ng they could cruise
among the clouds in balloons. But when she saw Professor Charles and his
companion rise into the blue sky, she was ready to agree with any one
who said that men had conquered the upper air. Alas! only a few months
later an event occurred which would have made her change her opinion.

Day by day the ballooning fever grew more intense, and when the King of
Sweden visited Paris of course he had to be entertained with a grand
display of the new discovery. Pilatre de Rozier, a young physician who
had, like Professor Charles, devoted much attention to the subject,
ascended in a balloon bearing the French arms, with the flag of Queen
Marie Antoinette floating from the car. The voyage was quite successful.
Scarcely had the fanfare of trumpets which greeted its start died away
when the aeronauts landed on the estate of the Prince of Conde, who
welcomed them with more heartiness than his ancestors were wont to
bestow on visitors from the King. Mingling with the buzz of delight
which accompanied these experiments, was an ever-growing rumour that
certain Englishmen had made up their minds to cross the Channel in a
balloon. It would never do to let them be first in performing such a
feat, so Pilatre de Rozier lost no time in asking the French Court for
forty thousand francs, to build a special balloon which would take him
across the English Channel. 'It is a matter of national honour,' said a
writer of the time; and as most people agreed with him, De Rozier's
request was granted.

The balloon was different from any other yet made, being a combination
of both the systems. The lower section was a large bag to be filled with
hot air, after Montgolfier's plan, and round which the platform for the
travellers was arranged. The upper part was a huge gas balloon. 'My idea
is,' said De Rozier, 'that by this invention much gas will be saved, for
when I wish to descend I shall simply cool the hot air in the
Montgolfier instead of letting out the gas. Then, to rise again it would
only be necessary to rekindle the fire. This also renders ballast
unnecessary.'

It was very ingenious, but most people will agree with Professor Charles
that 'it was like lighting a fire under a barrel of gunpowder.'

However, the balloon was built, and measured, when complete, seventy-two
feet from platform to summit. The race for the honour of crossing the
narrow sea had begun, and Pilatre took his giant to Boulogne. But here
on the very sho