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[[start left-hand column]] [[start clipping 1 of 2) IRELAND. DUBLIN, JULY 23. [[1735 [or 1785] - handwritten in ink]] [[image of coat of arms with the letter "O" in the center and the motto "Dieu et mon droit" below]]N Tuesday, at 23 minutes after two, the whole apparatus being released, [[underlined]] Mr. Crosbie's [[/underlined]] balloon floated towards the parapet of Leinster House, and would there have encountered an interruption, had not the aeronaut thrown out some of his ballast. From thence it ascended, and afterwards descended close to a ditch in Merrion-fields, but still continuing to pour out ballast, its ascent was grand beyond conception. The current of the wind, which carried him at first due East, soon afterwards seemed inclined to bear him North east, and pointed his voyage towards Whitehaven. When the balloon was 17 minutes in view, it immersed in a cloud, but in four minutes after, its appearance was testified by numerous plaudits of the multitude. It now continued in sight, by the aid of an achromatick glass, 32 minutes from its ascension, when it was entirely lost to the view; some rockets were then sent off, and the troops of volunteers, who attended, discharged their last volleys. Mr. Crosbie had about 300lb. weight of ballast, but discharged half a hundred on his first ascending. At upwards of fourteen leagues from the Irish shore, he found himself within clear sight of both lands of the sister kingdoms, at which time, he says, it is impossible to give the human imagination any adequate idea of the unspeakable beauties which the scenery of the sea, bounded by both lands, presented. It was such, said he, as would make him risk a life, to enjoy again. He rose, at one time, so high, that the mercury in the barometer sunk entirely into its globe, and he was constrained to put on his oil cloth cloak, but he unluckily found his bottle of cordial broke, and could obtain no refreshment. The upper current of air was different from the lower, and the cold so intense, that his ink was frozen. He experienced a strong repulsion on the tympanum of the ear, and a sickness which must have been aggravated by the anxiety and fatigue of the day. At his utmost height, he thought himself stationary; but liberating some of his gas, he descended to a current of air, blowing North, and extremely rough. He now entered a black cloud, and encountered a strong wind, with lightning and thunder, which brought him rapidly towards the surface of the water. Here the balloon made a circuit, but falling lower, the water entered his car, and he lost his notes of observation; but recollecting that his watch was at the bottom of the car, he groped for it, and put it in his pocket. All his endeavours to throw out ballast were of no avail: the intemperance of the weather plunged him into the ocean. He now thought of his cork waistcoat, and with much difficulty having put it on, the propriety of his idea in the construction of his boat became manifest, as by the admission of the water into the lower part of it, and the suspension of his bladders, which were arranged at the top, the water, added to his own weight, became proper ballast, and the balloon maintaining its poise, it became a powerful sail, and by means of a snatch-block to his car, or boat, he went before the wind as regularly as a sailing vessel. In this situation, he found himself inclined to eat, and took a morsel of fowl; when at the distance of another league, he discovered some vessels crowding after him; but as his progress out-stripped all their endeavours, he lengthened the space of the balloon from the car, which gave a consequent check to the rapidity of his sailing, when the Dunleary barge came up, and fired a gun. One of the sailors jumped into his car, and made it fast to the barge, when the aeronaut came out. At this time, another of the sailors, after the car was brought on board, laid hold of the haul-yard which suspended the balloon, and it being released from its under weight, a ludicrous scene ensued; for the balloon ascended above a hundred feet into the air, to the utmost extent of the rope, the fellow bawling most vehemently, under the apprehension of taking a flight to the clouds; but being dragged down, by the united efforts of the whole crew, the poor tar was, for once, eased of his fears of going to Heaven. The barge now steered for Dunleary, and towed the balloon after it. About ten o'clock they landed, and next morning he had the honour of receiving the congratulations of, and breakfasting with, their Graces the Duke and Duchess of Rutland, at Mr. Lee's Lodge, Blackrock. He was afterwards conducted to town by Lord Ranelagh, and Sir Frederick Flood, Bart. chairman of his committee, and at two o'clock he waited on his Grace the Duke of Leinster, and afterwards went to Dr. Austin's, in Stephen's Green. The populace having received