There was, however, at Paris, much discontent with the ascent of
"Le Flesselles;" and the Journal de Paris de Paris, which notices
so enthusiastically the other ascents of that epoch, speaks
slightingly of that at Lyons.
The next great ascent took place at Milan, on the 25th of
February, 1784, under the direction of the Chevalier Paul
Andriani, who had a balloon constructed by the Brothers Gerli, at
his own expense. We read that this balloon was 66 feet in
diameter, and that the envelope was composed of cloth, lined in
the interior with fine paper.
The balloon was not in all respects constructed like that which
rose at Lyons. The grating which supported the fire that kept up
the supply of hot air was placed at the mouth of the opening. It
was made of copper, was six feet in diameter, and was secured by
a number of transverse beams of wood. M. Andriani thought it
best to place his fire--contrary to general usage--a little way
above the mouth of the opening, and he found out that the
activity of the fire was in proportion with that of the air which
entered and fed it.
In place of making use of a gallery like that employed by
Montgolfier, as much to manage the fire as to carry the traveller
and the fuel, he substituted a wide basket, suspended by cords to
the edge of the opening of the balloon, at such a distance that
fuel could be thrown on with the hand without being
inconvenienced by the heat.
Pages:
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114