ut hindrance, without either danger or difficulty,
so large a portion of the European continent, we arrived at our
destination still in possession of as much force as, had we wished it,
might have carried us round the whole world."

Chapter IX. The "Geant" Balloon.

Not a few of our readers will remember the ascent of Nadar's colossal
balloon from Paris, on Sunday, the 18th of October, 1863. This balloon
was remarkable as having attached to it a regular two-story house for a
car. Its ascent was witnessed by nearly half a million of persons. The
balloon, after passing over the eastern part of France, Belgium, and
Holland, suffered a disastrous descent in Hanover the day after it
started on its perilous journey. It was a fool-hardy enterprise to
construct such a gigantic and unmanageable balloon, presenting such an
immense surface to the atmosphere, and being so susceptible to adverse
aerial currents as to become the helpless prey of the elements; and it
was still more fool-hardy to place the lives of its passengers at the
mercy of such terrible and ungovernable forces. A large section of the
public laboured under the delusion that Nadar's balloon was one capable
of being steered. In reality, however, the 'Geant' was unquestionably
the most rebellious and unruly specimen of its class that has been made
since the days of Montgolfier. The object in view when this formidable
monster was designed and constructed was to create the means to collect
sufficient funds to form a "Free Association for Aerial Navigation
by means of MACHINES HEAVIER THAN AIR," and for the construction of
machines on this principle. The receipts from the exhibition of the
"Geant" were intended to form the first capital of the association. The
hopes, however, of the promoters have not been realised in this respect;
for while the expenses of the construction of the balloon have amounted,
directly and indirectly, to the sum of L8,300, its two ascents in Paris
and its exhibition in London produced only L3,300.

Space forbids us to enter at length on the various stages of the idea of
aerial navigation by means of an apparatus heavier than the atmosphere.
The idea is not, however, by any means so absurd as it appears at first
sight. Those who, like Arago, declare that the word "impossible"
does not exist, except in the higher mathematics, and those who look
hopefully to the future instead of resting content with the past, will
join in applauding the sp