It could be turned
      _flat_, and directed upwards or downwards, as well as to the
      right or left; and thus enabled the æronaut to transfer the
      resistance of the air which in an inclined position it must
      generate in its passage, to any side upon which he might desire
      to act; thus determining the balloon in the opposite direction. “This model (which, through want of time, we have necessarily
      described in an imperfect manner,) was put in action at the
      Adelaide Gallery, where it accomplished a velocity of five miles
      per hour; although, strange to say, it excited very little
      interest in comparison with the previous complex machine of Mr.
      Henson—so resolute is the world to despise anything which carries
      with it an air of simplicity. To accomplish the great desideratum
      of ærial navigation, it was very generally supposed that some
      exceedingly complicated application must be made of some
      unusually profound principle in dynamics. “So well satisfied, however, was Mr. Mason of the ultimate
      success of his invention, that he determined to construct
      immediately, if possible, a balloon of sufficient capacity to
      test the question by a voyage of some extent—the original design
      being to cross the British Channel, as before, in the Nassau
      balloon. To carry out his views, he solicited and obtained the
      patronage of Sir Everard Bringhurst and Mr. Osborne, two
      gentlemen well known for scientific acquirement, and especially
      for the interest they have exhibited in the progress of
      ærostation. The project, at the desire of Mr. Osborne, was kept a
      profound secret from the public—the only persons entrusted with
      the design being those actually engaged in the construction of
      the machine, which was built (under the superintendence of Mr.
      Mason, Mr. Holland, Sir Everard Bringhurst, and Mr. Osborne,) at
      the seat of the latter gentleman near Penstruthal, in Wales. Mr.
      Henson, accompanied by his friend Mr. Ainsworth, was admitted to
      a private view of the balloon, on Saturday last—when the two
      gentlemen made final arrangements to be included in the
      adventure. We are not informed for what reason the two seamen
      were also included in the party—but, in the course of a day or
      two, we shall put our readers in possession of the minutest
      particulars respecting this extraordinary voyage. “The balloon is composed of silk, varnished with the liquid gum
      caoutchouc. It is of vast dimensions, containing more than 40,000
      cubic feet of gas; but as coal gas was employed in place of the
      more expensive and inconvenient hydrogen, the supporting power of
      the machine, when fully inflated, and immediately after
      inflation, is not more than about 2500 pounds. The coal gas is
      not only much less costly, but is easily procured and managed. “For its introduction into common use for purposes of
      aerostation, we are indebted to Mr. Charles Green. Up to his
      discovery, the process of inflation was not only exceedingly
      expensive, but uncertain. Two, and even three days, have
      frequently been wasted in futile attempts to procure a
      sufficiency of hydrogen to fill a balloon, from which it had
      great tendency to escape, owing to its extreme subtlety, and its
      affinity for the surrounding atmosphere. In a balloon
      sufficiently perfect to retain its contents of coal-gas
      unaltered, in quantity or amount, for six months, an equal
      quantity of hydrogen could not be maintained in equal purity for
      six weeks. “The supporting power being estimated at 2500 pounds, and the
      united weights of the party amounting only to about 1200, there
      was left a surplus of 1300, of which again 1200 was exhausted by
      ballast, arranged in bags of different sizes, with their
      respective weights marked upon them—by cordage, barometers,
      telescopes, barrels containing provision for a fortnight,
      water-casks, cloaks, carpet-bags, and various other indispensable
      matters, including a coffee-warmer, contrived for warming coffee
      by means of slack-lime, so as to dispense altogether with fire,
      if it should be judged prudent to do so. All these articles, with
      the exception of the ballast, and a few trifles, were suspended
      from the hoop overhead. The car is much smaller and lighter, in
      proportion, than the one appended to the model. It is formed of a
      light wicker, and is wonderfully strong, for so frail looking a
      machine. Its rim is about four feet deep. The rudder is also very
      much larger, in proportion, than that of the model; and the screw
      is considerably smaller. The balloon is furnished besides with a
      grapnel, and a guide-rope; which latter is of the most
      indispensable importance. A few words, in explanation, will here
      be necessary for such of our readers as are not conversant with
      the details of aerostation. “As soon as the balloon quits the earth, it is subjected to the
      influence of many circumstances tending to create a difference in
      its weight; augmenting or diminishing its ascending power. For
      example, there may be a deposition of dew upon the silk, to the
      extent, even, of several hundred pounds; ballast has then to be
      thrown out, or the machine may descend. This ballast being
      discarded, and a clear sunshine evaporating the dew, and at the
      same time expanding the gas in the silk, the whole will again
      rapidly ascend. To check this ascent, the only recourse is, (or
      rather _was_, until Mr. Green’s invention of the guide-rope,) the
      permission of the escape of gas from the valve; but, in the loss
      of gas, is a proportionate general loss of ascending power; so
      that, in a comparatively brief period, the best-constructed
      balloon must necessarily exhaust all its resources, and come to
      the earth. This was the great obstacle to voyages of length. “The guide-rope remedies the difficulty in the simplest manner
      conceivable. It is merely a very long rope which is suffered to
      trail from the car, and the effect of which is to prevent the
      balloon from changing its level in any material degree. If, for
      example, there should be a deposition of moisture upon the silk,
      and the machine begins to descend in consequence, there will be
      no necessity for discharging ballast to remedy the increase of
      weight, for it is remedied, or counteracted, in an exactly just
      proportion, by the deposit on the ground of just so much of the
      end of the rope as is necessary.