Thomas Baldwin

“ The Accumulation of these Vapours, before they are formed into Clouds, are often so great as to intercept the Sun’s Rays, or dye them the Colour of Blood: an Appearance frequent in Virginia, and also throughout the torrid Zone.
In the Campania of Rome, for Instance, the Italians have a peculiar Name for such Kind of Weather, when the Sun is neither visible nor invisible: Il Sole si vede, e’ non si vede.
By Degrees the Hand is to be removed so as just to have a Glance of the Sun’s Limb. And it frequently happens that the Air is exceedingly hazy; tho’ not a Cloud appears above the Horizon. ”

“ Section 348.RULES for calculating the Height of Mountains, when applied to those elevated Stations in the Atmosphere attainable only by Means of the Balloon, will henceforward become more useful, and be more frequently practised: as the Lives of Aironauts may depend on a Knowledge of their Height above the Earth; which, not being determinable by Sight, in all Weathers, or at all Times, must be referred to the Barometer and Thermometers, they carry up with them. ”

“ And since the Height of the Atmosphere is computed by Halley at 45 Miles, and the Depth of the Ocean at an Average, but half a Mile; the Air will more easily and quickly obey the Attraction of the Moon and Sun, than the Tide of the Ocean: and, as it revolves in a Sphere which is about 100 Times larger than that of the Ocean, the Agitation and the Velocity of its Tide, will be something greater, in Proportion to its Elasticity, and inferior Density to the Water of the Ocean.⁠ [92]
221
290. The Weight of the Air must now be considered. ”

“ To which it may be answered, that if Clouds are not beside the Question; as it is not asserted that a single Column of Air presses from so great a Height to the Earth; (tho’ it be the Case in Squalls;) yet it is extremely difficult to determine whether Clouds move in a Direction exactly parallel to the Plane of the Horizon: and it is much more probable that they are in a perpetual Change, encreasing or melting; rising or falling, according to the Pressure and specific Gravity of the Medium in which they float ”

“ Having once remarked the foregoing Process at Leisure; the same may be seen over any open Vessel of Water just warm enough to emit visible Steam: but the Air shoud be as still and calm as possible: the Steam never rising from all Parts of the Surface at once; but a depressing Spunge of Air always descends to the Surface, the Instant a Lamina of Vapour has been detached. ”

“ If, in the Middle of a hot sunny Day, Vapours lighter than the Air, were to rise from the Ocean, (which they will continue to do, in hollow Vesicles or Bladders, till the Expansion breaks the Bubble, at which Time the Water woud fall to the Earth, if not drank up by the Attraction of dry Spunges of Air;) there woud be a constant Wind blowing from Land to Sea, to fill up the Chasm: but at such Time, the Land is more heated than the Sea: therefore hot Air and Vapour arise from both; and the Breeze, on the contrary, blows from Sea to Land ”

“ Nor does the Depth below the Clouds give an Idea of Distance. On the contrary, the smooth chequered Lawns which form the Surface of the Earth, are presented to the Eye, as on a Level with the Clouds themselves: at least come up to their undersides, and appear so much a Part of them; that the Clouds occupy the Place of Earth: and the Aironaut seems able to descend from the Car upon the Clouds, and to walk from Side to Side over the empty Space, as over a Sheet of transparent Ice, across a River, whose Depth is equal to the small but indefinite Thickness of the Clouds. ”

“ To strive against the Stream is proverbially impossible: and it woud be literally so, to attempt by any Kind of Machinery to force the large Surface of a Balloon, with any Degree of Velocity, against a Stream of air. ”

“ To know whether the Air is hazy, tho’ the Sun continues shining.
The Method taken for that Purpose was by placing the Hand so as to cover his Disk or Body, and then observe the Glory blazing round him; which may, in general, be seen to issue in great Abundance, in Rays of a golden Colour: occasioned by a Haziness or Vapour which pervades the lower Regions of the Air, most frequently in the hottest and calmest Weather, and in the hottest Climates. ”

“ CHAPTER LVI. NEW MODE OF ASCENT, TO DETERMINE THE INSTANT THE BALLOON IS ARRIVED AT ANY GIVEN HEIGHT: TO MEASURE THE HEIGHTS: AND TO ESTIMATE THE DENSITIES OF THE AIR AT THE GIVEN HEIGHTS. ALSO, A METHOD OF ASCENDING TO A FIXED BAROMETRIC HEIGHT: THERE TO REMAIN SUSPENDED IN EQUILIBRIO. Section 299. PREVIOUS to the Ascent, provide a Cord, which shall have sufficient Strength to support twice its own Weight, when so great a Quantity of it is coiled together, as, if extended, woud measure half a Mile or a Mile.
Weigh the whole Coil, or any Number of Yards, so as to obtain the whole Weight. ”

