It was spherical, and
was made of Persian silk, coated with varnish. It was the first
balloon sent up from that city.
De Saussure makes mention, in a letter dated from Geneva, the
26th of March, 1784, of certain experiments made in that town
with the electricity of the atmosphere by means of fixed
balloons--i.e., balloons attached to the earth by ropes, which
gave forth sparks and positive electricity.
Mention is also made of a certain M. Argand, of Geneva, who had
the honour of making balloon experiments at Windsor in the
presence of King George III., Queen Charlotte, and the royal
family. About this time (1784) balloons became "the fashion,"
and frequent instances occur of their being raised by day and
night, by means of spirit-lamps, to the great delight of
multitudes of spectators.
A letter from Watt to Dr. Lind, of Windsor, dated from
Birmingham, 25th December, 1784, narrates an experiment made the
summer preceding with a balloon inflated with hydrogen. The
balloon was made of fine paper covered with a varnish of oil and
filled two-thirds with hydrogen gas, and one-third common air.
To the neck of the balloon was attached a sort of squib two feet
long, the fuse of which was ignited when the balloon was
inflated.
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