Viewing page 123 of 323

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

[[start page]]
[[Column 1 of 2]]
22        THE WONDER
when the tube destined for the escape of the ballast from the car above detached itself by some means or other from the basket of Mr. Cocking, and floated like a ribbon in the air. The balloon remained in sight for about half an hour, taking a south-easterly direction, during which time Mr. Cocking had not made any attempt to commence his descent, and it then entered a cloud, and was lost to view. As there was nothing further to be seen, we followed the example of the crowd, and retired from the gardens.

FURTHER PARTICULARS
The melancholy result of the scientific experiment projected by this unfortunate gentleman, has created general sympathy; and some particulars connected with the event will, perhaps, prove of interest. Of necessity, all the facts relating to the accident can never be known; but sufficient has been collected which may be relied upon, to serve as a foundation for coming to a correct conclusion as to the cause of the fatal termination of the experiment.
The machine which Mr Cocking purposed to descend in was constructed on a new principle, and it had been inspected and approved of by scientific men, whom Mr. Cocking had consulted on the subject of his experiment. Mr.Green also saw the contrivance, and he made several suggestions, which, had they been attended to, would, in all probability have been the means of saving the life of the daring aeronaut. Mr. Green did not approve of the tin tubes which the parachute was fitted up with, and he suggested the probable advantage of substituting stretchers made of wood. Mr. Cocking, however, was of the opinion that the tubes possessed a great advantage in point of buoyancy, and therefore they were allowed to remain. The principal objections, if it may be so termed, of Mr. Green was, that the machine was not strong enough  to sustain the powerful action to which it would be subjected when detached from the balloon, and the event, in a great measure, showed that his judgement was correct. Independent of the experiment of a descent on a new construction of parachute, Mr. Cocking intimated his determination of trying an additional experiment with certain apparatus which he had prepared, and which he had proposed to take up with him in the parachute. This resolution was strenuously combatted by his friends, and it was supposed that the project was abandond until the evening of the ascent, when it was ascertained that Mr. Cocking intended to persevere, and had come provided with the apparatus. This new experiment consisted of a certain arrangement of ropes, by which Mr Cocking believed he should be able so to regulate his descent, that, in place of falling vertically, he could give the descent a diagonal direction, and thus, should it be necessary, have the means of clearing any object, such as a tree, or even a house. Whether Mr. Cocking really did put his apparatus into action or not is a matter o doubt, but strong grounds exist for believing that he actually did endeavour to effect his purpose, and that in so doing he caused the parachute to swerve on one side, and ultimately to collapse. On the evening of the ascent, and, in fact, during the day, Mr. Gye, jun., begged Mr. Cocking,if he felt the slightest doubt of the success and safety of his experiment, to state the fact candidly, and whatever might be the consequences from the disappointment of the public, even if they went so far as to pull the gardens topieces, he would cheerfully encounter them. Mr Cocking declared to the last that he had no misgivings; his confidence was quite unshaken, and he felt no doubt of the perfect success of his experiment. Mr. Green also spoke to him, but he repeated his declarations, and added that he was satisfied his calculations were founded in truth; they had been seen and approved of by scientific men, and they were as sanguine as himself with regard to ultimate success. Mr. Cocking mentioned that his calculations were made not only with precision,
[[end column]]

[[Column 2 of 2]]
but, in order to guard against accident, he had a power of 120lbs. more than was required.
In this sanguine state of mind Mr. Cocking entered the basket of the parachute, and at the given signal the balloon, containing Mr. Green and Mr. Spenser, rose with its ponderous appendage. In order to facilitate the exclusion of the ballast, a pipe was so contrived as to run from the balloon through the parachute; but the balloon had not risen many feet in the air before it was found that the contrivance was useless. As it was indispensable that the balloon should be lightened, Mr Green and Mr. Spenser, finding it was impossible to discharge the ballast in the ordinary way, without throwing the materials on the parachute, began instantly to cut up the ballast bags, and to throw out the portions of ballast as far as they were able. This proceeding had the desired effect, and the balloon rose steadily. When about 600 feet from the earth, Mr. Cocking spoke to Mr. Green, and inquired the height at which they then were. He continued to make inquiries as to the height, and, when asked by Mr. Green how he felt, replied that he never felt more comfortable in his life; his calculations turned out according to his expectations, and he had no doubt of accomplishing his task with ease and safety. When about 5,000 feet from the earth, he called out to Mr. Green and Mr. Spenser that he should soon leave them. Mr.Green bade him good-bye, and wished him a safe descent. The parachute was almost immediately afterwards cut away by the unfortunate gentleman himself, and from that period all is a matter of conjecture. Mr. Green and Mr. Spenser were occupied in discharging the gas on the instant the parachute was severed, but, notwithstanding all their expedition, the balloon, thus lightened, rose with fearful velocity, and oscillated with such violence, that it was feared by the aeronauts it would turn over.  The balloon rising in this manner was impelled through the gas which was escaping, and the effect on the aeronauts was to deprive them of sight, and, for a short time, to threaten suffocation. Indeed, the circumstance acted in such a serious manner, that Mr. Green had not wholly recovered from the effects by yesterday afternoon. The parachute, as the public are already informed, fell in a field near Lee-green. Hardly had it reached the ground before numbers were on the spot ready to render assistance. The unfortunate gentleman was not quite dead, but in a very few minutes life was extinct. From his position, and the position of the basket, together with a strong indentation on one side of the basket, the general belief is that Mr. Cocking reached the ground in the basket; but as he touched the earth in a slanting direction, corroborated by the bruise on the basket, the shock threw him out, and occasioned the wound on the temple, which wound appears principally to have occasioned the speedy dissolution. The corpse was conveyed to the Tiger's Head, Lee-green, kept by T. Sears, and the parachute and appendages were likewise brought to the same place, and deposited in a room on the first floor. It is necessary here to take notice of a circumstance which has created universal disgust, and which has roused general indignation. On Tuesday morning several persons, whom the occurrence had attracted, applied to view the body and the parachute. Tickets were provided at the bar, a check-taker appointed, and the customary formalities of a Bartholomew-fair show were introduced by the persons connected with the public-house. The parachute was shown at 6d. per head, and the body of the unfortunate gentleman was also made a public spectacle of for an additional 6d. This disgusting proceeding would have continued for some time, had not the head gardener from Vauxhall-gardens, named Steevens, rode off to acquaint Mr. Gye with the occurrence.
The most disgraceful part of the exhibition - that of showing
[[end page]]