to　come　down　the　line。　　This　he　attempted　to　do；　but　in　a　few　seconds；　and　before　he　could　commence　his　perilous　descent；　the　line　was　torn　out　of　Captain　Templer's　hands。　　All　communication　with　the　earth　was　cut　off；　and　the　balloon　rose　rapidly；　taking　Mr。　Powell　with　it　in　a　south…easterly　direction　out　to　sea。〃
  It　was　a　few　seasons　previous　to　this；　namely；　on　the　8th　of　July；　1874；　when　Mr。　Simmons　was　concerned　in　a　balloon　fatality　of　a　peculiarly　distressing　nature。　　A　Belgian；　Vincent　de　Groof；　styling　himself　the　〃Flying　Man；〃　announced　his　intention　of　descending　in　a　parachute　from　a　balloon　piloted　by　Mr。　Simmons；　who　was　to　start　from　Cremorne　Gardens。　　The　balloon　duly　ascended；　with　De　Groof　in　his　machine　suspended　below；　and　when　over　St。　Luke's　Church；　and　at　a　height　estimated　at　80　feet；　it　is　thought　that　the　unfortunate　man　overbalanced　himself　after　detaching　his　apparatus；　and　fell　forward；　clinging　to　the　ropes。　　The　machine　failed　to　open；　and　De　Groof　was　precipitated　into　Robert　Street；　Chelsea；　expiring　almost　immediately。　　The　porter　of　Chelsea　Infirmary；　who　was　watching　the　balloon；　asserted　that　he　fancied　the　falling　man　called　out　twice；　〃Drop　into　the　churchyard；　look　out！〃　　Mr。　Simmons；　shooting　upwards　in　his　balloon；　thus　suddenly　lightened；　to　a　great　height；　became　insensible；　and　when　he　recovered　consciousness　found　himself　over　Victoria　Park。　　He　made　a　descent；　without　mishap；　on　a　line　of　railway　in　Essex。
  On　the　19th　of　August；　1887；　occurred　an　important　total　eclipse　of　the　sun；　the　track　of　which　lay　across　Germany；　Russia；　Western　Siberia；　and　Japan。　　At　all　suitable　stations　along　the　shadow　track　astronomers　from　all　parts　of　the　world　established　themselves；　but　at　many　eclipses　observers　had　had　bad　fortune　owing　to　the　phenomenon　at　the　critical　moment　being　obscured。　　And　on　this　account　one　astronomer　determined　on　measures　which　should　render　his　chances　of　a　clear　view　a　practical　certainty。　　Professor　Mendeleef；　in　Russia；　resolved　to　engage　a　balloon；　and　by　rising　above　the　cloud　barrier；　should　there　be　one；　to　have　the　eclipse　all　to　himself。　　It　was　an　example　of　fine　enthusiasm；　which；　moreover；　was　presently　put　to　a　severe　and　unexpected　test；　for　the　balloon；　when　inflated；　proved　unable　to　take　up　both　the　aeronaut　and　the　astronomer；　whereupon　the　latter；　though　wholly　inexperienced；　had　no　alternative　but　to　ascend　alone；　which；　either　by　accident　or　choice；　he　actually　did。　　Shooting　up　into　space；　he　soon　reached　an　altitude　of　11；500　feet；　where　he　obtained；　even　if　he　did　not　enjoy；　an　unobstructed　view　of　the　Corona。　　It　may　be　supposed；　however；　that；　owing　to　the　novelty　of　his　situation；　his　scientific　observations　may　not　have　been　so　complete　as　they　would　have　been　on　terra　firma。
  In　the　same　month　an　attempt　to　reach　a　record　height　was　made　by　MM。　Jovis　and　Mallet　at　Paris；　with　the　net　result　that　an　elevation　of　23；000　feet　was　reached。　　It　will　have　been　noted　that　the　difficulty　through　physical　exhaustion　of　inhaling　oxygen　from　either　a　bag　or　cylinder　is　a　serious　matter　not　easily　overcome；　and　it　has　been　suggested　that　the　helmet　invented　by　M。　Fleuss　might　prove　of　value。　　This　contrivance；　which　has　scarcely　attracted　the　attention　it　has　merited；　provides　a　receptacle　for　respiration；　containing　oxygen　and　certain　purifying　media；　by　means　of　which　the　inventor　was　able　to　remain　for　hours　under　water　without　any　communication　with　the　outward　air。