Details
BALLOONING -- An 82pp. pen and ink manuscript notebook kept by the Rev. W. Tucker, Rector of Widworthy, near Honiton, Devon, [circa 1770-1812], sm. 4°, containing an account of a hitherto unrecorded launching of a balloon at Queen's College, Oxford, on 19th February 1784, contemporary green travelling vellum, engraved brass clasp (spine slightly torn, extremities rubbed).
The launch was the second such experiment to take place on English soil. The balloon, constructed by Mr. Rudge of Queen's College, was 15 feet in diameter, and a detailed description of its construction is given. It was launched at at 1.15 pm. and came to earth at 3 pm. in a field near Wallington. The notebook also contains remedies for plague, hydrophobia, and recipes for articficial asses' milk and raspberry wine.
The launch was the second such experiment to take place on English soil. The balloon, constructed by Mr. Rudge of Queen's College, was 15 feet in diameter, and a detailed description of its construction is given. It was launched at at 1.15 pm. and came to earth at 3 pm. in a field near Wallington. The notebook also contains remedies for plague, hydrophobia, and recipes for articficial asses' milk and raspberry wine.