On the Death of Mosment, The Aëronaut, in 1806.

Extract

It will, perhaps, appear remarkable that in 1878 I should refer back to the circumstances of an event of which I was an eye–witness seventy–two years ago. My reason is, that the death of Mosment never accounted for, seems to me now to find its explanation in the experiments of Glaisher and the catastrophe of the “Zenith.”

On the 7th of April, 1806, the aëronaut, Mosment, made his ninth ascent from Lille. His departure took place from the centre of the town at a quarter-past 12, and under favourable conditions of weather; at 1.45 the aëronaut was precipitated into the moat which surrounds the town, the place where he fell being from 3500 to 4300 feet distant from the point of departure. Conjecture was exhausted as to the origin of the catastrophe, which created a great sensation at the time; the cause of it, however, remained undiscovered.