but the commencement of a series of similar ex-1 M. Regnault was charged with the duty of cursions, to be undertaken by them and others, des- making the necessary preparations for the voytined materially to contribute to the amount and age. His name gives sufficient assurance that, so value of our scientific stores. They ascended as before from the court of the observatory in Paris, at 4 P. M., and descended at half-past 5 P. M., about 30 miles east of the capital, near Coulommiers, on the Stragsburg rail road. Their car was caught among the branches of trees at the moment of starting, but became disentangled with loss of several instruments, after the discharge of a portion of their ballast. They then mounted slowly and majestically.

far as the construction and arrangement of the instruments was concerned, physics possesses nothing in the way of ingenuity and exactness which was not brought into service. But no one who did not see it can appreciate the untiring zeal and boundless devotion day and night which our brother displayed upon this occasion.

Every thing was ready on Friday; but the weather was unfavorable. On Saturday mornCare had ing the sky had cleared off, and the inflation of the balloon was commenced. The operation was tedious, and when it was finished, about one or two o'clock, the weather had again changed, and it was pouring down a deluge of rain. The rain ceased, but thick clouds continued to obscure the sky. It would have been natural under these circumstances to abandon the idea of ascension. Some one remarked in presence of the two trav ellers, that it might be useful to know the decrease of atmospheric temperature with the elevation at a moment when a continued curtain of clouds quite concealed the heavens from our view. The refractions of moderate heights depend upon the law which regulates this decrease. Now it sometimes happens that the sky becomes very suddenly clear of clouds: but in these cases there must remain in the atmosphere traces more

been taken upon this occasion to suspend the car at a safe distance, about 13 feet, from the balloon. The same balloon was used as upon the former occasion, and the same gentleman, M. Dupuis-Delcourt, was employed to inflate and prepare it for the ascent. This proves that in the opinion of the gentlemen most concerned, M. D. was not justly to be held accountable for the first failure. Application had been made by the savans to one of the experienced aeronauts now exhibiting for public amusement. But he refused to trust his balloon in their hands, unless he should himself be allowed to accompany them as conductor. They unwisely refused to allow this, acting herein about as wisely as they would, if, being about to make an exploring voyage to the Northern ocean, they should refuse to let their ship be commanded by a long-experienced, prac- or less notable of the anormal decrease of temtical, but unscientific sea-captain. They must perature which the clouds had caused. Observahave indulged in no very extravagant anticipations tions made in aerostatic ascensions, undertaken as to the character and amount of the fame they in fiue weather, are not completely applicable to were to win, if they supposed that M. Poiterin, this particular case. accompanying them as a sort of carriage driver, would be able to appropriate in the esteem of posterity any considerable proportion of it. But clouds. they accomplished their voyage safely, and re- "So soon as MM. Bixio and Barral were enaturned to Paris on Sunday morning, without fur-bled to judge from these and other considerather mishap than the breaking of some more of tions, which it is superfluous to specify, that their their instruments during a rough ride from their ascension might be useful, they took their places point of descent to the nearest rail road station. I am sure your readers will thank me for the following translation of a memoir giving account of the scientific results of the expedition read before the Academy of Sciences, by M. Arago, at the sitting of the 29th.

Besides, there are numerous occasions when observations are made through breaks in the

in the car and darted into the air. All the details of this ascension will be made known to you by the minute journal written in the ear itself, and which M. Regnault will read in your hearing. I will content myself with say ing, that at the greatest elevation reached by “MM. Bixio and Barral made some days ago our travellers, they experienced no pain nor an ascension which, considering the unfavorable difficulty of any kind in breathing: nor did circumstances under which it was executed, M. Bixio feel upon this occasion the lively pain hardly had, as it hardly could have had, but one in the ears which he suffered on his first ascent. result, namely that of proving their courage-This exemption was owing doubtless to the care we might almost say, their temerity. he took to maintain the air contained in that

"The two learned travellers were fully deter-organ at the same pressure with the exterior air, mined to recommence their enterprise under more by performing every now and then the act of degauspicious circumstances. But this time it was lutition. We add that the two physicians ennot their first essay, and they could afford to await countered a layer of clouds more than five thou the day and the hour. Isand metres, (16,405 feet,) thick, that they never

reached the upper surface of this cloud, that their | MM. Barral and Bixio saw at the height of 7000 descent commenced, in spite of them and con- metres, a little distance from the superior limit, trary to their desire, at a height of about 7000 the Centigrade thermometer descend to 39° below metres, (22,966 feet.) that this involuntary des-zero. This is 30 degrees below what Gay Luscent was caused by a rent which had taken place sac found at the same height, but in a serene atin the lower portion of the balloon. mosphere. I have hastened to prove that this "Let us speak now of the observations which extraordinary number was not affected by any our two travellers had the opportunity of making. error of observation. The barometer used to When they had reached their superior station in determine their elevation was naturally furnishthis cloud of five thousand metres, a rupture took ed with a thermometer intended to give the templace in the vaporous mass which enveloped perature of the mercury. This thermometer had them, through which they caught a glimpse of only been graduated to 37 degrees below zero. the clear blue sky. The polariscope, turned in These 37 degrees it seemed ought to suffice for that direction, showed an intense polarization: the greatest elevation at which it could be supwhen directed off the fissure in the clouds upon posed our travellers would ascend. Well the the clouds themselves, polarization was, on the mercury had descended below this 37th degree. contrary, null. This must not be considered as a The whole of it, however, had not entered into repetition of the experiment made on the former the reservoir. By an estimation which should ascent; for then the instrument was directed not be far from the truth, having been made by upon light reflected by the clouds, whereas upon a physician of the merit of M. Regnault, the this occasion, it was in that light that was re- thermometer was at two degrees below 37°. marked the total absence of polarization. The thermometer of the barometer therefore marked 39 degrees.

