Scientific American Volume 21 Number 20 (November 1869) . flated with heated smoke or rarefied air; but no person attemptedan ascension until 1783. The peculiar properties of hydrogengas, and the mode of producing it, were discovered in 1766,and many experiments were made with it on a small it was not then expected that it would ever be producedin sufficient quantity to inflate a large balloon. Light paperballoons were exhibited, and many curious fancy figures, rep-resenting eagles and other animals floating in the air ; andsmall illuminated balloons were sent up at night, but mostof
Scientific American Volume 21 Number 20 (November 1869) . flated with heated smoke or rarefied air; but no person attemptedan ascension until 1783. The peculiar properties of hydrogengas, and the mode of producing it, were discovered in 1766,and many experiments were made with it on a small it was not then expected that it would ever be producedin sufficient quantity to inflate a large balloon. Light paperballoons were exhibited, and many curious fancy figures, rep-resenting eagles and other animals floating in the air ; andsmall illuminated balloons were sent up at night, but mostof these were made to ascend by means of hot air. In 1782, two brothers, Stephen and Joseph Montgolfier,after making many experiments on a small scale, attemptedto inflate a large paper balloon with hydrogen gas, but failedon account of the escape of the gas through the pores of theunvarnished material. They then constructed a large paperballoon, seventy-four feet high and about fifty feet in dia-meter. This balloon had an opening at the bottom of fifteen. feet in diameter. Around this opening was arranged andfastened a gallery of wicker work, three feet wide, and aroundthe outer edge of this was a balustrade of the same material,three feet high. This gallery was for the purpose of holdingthe passengers, fuel, etc. At the center of the large bottomopening was a wire grate, supported by wires, upon whichthe fire was made; and above the balustrade several portholes were made through the sides of the neck of the bal-loon for the purpose of feeding the fire with straw from thegallery outside. With this balloon, M. Pilatre de Roziermade several ascents to the hight of two or three hundredfeet, while it was fastened with ropes of that length ; and onthe first of November, he, in company with the MarquisdArlandis, decided to make an aerial voyage. Accordingly,the balloon was prepared, with an ample supply of straw inthe gallery, and Arlandis and Rozier stationed on oppositesides of the
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