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1
128
Wonderful Balloon Ascents; Or, The Conquest of the Skies
·
Fulgence Marion
26
manner.
As
much
as
1,125
lbs.
of
iron
and
560
lbs.
of
sulphuric
acid
were
found
necessary
to
inflate
a
balloon
which
had
scarcely
a
lifting
power
of
22
lbs.,
and
the
process
of
filling
took
no
less
than
four
hours.
At
length,
however,
at
the
end
of
the
fourth
hour,
the
balloon,
composed
of
strips
of
silk,
coated
with
varnish,
floated,
two-thirds
full,
from
the
workshop
of
the
brothers
Robert.
On
the
morning
of
the
26th
of
August,
the
day
before
the
ascent
was
to
be
made,
the
balloon
was
visited
at
daybreak,
and
found
to
be
in
a
promising
state.
At
two
o’clock
on
the
following
morning
its
constructors
began
to
make
preparations
to
transport
it
to
the
Champ
de
Mars,
from
which
place
it
was
to
be
let
loose.
Skilled
workmen
were
employed
in
its
removal,
and
every
precaution
was
taken
that
the
gas
with
which
it
was
charged
should
not
be
allowed
to
escape.
In
the
meantime
the
excitement
of
the
people
about
this
wonderful
structure
was
rising
to
the
highest
pitch.
The
wagon
on
which
it
was
placed
for
removal
was
surrounded
on
all
sides
by
eager
multitudes,
and
the
night-patrols,
both
of
horse
and
foot,
which
were
set
to
guard
the
avenues
leading
to
where
it
lay,
were
quite
unable
to
stem
the
tide
of
human
beings
that
poured
along
to
get
a
glimpse
of
it.
The
conveyance
of
the
balloon
to
the
Champ
de
Mars
was
a
most
singular
spectacle.
A
vanguard,
with
lighted
torches,
preceded
it;
it
was
surrounded
by
special
attendants,
and
was
followed
by
detachments
of
night-patrols
on
foot
and
mounted.
The
size
and
shape
of
this
structure,
which
was
escorted
with
such
pomp
and
precaution--the
silence
that
prevailed--the
unearthly
hour,
all
helped
to
give
an
air
of
mystery
to
the
proceedings.
At
last,
having
passed
through
the
principal
thoroughfares,
it
arrived
at
the
Champ
de
Mars,
where
it
was
placed
in
an
enclosure
prepared
for
its
reception.
When
the
dawn
came,
and
the
balloon
had
been
fixed
in
its
place
by
cords,
attached
around
its
middle
and
fixed
to
iron
rings
planted
in
the
earth,
the
final
process
of
inflation
began.
The
Champ
de
Mars
was
guarded
by
troops,
and
the
avenues
were
also
guarded
on
all
sides.
As
the
day
wore
on
an
immense
crowd
covered
the
open
space,
and
every
advantageous
spot
in
the
neighborhood
was
crowded
with
people.
At
five
o’clock
the
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