intimation of this, crowded to the house, and notwithstanding all his endeavours to the contrary, they forced him into a chair, and carried him in triumph to the College. After he had remained at Mr. Hutchinson's house an hour, his committee waited on him, and a prodigious multitude having gathered in College-Green, and insisted on chairing him again, he found himself in reality constrained to submit, and the intrepid aeronaut was bor'n on the shoulders of his friends (his committee walking before him) to the Castle, and afterwards, in the same procession, to his house in North-Cumberland-street, amidst the acclamations of surrounding thousands. [[end clipping]] [[start clipping 2 of 2]] Crosbie, the Irish aeronaut, is preparing for another flight in a few days. It is his intention, if possible, to accomplish his first design of crossing the Irish Channel, before the severity of the winter sets in. As the curiosity even of the remotest parts has now been fully gratified by the spectacle of ascension, it were much to be wished that these hazardous experiments, which can be reduced to no purpose of utility, and from which philosophy cannot gain an iota of information, should be instantly and absolutely relinquished. ^[[16 Nov 1785 - handwritten in ink]] [[end clipping [[End left-hand column]] [[Start center column]] [[Start clipping 1 of 1]] ^[[1785 - handwritten in ink]] The fate of [[italics]] Ballooning [[/italics]], in this kingdom, wears a sorry complexion. Mr. Crosbie has not yet bettered his fortune by his trips to the clouds; but as to unfortunate Potain, he and his companions have been totally ruined, insomuch that they were starving, until the [[italics]] amor patriae [[/italics]] and humanity of [[italics]] Fontaine [[/italics]] , the dancing master, relieved their distresses and sent them to their own country, when left to perish by those who affected to patronize [[italics]] aerostation [[/italics]], on the arrival and ascent of [[italics]] Potain [[/italics]]. The balloon itself became a stake for the rent due by its exhibition at Ranelagh; and so ended all the [[italics]] air-built [[/italics]] hopes of the third traveller in the Irish atmosphere. ^[[Sept.6. - handwritten in ink]] [[end center column]] [[start right-hand column]] [[start clipping 1 of 2]] The following is an authentic relation of the particulars of Mr. Crosbie's aerial voyage from Limerick on Thursday the 27th ult. communicated by himself. ^[[Dublin Ev. Post. april 1786. - handwritten in ink]] "The anxiety I laboured under, from the apprehension of any accident happening in the process of inflation, which would inevitably prevent my ascent, obliged me to proceed with caution, and I fear I trespassed too long on the obliging patience of my friends. As no more materials could be procured [[in?]] town, it was necessary to allow proper time for the operation and to pay it that attention which the goodness and activity of the gentlemen who assisted enabled me to do. "The happy moment at length arrived, which put me in full possession of all that could charm the eye of man, and gratify my warmest ambition. As I gradually ascended, the expanding landscape presented such a scene as no pen can describe; the river Shannon, with all its little islands, formed a pleasing variety I had before been unacquainted with; I determined to take a drawing of it, and had scarcely ended my salutations to the fair assemblage I had left, now become undistinguishable, when I assumed my paper and pencil, and began my chart; but when I had reached a considerable altitude, I found my drawing had been false, as I commenced it on an extended scale, that was still diminishing as I ascended. I now examined my barometer, which had stood at 30. 1-10 on earth, and found it had fallen to 15. I hung out my grappling, in order to clear the rope to which it was fastened, and that it should answer as a plummet, by which means I could accurately perceive the course I took; and as I was exceedingly tossed about by the agitation of the atmosphere in the ascent, I concluded there prevailed several different currents, which I at once determined to explore, and the experiment in the end gave me exquisite delight. "I observed the course I was now taking was almost due West, exactly over the Shannon, and could perceive a rapid approach towards the Western ocean; I made a note of the degree at which my barometer stood, 15, and ascended till it fell to 13, where I got into a current from N.N.E. by which I was conveyed over Tarbert, and part of the county of Kerry, but could perceive nothing more in appearance than a figured plain, chequered like a carpet. The prospect was unbounded, but by accumulating clouds, which formed my horizon; I could plainly see the Lake of Killarney, but those sonorous hills which surrounded it were levelled with the surface. On taking an observation, I now perceived I was stationary; and on looking