After a series of balloon ascents extending over many years, I may truly say that each new ascent made differs in some manner from previous ones, and new interest and new experiences always await the aerial voyager. It was in 1898 that I had the pleasure of accompanying Mr. George Griffith on a balloon trip from the Crystal Palace to France, On the 3rd of February we made our first attempt, the day was dull and the balloon was rapidly wafted over Chatham and Canterbury; all was drear and gloomy, and though the course of the wind was such that we could have speedily crossed, we could not hope to obtain photographic records of the voyage; and, therefore, landed in England, and made another attempt on the 8th of the same month. On this occasion a bright sky and a brisk breeze gave promise of a fine trip, and so it proved. At heights varying from double that of Snowdon to but a few hundred feet we continued our course over land and sea to Verchin, in the Pas de Calais, my companion's record of which was set forth in print in “ Pearson's Magazine ” illustrated with blocks made from the photos we secured.

“The first French balloon voyage to Russia, a distance of 1,300 kilometres in 21 hours.”

Comte Henri de la Vaulx communicates to the Aero-Club the synopsis of his voyage to Russia in the balloon 'Centaur' of 1,600 cubic metres. Starting alone in his balloon, as did also the Comte de Castillon de St. Victor and M. Jacques Faure in the balloons 'L'Orient' and 'L'Aero-Club,' he found his pressure of 15 millimetres and 18 millimetres of water. The diameter of these valves is 20 centimetres. Then there is another lower valve of the same diameter which automatically regulates the outflow of air from the inner air chamber at a pressure of 9 millimetres of water. The air is driven into the air chamber by means of a fan worked by the motor. The presence of this inner balloon secures the retention of the shape of the balloon by keeping up a normal tension of the envelope. This preservation of the shape of the balloon is considered essential, as it facilitates the motion of the balloon through the air.

If the term “ angle of incidence,” so frequently used in aeronautical discussions, could be confined to a single definite meaning, viz., the angle at which aeroplane and wind actually meet, much error and confusion Would be averted. But many of the best writers use this term loosely and inexactly, with the result that their calculations and explanations of phenomena are thereby often rendered of little value, and students are misled.

If a plane be held stationary in a horizontal wind (Fig. 1), the angle of incidence A C D will be equal to the angle with the horizon. But if the wind have an upward trend, the angle of incidence will be increased to A C D2. A calculation based on the assumption that A C D still remained the true angle would, of course, be seriously in error.

If it be assumed (Fig. 2) that the wind moves from D2 to C, while the plane moves from E to C, the angle of incidence will become A C D3.