the dominion of the air-第45节
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It was a bold and sensational exhibition； and on the expiration of his engagement the young athlete； profiting by home training； felt fully qualified to attempt any aerial feat connected with the profession of an aeronaut。 And at this juncture an eminent American cyclist； visiting the father's factory； suggested to Stanley a business tour in South America。
As an extra attraction it was proposed that a young lady parachutist should be one of the company； so； after a few satisfactory trial exhibitions in England； the party made their way to Rio； Brazil。 Here an ascent was arranged； and by the day and hour appointed the balloon was successfully inflated with hydrogen； an enormous concourse collected； and the lady performer already seated in the sling。 Then a strange mischance happened。 By some means； never satisfactorily explained； the young woman； at the moment of release； slipped from her seat； and the balloon； escaping into the air； turned over and fell among the people； who vindictively destroyed it。 Then the crowd grew ungovernable； and threatened the lives of the aeronauts； who eventually were； with difficulty； rescued by the soldiery。
This was a bad start； but with a spare balloon a fresh attempt at an ascent was arranged； though； from another cause； with no better success。 This time a furious storm arose； before the inflation was completed； and the balloon； carrying away； was torn to ribbons。 Yet a third time； with a hot air balloon now； a performance was advertised and successfully carried out； but； immediately after； Mr。 Spencer's American friend succumbed to yellow fever； and the young man； being thrown on his own resources； had to fight his own way until his fortunes had been sufficiently restored to return to England。
A few months later he set sail for Canada； where for several months he had a most profitable career； on one occasion only meeting with some difficulty。 He was giving an exhibition on Prince Edward's Island； not far from the sea； but on a day so calm that he did not hesitate to ascend。 On reaching 3；000 feet； however； he was suddenly caught by a strong land breeze； which； ere he could reach the water； had carried him a mile out to sea； and here he was only rescued after a long interval； during which he had become much exhausted in his attempts to save his parachute from sinking。
Early in 1892 our traveller visited South Africa with a hot air balloon； and； fortune continuing to favour him； he subsequently returned to Canada； and proceeded thence to the United States and Cuba。 It was at Havannah that popular enthusiasm in his favour ran so high that he was presented with a medal by the townsfolk。 It was from here also that； a little while after； tidings of his own death reached him； together with most gratifying obituary notices。 It would seem that； after his departure； an adventurer； attempting to personate him； met with his death。
In November； 1897； he followed his elder brother's footsteps to the East； and exhibited in Calcutta； Singapore； Canton； and also Hong…Kong； where； for the first and only time in his experience； he met with serious accident。 He was about to ascend for the ordinary parachute performance with a hot air balloon； which was being held down by about thirty men； one among them being a Chinaman possessed of much excitability and very long finger nails。 By means of these latter the man contrived to gouge a considerable hole in the fabric of the balloon。 Mr。 Spencer； to avoid a disappointment； risked an ascent； and it was not till the balloon had reached 600 feet that the rent developed into a long slit； and so brought about a sudden fall to earth。 Alighting on the side of a mountain； Mr。 Spencer lay helpless with a broken leg till the arrival of some British bluejackets； who conveyed him to the nearest surgeon； when； after due attention； he was sent home。 Other remarkable exploits； which Mr。 Stanley Spencer shared with Dr。 Berson and with the writer and his daughter； will be recorded later。
CHAPTER XXIII。 NEW DEPARTURES IN AEROSTATION。
After Mr。 Coxwell's experiments at Aldershot in 1862 the military balloon； as far as England was concerned； remained in abeyance for nine long years； when the Government appointed a Commission to enquire into its utility； and to conduct further experiments。 The members of this committee were Colonel Noble； R。E。； Sir F。 Abel； Captain Lee； R。E。； assisted by Captain Elsdale； R。E。； and Captain （now Colonel） Templer。 Yet another nine years； however； elapsed before much more was heard of this modernised military engine。
But about the beginning of the eighties the Government had become fully alive to the importance of the subject； and Royal Engineers at Woolwich grew busy with balloon manufacture and experiment。 Soon 〃the sky around London became speckled with balloons。〃 The method of making so…called pure hydrogen by passing steam over red…hot iron was fully tested； and for a time gained favour。 The apparatus； weighing some three tons； was calculated to be not beyond the carrying powers of three service waggons； while it was capable of generating enough gas to inflate two balloons in twenty…four hours； a single inflation holding good； under favourable circumstances； for a long period。 At the Brighton Volunteer Review of 1880； Captain Templer； with nine men； conducted the operations of a captive reconnoitring balloon。 This was inflated at the Lewes gas works； and then towed two and a half miles across a river； a railway； and a line of telegraph wires； after which it was let up to a height of 1；500 feet； whence； it was stated； that so good a view was obtained that 〃every man was clearly seen。〃 Be it remembered； however； that the country was not the South African veldt； and every man was in the striking English uniform of that date。
Just at this juncture came the Egyptian War； and it will be recalled that in the beginning of that war balloons were conspicuous by their absence。 The difficulties of reconnaissance were keenly felt and commented on； and among other statements we find the following in the war intelligence of the Times：
〃As the want of a balloon equipment has been mentioned in letters from Egypt； it may be stated that all the War Department balloons remain in store at the Royal Dockyard at Woolwich； but have been recently examined and found perfectly serviceable。〃 An assertion had been made to the effect that the nature of the sand in Egypt would impede the transport of the heavy material necessary for inflation。 At last； however； the order came for the despatch of the balloon equipment to the front； and though this arrived long after Tel…el…Kebir； yet it is recorded that the first ascent in real active service in the British Army took place on the 25th of March； 1885； at Suakin； and balloons becoming regarded as an all…important part of the equipment of war； they were sent out in the Bechuanaland Expedition under Sir Charles Warren； the supply of gas being shipped to Cape Town in cylinders。
It was at this period that； according to Mr。 Coxwell； Lord Wolseley made ascents at home in a war balloon to form his own personal opinion of their capabilities； and； expressing this opinion to one of his staff； said that had he been able to employ balloons in the earlier stages of the Soudan campaign the affair would not have lasted as many months as it did years。 This statement； however； should be read in conjunction with another of the same officer in the 〃Soldier's Pocket Book；〃 that 〃in a windy country balloons are useless。〃 In the Boer War the usefulness of the balloon was frequently tested； more particularly during the siege of Ladysmith； when it was deemed of great value in directing the fire of the British artillery； and again in Buller's advance； where the balloon is credited with having located a 〃death…trap〃 of the enemy at Spion Kop。 Other all…important service was rendered at Magersfontein。 The Service balloon principally used was made of goldbeaters' skin； containing about 10；000 cubic feet of hydrogen； which had been produced by the action of sulphuric acid on zinc； and compressed in steel cylinders。 A special gas factory was； for the purpose of the campaign； established at Cape Town。
It is here that reference must be made to some of the special work undertaken by Mr。 Eric S。 Bruce； which dealt with the management of captive balloons under different conditions； and with a system of signalling thus rendered feasible。 Mr。 Bruce； who； since Major Baden…Powell's retirement from the office； has devoted his best energies as secretary to the advancement of the British Aeronautical Society； was the inventor of the system of electric balloon signalling which he supplied to the British Government； as well as to the Belgian and Italian Governments。 This system requires but a very small balloon； made of three or four thicknesses of goldbeaters' skin； measuring from 7 to 10 feet in diameter； and needing only two or three gas cylinders for inflation。 Within the balloon； which is sufficiently translucent； are placed several incandescent lamps in metallic circuit； with a source of electricity on the ground。 This source of electricity may consist of batteries of moderate size or a portable hand dynamo
