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[[The following title forms a semi-circular frame to the top of the page, around the picture of the balloon:]]

THE ONLY AUTHENTIC SKETCH OF THE ASCENT OF THE
VAUXHALL BALLOON WITH MR.COCKING'S PARACHUTE.

[[Black and white main image of the balloon with parachute suspended below in the air above parkland in the city with people in both baskets. On the right of this is a smaller image of the balloon without the parachute and on the left is another smaller image of the parachute falling to the ground.]]

[[Caption 1 - left]]
Distance of the Car of the Balloon from the parachute, 50 feet.
Diameter of the Parachute, 36 feet.

[[Caption 2 - right]]
The Streamer from the Balloon was a canvas tube for throwing out Ballast.

[[Title - under image]]
From drawings made during the preparations for the Ascent and at the time the Balloon rose from the Gardens

WITH A SKETCH OF THE FATAL DESCENT OF MR. COCKING..

London. Published by W. Spooner, 377 Strand.
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DESCRIPTION OF THE PARACHUTE AND CAR, AND BRIEF ACCOUNT OF THE FATAL DESCENT OF MR. COCKING. BY AN EYE-WITNESS.

To accompany Spooner's Sketch of the Ascent of the Vauhall Balloon, and Mr. Cocking's Parachute
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THE Parachute was thus constructed; - Three hoops, the largest of which was 107 feet in circumference, were connected by ten light spars of wood, from the frame work
of the machine. These were strengthened by a series of small lines stretching from the upper hoop to the lower; and the whole was covered by a fine cloth; the latter consisting of 22 gores, 59 inches at their greatest diameters, and gradually diminishing to 11 inches, which, when sewed together, formed a cone at an angle of 30 degrees.
The car was of wicker, and its attachment to the lower hoop resembled that of the car of a balloon, which always retains its perpendicular whatever movement there may take place in the machine above. A strong rope descended from the hoop underneath the car of the balloon, and passing through an iron ring on the top of the main centre cord of the parachute, ascended on the other side, to be made fast to the instrument commonly used by Mr Green for liberating the balloon. From this a thin cord hung down to the car of the parachute, and thus gave Mr. Cocking the opportunity of making the separation at any moment he may have deemed favourable. The surface exposed to the action of the air was 124 square yards, and the weight of the apparatus 223lbs. This, added to Mr. Cocking's weight, viz. 170lbs gives the total of 393lbs. without ballast, which is said to have increased the total to 560lbs. The vast balloon was inflated by five o'clock, soon after which Mr. Green prepared to connect with it the parachute, by allowing the balloon first to ascend a short distance, and then bringing the parachute beneath it. After much difficulty, this was effected by a rope as before described, and Mr. Cocking placed himself in the car or basket of the parachute, the distance between which, and the car of the balloon, in which were Mr. Green and Mr. Spencer, being about 50 feet. At 20 minutes before 8 o'clock having shaken hands with many of his friends, the balloon and the attached parachute ascended majestically from the earth. Nothing could be finer than the ascent. As the aeronauts rose, the transparency of the outspread parachute, with its tasteful embellishments, was extremely beautiful.
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The disastrous conclusion of the experiment is thus described by an eye-witness of the descent; -

" I was looking at the balloon with the parachute, as they drifted steadily before a gentle wind. In an instant afterwards, I observed the balloon shooting upwards with great velocity, and the parachute, which had suddenly separated from it, falling with great rapidity. I lost sight of the balloon, and my eye was fixed on the parachute.

" For a few moments the parachute descended so beautifully, and preserved its position so steadily, notwithstanding its fearful motion, that I thought it would reach the ground in safety.

"To my eye it had a round flattish shape, and at this moment it seemed to lean a little to one side; it was not horizontal. It remained for a moment or two in position. All the while it was descending rapidly.

"It then fell, as it were, to the opposite side, but with a quicker motion than when it first lost its horizontal position. It now oscillated several times quickly. A sort of flapping motion was perceptible, and the parachute appeared lessened in diameter. It then apparently turned over, and, to me and some others standing near, it disappeared for the twinkling of an eye, and in the succeeding instant it was seen to have changed its flattish circular form to that of a long body like umbrella partially opened, or more correctly, perhaps, to a balloon very much collapsed and descending with a great velocity. Some trees intervening prevented my further observation.

"I made my way through the fields in the direction in which I had seen it falling, and as I reached a spot at a little distance from where it fell, I saw the lifeless body of the unfortunate gentleman placed on a hurdle to be conveyed by some farm labourers to an inn at Lee."

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