A Voyage in a Balloon

A Voyage in a Balloon (1852)

The Project Gutenberg eBook, A Voyage in a Balloon (1852), by Jules
Verne, et al, Translated by Anne T. Wilbur
This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or
re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.net

Title: A Voyage in a Balloon (1852)
Author: Jules Verne

Release Date: June 17, 2005 [eBook #16085]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A VOYAGE
IN A BALLOON (1852)***
E-text prepared by Norm Wolcott

A VOYAGE IN A BALLOON (1852)
by
Jules Verne

REDACTOR'S NOTE
From _Sartain's Union Magazine of Literature and Art_ (Philadelphia:
1849-1852): May 1852: VOL. X. No. 5: p. 389-395.
John Sartain (1808-1897) was an English artist and engraver skilled in
the art of mezzotint who emigrated to the United States; in 1848 he
purchased a one-half interest in the "Union Magazine", a New York
periodical, which he transferred to Philadelphia. The name was
changed to "Sartain's Union Magazine", and during the four years of its
existence the journal became widely known, publishing works of Poe
and other literati. The article here is a translation of "La science en
famille / Un voyage en ballon. / (Réponse à l'énigme de juillet.)", In:
_Musée des Familles. Lectures du soir_, Paris, seconde série. vol. 8, no.
11 (August 1851), pp. 329-336 (5 illustrations by A. de Bar, two
chapters). This is a different version from the one published by Hetzel;
"Un drame dans les airs", in: Le Docteur Ox, 19 October 1874, (ed. C
& D) (6 illustrations by Emile Bayard, only one chapter!).
In this early work we see the ingredients of Verne's later _Voyages
Extraordinaires_; characters brought or thrown together on a journey to
afar; introduction of new characters part way through the story; careful
scientific explanation of critical events (the ascension, filling the
balloon, rising and falling, ballast); use of dialogue to convey scientific
information (the history of ballooning); use of scientific instruments
(barometer, compass); chapter heads to presage the story; escapes from
perilous events caused by scientific or natural catastrophes.
One may also wonder why Hetzel removed the description of the
inflation of the balloon with hydrogen gas. In fact hydrogen is barely
mentioned in the revised story. Could it be that while Hetzel approved
of Verne's scientific descriptions of impossible undertakings, when it
came to real exploits such as ballooning he did not want his juvenile
readers experimenting with the "hogsheads of sulphuric acid and nails"
to produce explosive hydrogen? In fact in the Hetzel version the lifting
gas hydrogen is replaced with "illuminating gas", an inferior, though
lighter than air material, but one which his readers would find difficult
to use for deadly experimentation.
It may also be that Verne had little to do with this volume; Hetzel may
have edited the collection so that it would count as one of the required

volumes Verne was to produce annually. The correspondence archives
may shed some light.
Ms. Wilbur also translated other articles on ballooning from the French.
It is also interesting that she retained in her translation the original units
which Verne used (metre, feet, leagues), a practice forgotten until
recently. This may be the first appearance of a work by Jules Verne in
the English language.
Norman M. Wolcott Rockville, Maryland

A VOYAGE IN A BALLOON
by
JULES VERNE
Translated from the French by Anne T. Wilbur
1852

I.
My Ascension at Frankfort--The Balloon, the Gas, the Apparatus, the
Ballast--An Unexpected Travelling Companion--Conversation in the
Air--Anecdotes--At 800 Metres[A]--The Portfolio of the Pale Young
Man--Pictures and Caricatures--Des Rosiers and d'Arlandes--At 1200
Metres--Atmospheric Phenomena--The Philosopher
Charles--Systems--Blanchard--Guyton-Morveaux--M. Julien--M.
Petin--At 1500 Metres--The Storm--Great Personages in Balloons--The
Valve--The Curious Animals--The Aerial Ship--Game of Balloons.
[Footnote A: A metre is equal to 39.33 English inches.]
In the month of September, 1850, I arrived at Frankfort-on-the-Maine.
My passage through the principal cities of Germany, had been
brilliantly marked by aerostatic ascensions; but, up to this day, no
inhabitant of the Confederation had accompanied me, and the
successful experiments at Paris of Messrs. Green, Godard, and Poitevin,
had failed to induce the grave Germans to attempt aerial voyages.
Meanwhile, hardly had the news of my approaching ascension
circulated throughout Frankfort, than three persons of note asked the
favour of accompanying me. Two days after, we were to ascend from
the Place de la Comédie. I immediately occupied myself with the
preparations. My balloon, of gigantic proportions, was of silk, coated

with gutta percha, a substance not liable to injury from acids or gas,
and of absolute impermeability. Some trifling rents were mended: the
inevitable results of perilous descents.
The day of