“ The Fluctuation of the Barometer, he imagined to arise from continued Exertions of the Gass within the Balloon, opposed by the atmospheric Air, which varying in Density and Temperature woud give an unequal Resistance to the Balloon: and both Gass and Air being elastic, the Power of Ascent would act by Intervals, and communicate its Pulsations to the Quicksilver in the Tube. His own irregular Motions in the Car would increase the Fluctuation. ”

“ Moist Air over Water being generally cooler than over the adjacent Land, will, so long as the Gass continues at its former Temperature, assist and raise the Balloon thus moving into a denser Stratum: but no sooner is the Balloon contracted by the external Cold, than it descends into a Medium of Air, whose specific Gravity is proportionable to the contracted Bulk of the Balloon, and rests when equal to it. ”

“ WHOEVER consults Antiquity,⁠ [54] or is acquainted with modern Mèteorism, will ascent to the Truth of the Facts there recited, viz. That the Storms of dispersion called Prester-John, and Ox-Eye over Table Bay at the Cape of Good-Hope (not to mention those of collection, as Whirlwinds⁠ [55] and Waterspouts;) descend on Sea and Land from the middle Regions of the Air, often perpendicularly downwards: and then blow violently from a Center, to all Parts of the Compass at once: a necessary Consequence of their beating forcibly upon the Land or Water. ”

“ The Wind would more frequently be perceived to descend and rebound upwards, (Trials of which might be made by holding an Umbrella, extended at right Angles with its Axis, upright in the Hand;) if the same Opportunity offered, of opposing as great a Surface to it in a perpendicular, as is every Day done, in an horizontal Direction: for in walking, the whole Height of the Body, and half its Surface, is opposed horizontally to the Wind: but the Head only, which is covered, is opposed to the perpendicular Pressure. ”

“ The Sea-Breeze, being counterpoised by Descent of the etherial Air, produces a calm.
The same Author likewise says, that “the Clouds begin to gather about 2 or 3 o’Clock in the Afternoon at the Mountains, and do not embody first in the Air, and after settle there, but settle first and embody there: the rest of the Sky being clear till Sun-set. So that they do not pass near the Earth in a Body, and only stop where they meet with Parts of the Earth elevated above the rest; but precipitate from a very great Height, and in Particles of an exceeding rarified Nature ”

“ In the same Manner that Curls and Streams of Air descended into the Bason over the rising Steam, and interrupted the Regularity of its Elevation; in the larger Towns, during Winter (the Weather being moderate) the Pressure of Air on all Sides, from without, produces a constant Breeze towards the Center of the Town: as may be discovered, not only by the Smoke in its Deviation from the Perpendicular, as it issues from the Chimneys; but by all who are inclined to make the Trial; for, on leaving the Town, they will meet the Breeze. ”

“ The surrounding Air is instantly contracted by Condensation, during the Absence of the Sun’s Rays, and therefore occupies a less Space: fresh Air is received, and as instantly dispersed by Expansion towards those Parts, which are the warmest, i. e. where there is least Resistance: so that a gentle216 Breeze is constantly kept up, probably by a Depression from above.⁠ [86]
281. Analagous to this, are those Winds which generally rise early and die away at Sunset: the nocturnal Condensation of the Air being sufficient for the reception: as Air suffers some Compression without Tumult. ”

“ The Strength of the Rope, or Cable, if its Length does not exceed 10 or 12 Yards, ought to be such as to support a weight, greater than the Weight of the Balloon and it’s Appendages, for the Resistance made by the Grapple against the Balloon acted on by the Wind is immediate: The Rope ought therefore to be made of Indian-Gut, as most elastic, or Silk, as lightest. ”

“ Ships, which have the Aid of an Element 800 Times denser than the air, are obliged to wait in Port, till the Wind is favourable. But neither is this considered as an Argument against maritime Navigation: nor does the Perfection of the Balloon require its Ascent in a Storm: tho’ the Preference due to the Balloon, on such Occasion, woud be decisive in its Favour: as the latter woud presently surmount the Wind, and lie to, in the calm Air above it. ”

“ As every Circumstance in the Order of Nature is so admirably contrived that each apparent Inconvenience rectifies itself; in heavy211 Winds continuing to blow from a cold Point; the Construction of the Atmosphere is such, that the warm light Air from the opposite Points will necessarily rise up and flow over the cold Stratum, and by their Tendency to an Equilibrium, will produce an Air less cold, before the same Wind is exhausted. ”

