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direction.
"
This model (which, through want of time, we have necessarily described
in an imperfect manner,) was put in action at the Adelaide Gallery,
where it accomplished a velocity of five miles per hour; although,
strange to say, it excited very little interest in comparison with the
previous complex machine of Mr. Henson--so resolute is the world
to despise anything which carries with it an air of simplicity. To
accomplish the great desideratum of ærial navigation, it was very
generally supposed that some exceedingly complicated application must be
made of some unusually profound principle in dynamics.
"So well satisfied, however, was Mr. Mason of the ultimate success of
his invention, that he determined to construct immediately, if possible,
a balloon of sufficient capacity to test the question by a voyage of
some extent--the original design being to cross the British Channel, as
before, in the Nassau balloon. To carry out his views, he solicited and
obtained the patronage of Sir Everard Bringhurst and Mr. Osborne, two
gentlemen well known for scientific acquirement, and especially for the
interest they have exhibited in the progress of ærostation. The project,
at the desire of Mr. Osborne, was kept a profound secret from the
public--the only persons entrusted with the design being those actually
engaged in the construction of the machine, which was built (under the
superintendence of Mr. Mason, Mr. Holland, Sir Everard Bringhurst, and
Mr. Osborne,) at the seat of the latter gentleman near Penstruthal, in
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