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Wonderful Balloon Ascents; Or, The Conquest of the Skies
·
Fulgence Marion
42
depression
of
the
mercury,
the
position
in
which
the
aeronaut
finds
himself
in
the
atmosphere.
Charles
created
all
the
contrivances,
or,
in
other
words,
all
the
ingenious
precautions
which
make
up
the
art
of
aerostation.
On
the
26th
of
November,
the
balloon,
fitted
with
its
network,
and
having
the
car
attached
to
it,
was
sent
away
from
the
hall
of
the
Tuileries,
where
it
had
been
exhibited.
The
ascent
was
fixed
for
the
1st
of
December,
1783,
a
memorable
day
for
the
Parisians.
At
noon
upon
that
day,
the
subscribers,
who
had
paid
four
louis
for
their
seats,
took
their
places
within
the
enclosure
outside
the
circle,
in
which
stood
the
casks
employed
for
making
the
gas.
The
humbler
subscribers,
at
three
francs
a-head,
occupied
the
rest
of
the
garden.
The
number
of
spectators,
as
we
read
underneath
the
numerous
coloured
prints
which
represent
this
spectacle,
was
600,000;
but
though,
without
doubt,
the
gardens
of
the
Tuileries
are
very
large,
it
is
probable
this
figure
is
a
considerable
overstatement,
for
this
number
would
have
been
three-fourths
of
the
whole
population
of
Paris.
The
roofs
and
windows
of
the
houses
were
crowded,
whilst
the
Pont
Royal
and
the
square
of
Louis
XV.
were
covered
by
an
immense
multitude.
About
mid-day
a
rumour
was
spread
to
the
effect
that
the
king
forbade
the
ascent.
Charles
ran
to
the
Chief
Minister
of
State,
and
plainly
told
him
that
his
life
was
the
king’s,
but
his
honour
was
his
own:
his
word
was
pledged
to
the
country
and
he
would
ascend.
Taking
this
high
ground,
the
bold
professor
gained
an
unwilling
permission
to
carry
out
his
undertaking.
A
little
afterwards
the
sound
of
cannon
was
heard.
This
was
the
signal
which
announced
the
last
arrangements
and
thus
dissipated
all
doubt
as
to
the
rising
of
the
balloon,
There
had
during
the
day
been
considerable
disturbance
among
the
crowd,
between
the
partisans
of
Charles
and
Montgolfier;
each
party
extolled
its
hero,
and
did
everything
possible
to
detract
from
the
merits
of
the
rival
inventor.
But
whatever
ill-feeling
might
have
existed
was
swept
away
by
Professor
Charles
with
a
compliment.
When
he
was
ready
to
ascend,
he
walked
up
to
Montgolfier,
and,
with
the
true
instinct
of
French
politeness,
presented
him
with
a
little
balloon,
saying
at
the
same
time--
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