“ Now, besides the mutual Affinity that Water has to almost all Kinds of Air, and to Floguiston; added to its Power of Absorption; and as the sea, particularly in Summer, also rivers and damp meadows are generally cooler than the Lands and Countries bordering on them; Currents of damp cool Air press forwards to supply the Defect or Vacancy caused by Heat, Rarefaction and Elevation of dry warm Air, which is necessarily, and almost constantly rising into the Atmosphere, from heated Lands, Plains, and gentle Eminences long shone on by the Sun. ”

“ During the first Inflation, the solid oblong wooden Plug fell into one of the fermenting Vessels: the hot Vapour, forcibly issuing from the Orifice, was condensed in the Form of a white Smoke; which being mistaken by the Company, a Cry was immediately heard of Fire, Fire: on which the Workmen retreated. Mr. Lunardi incautiously thrust his Arm into the Orifice to extract the Plug: at the same Time being much burnt, and failing in the Attempt; the Gass continued to escape, till a new Plug was prepared. ”

“ The Balloon, as far as it is meant to resemble the upper Part of the Fish, is to be made stiff, with Pasteboard or Papier-mâchè varnished; for, being strong, and in a permanent Form, it is more capable of continuing Air-tight: the lower Parts being flaccid, will be inflated, as the Balloon rises, and deflated during the Descent.
Rowers, and propulsive Machinery, are to be fixed within the Fish, in Place of the Fins: and Goods of greater Weight placed in a covered Car below: the Air-Bottle-Balloon being fixed between both. ”

“ In calm Weather, during Summer, the contrary Event happens: but more particularly in hot Climates. For the Country being hotter than the Town; a Depression of the Atmosphere takes Place, and scatters the Smoke on all Sides round the Town. ”

“ Such are the Scenes which, Ballooners all allow, constitute the true Sublime and Beautiful: inspire Ideas of rational Humiliation to a thinking Mind, and raise the most careless Mortal to an unknown Degree of enthusiastic Rapture and Pleasure. ”

“ In order to investigate the Theory of Depression; it may not be unacceptable, particularly to those who have not had Leisure to peruse the Experiments on Air, by Dr. Priestley, or the Collection on the same Subject by Cavallo;—just to extract a few short Quotations, on the chemical Affinities of Air and Water. ”

“ Section 28.AT 40 Minutes past I, the Balloon having a Levity which not less than 20 Pounds Weight woud counterpoise, Mr. Baldwin was liberated by the Hands of Mr. Lunardi, who suffered no one to approach the Car: and he ascended, amidst Acclamations mixed with Tears of Delight and Apprehension, the Misgivings of Humanity, and other usual Sensations of Surprize, which, in a brilliant and numerous Assembly, will long continue to accompany a Spectacle so novel interesting and awful, as that of seeing a Fellow Mortal separated in a Moment from the Earth, and rushing to the Skies. ”

“ By adding Weights, and encreasing the Surface of Anemòmeter-Sails; the Vis Inertiæ will become so powerful in the Direction of the resisting Medium of the Air; that the Wind in the opposite Direction will force the Balloon out of its Vertical, and incline it to the Horizon. The Car will be a Fulcrum Axis or Center of Motion: on an imaginary Point of which, as on a Pivot, the Balloon and Sails will turn opposite Ways, balancing each other in every Situation. ”

“ Cavendish, Priestley, and others, had produced inflammable Air, weighed, and found it lighter than common Air: and all that had seen a bright Fire might conclude, if they reasoned at all, that hot Air was lighter than cold.
Yet if Montgolfier had not made, on a large scale the Application of hot Air, in a Bag open at the Bottom, and properly poised; Charles and Roberts woud probably not have thought of applying the Gass of Cavendish: and Mankind woud not yet have soared into the etherial Regions. ”

“ Section 222.QUERE: As Red is the heaviest and Blue the lightest Colour; and as red Rays blended at a certain Angle with blue Rays, produce Opacity: further; as red173 is the predominant Colour reflected from Water, while in the Form of dense Cloud, for Instance at the Rising and Setting of the Sun; and blue the Colour always reflected from the light Medium of Air or Sky; Does not this Mixture of least and most refrangible Rays, which, when aided with the intermediate primary ones, causes a Transparency near and round the Eye of a Spectator placed either on Earth or among the Clouds ”

“ If the Aironaut perceives by the Rise of the Barometer, that the Balloon descends; he may throw out a little Ballast, (perhaps a Pound or two) , and then wind up his Balancer, or suffer it to remain at any Length, at his Option.
312. By keeping the Balloon at a given Height only; no Gass is expended in preventing the necessary Tendency of Balloons to a perpetual Elevation: also, during the self Descent of the Balloon; by opening the Air-Bottle, the Aironaut will supersede the Necessity of throwing out Ballast, for a Re-ascent. ”