of the highly-inflammable nature of hydrogen, we wonder how
anyone could have attempted such an adventure; but there had been
little experience of this newly-discovered gas in those days. We
are not surprised to read that, when high in the air, there was
an awful explosion and the brave aeronaut fell to the earth and
was dashed to death.



CHAPTER IV
The First Balloon Ascent in England

It has been said that the honour of making the first ascent in a
balloon from British soil must be awarded to Mr. Tytler. This
took place in Scotland. In this chapter we will relate the
almost romantic story of the first ascent made in England.

This was carried out successfully by Lunardi, the Italian of whom
we have previously spoken. This young foreigner, who was engaged
as a private secretary in London, had his interest keenly aroused
by the accounts of the experiments being carried out in balloons
in France, and he decided to attempt similar experiments in this
country.

But great difficulties stood in his way. Like many other
inventors and would-be airmen, he suffered from lack of funds to
build his craft, and though people whom he approached for
financial aid were sympathetic, many of them were unwilling to
subscribe to his venture. At length, however, by indomitable
perseverance, he collected enough money to defray the cost of