at my barometer, found it had fallen to 12 2-10. I continued perpendicular over 2 small green field for upwards of half an hour, during which time I eat my dinner, (that from fasting and fatigue before was become very necessary) and drank my bottle of wine to the health of my numerous friends on earth. I had been obliged before from cold to put on my oiled silk wrapper, and now experienced its utility: my feet and hands, however, were very cold, and as I was determined to explore a higher region, I had recourse to a phial of strong lavender drops, which I drank off, without observing the strength of them; and though every humid thing about me had been frozen, the lavender drops and the bottle they were in, felt as warm as if they had been at the fire. "After using this precaution, I ascended to an higher altitude than I had ever been in before; the barometer fell to 10 5-16ths, the difficulty of breathing I had before experienced, was now increased to a considerable degree, my heart beat with astonishing rapidity, and my ears, from the dilation of the cellular vessels, felt as if going to burst. My breath congealing on the instant of respiration, fell like a light snow, and collected on my lap as it dropped. As I had not taken any additional covering but my loose gown, my feet and hands became intensely cold, and my fingers cramped, but to my astonishment, the difficulty of breathing gradually decreased, and the pain in my ears became less; these circumstances, added to my having now got into a current which carried me Eastward, and in a right direction for Limerick again, determined me to remain at the same altitude, until I had got nearly over the city. "The variety of currents I had before experienced, I could now plainly see under me, and by observing from my notes the different degrees at which the barometer stood in each, and descending accordingly, I could take any of my former courses at pleasure. I regretted the lateness of the hour, (now near six o'clock) and the unprepared state I was in to withstand the cold, and flattered myself with the expectation of alighting near the city whence I set out; but as I did not continue long enough the Eastern current, and thereby provide for a contrary inclination in my descent, I was carried with the lower one to the N.W. over Dromoland, the seat of Sir Lucius O'Brien, the cultivated appearance of which tempted me to accelerate my descent, in order to alight there; but the wind blowing much stronger than I had thought, hurried me a little beyond the house, before I reached the earth. After my grappling, as I imagined, had secured its hold by a rock, I put out my barometer, and some other loose articles, and endeavoured to secure my balloon, &c. "I leaped out, still keeping my hands, and as much of my weight as I could on the boat, calling loudly for assistance. One or two rustics, who I saw in a field for some time, observed me, and I thought were coming to my assistance, but to my great mortification it was quite the reverse; astonishment and fear lent them wings, and they fled from me with precipitation. I destroyed a considerable deal of the balloon's power of ascent, but found the difficulty of holding it by myself so great, that after the grappling quitted its hold, I was obliged to yield with the car until it came to a dry wall. I now imagined I had it secure, as I intended, when an intermission from squalls would allow me, to load it with stones; but this business being too much for one, and a very heavy squall of wind just coming on, the wall gave way, and after being dragged through the breach, and approaching fast to the river Fergus, I was obliged to relinquish my hold, and had the mortification to see my chariot reascend without me. "Mr. Singleton, on whose ground I alighted, at ten minutes past six, sent his men in search of me, but could not come up in time to give me assistance; they however conducted me to his house, where I experienced that hospitality, which characterises the county of Clare. The balloon was as fortunate as myself, as it was taken up by Captain O'Brien, at Ennis, for whose care and attention, I shall ever consider myself under many obligations." [[end clipping]] [[start clipping 2 of 2]] [[italics]] Crosby [[/italics]], the Irish Aeronaut, comes over nex[[t]] month in his balloon from Dublin to Holyhead. [[italics]] Lord Mountmorris [[/italics]] is to accompany him with a pocket full of his [[italics]] own speeches [[/italics]], by way of [[italics]] ballast [[/italics]]. [[A]] friend, to whom his Lordship communicated hi[[s]] intention, observed that he had no occasion to b[[e]] alarmed on the undertaking, as in case Crosby should have occasion to throw him into the sea [[italics]] his head would always keep him above water [[/italics]]. ^[[aug. 1786 - handwritten in ink]] [[end clipping]] [[end column]] [[end page]] ^[[135 -handwritten in pencil at bottom of page.]]