"An interesting optical phenomenon has signalized this ascension. Before attaining their "M. Walferdin has invented very ingenious greatest elevation, the layer of clouds which cov- thermometers à déversement, which give the miniered the balloon having diminished in thickness, ma of temperature to which they have been exor become less dense, our two observers saw the posed. The thermometer à maxima is in very sun, weakened and quite white. At the same general use. It could be desired that the fortime they perceived below the horizontal plane mer, that is to say the thermometer à minima, of the car, below their horizon, and at an angu- which is less known, were more generally used lar distance from that plane equal to that which by physicians. It will render important services measured the height of the sun, a second sun to meteorology. M. Walferdin had furnished similar to that which would have been reflected MM. Bixio and Barral with one of his therfrom a sheet of water situated at that height. mometers à minima. This thermometer, with Our travellers supposed, as it was natural they arbitrary divisions, was inclosed in a case pierced should, that the second sun was formed by the with numerous holes in order to permit a free reflection of the luminous rays upon the horizon- circulation of the air. At the request of the two tal surfaces of icy crystals melting in that vapo-travellers it had been sealed. rous atmosphere.

The seal was

brought back untouched, and it was broken at the College of France, in the presence of MM. Regnault and Walferdin. Minute operations proved that the thermometer à minima had descended to 39° 7.

"Let us arrive at the most extraordinary result, a result quite unexpected, which has been furnished by the thermometrical observations. Gay Lussac in his ascension when the weather was fine, or rather slightly vaporous, had found After these two precise observations, it is hardly a temperature of 9 degrees below zero, (15.73 necessary to say, that the proof of an extraordiFahrenheit.) at an elevation of 7,016 metres, nary fall of temperature is found to result from (23,019 feet.) That is the minimum which he the fact, that our travellers found it impossible to observed. This temperature of 9° 5 below zero, read the indication of several thermometers of MM. Bixio and Barral found in the cloud at an which liquor had descended to the cork stopper elevation of about 6,000 metres, (19,686 feet.) which supported them. M. Barral tried to rid But from that point, within a space of about 600, himself of these corks by means of a pen-knife, (1,969 feet.) the temperature varied in a manner but his fingers being stiffened with cold, the inquite extraordinary and beyond all expectation. strument fell through the net-work of the car. I am going to cite the number which results from M. Bixio succeeded no better in his attempt to several observations: but before doing so, I must make use of a kuife. The fact of the almost caution my auditory, that they must not without instantaneous fall of temperature in the cloudy reflection give way to an impulse of incredulity, mass, is a discovery which interests metorology for I shall prove, in a moment after, that the re-in the very highest degree. What is the particusult which I am about to announce is exact.lar constitution of a cloud, which qualifies it by

At 4 h. 25 m. elevation 5,122 metres, (16,805 feet.) temperature 9° below zero, (15.75 Fahrenheit.)

means of radiation towards space, or in some feet,) the thermometer marking 0° 5, (32.94 Fabother manner, for such prodigious coldness? This renheit.) is a question, which at the present moment it is most prudent only to announce. Perhaps this anormal constitution plays a part in the formation of hail. Perhaps it is the cause of those considerable changes of temperature, which are suddenly experienced in a given place. The solution of these questions is reserved for the future but this fact in no wise detracts from the importance of the observation.

Here the upward movement was arrested in consequence of the escape of gas through the rent which had taken place in the balloon. The travellers were surrounded with a multitude of small ice flakes, whose fall caused a crepitation upon the paper on which they were taking their notes. The upward movement was resumed after a quantity of ballast was thrown out: and then was immediately remarked the wonderful fall of temperature spoken of by Arago.

The escape of gas was now so considerable that it was found impossible to reach a greater

"In the journal which M. Regnault is about to read, the temperatures have been determined by that physician, and the heights calculated by M. Mathieu. This is saying enough to cause the results announced to be relied upon with complete confidence. It is estimated by the calculations of M. Mathieu, that our two travellers elevation than 7004 metres which was attained reached an elevation of 7,004 metres, (22,980 at 4 h. 50 m. Their thermometer then indica feet, or a little more than 4 miles.) This is ted more than 37° below zero. They hastened about a dozen metres less than Gay Lussac's to take, in tubes prepared for the purpose, a quangreatest elevation. But it is right to observe that tity of air at this great height, and then commenc the rules by which height is calculated, repose ed their involuntary descent. upon the hypothesis of a nearly uniform decrease of temperature, and that in this case a change of height has a variation of 30 degrees, whereas in a serene state of the atmosphere, the variation would have been only 4 or 5 degrees.

"The important discovery made in this aeronautic voyage shows what science may yet expect from these expeditions, when they shall be undertaken, as upon this occasion, by intrepid, careful, exact and sincere observers."

The lowest temperature 39° 7, observed by MM. Bixio and Barral, was within one degree of that (40° both by the Centigrade and Fahrenheit's thermometer) at which mercury freezes. I ought to have said above that in order to allow the gas to escape freely, and thus avoid an accident similar to that which placed the lives of the travellers in such imminent danger upon the former ascension, a long appendix, 23 feet in length, was attached to the balloon at the orifice below.

The memorandum of heights and temperatures is taken from the journal read by M. Regnault, to which allusion is above made by Arago. "Departure at 4 h. 3 m. P. M. The balloon rises slowly and moves toward the cast. Height at 4 h. 6 m. 750 metres 4 h. 8 m. 999 66 "4 h. 9 m. 1,244 66

66

44

(2,461 feet.) (3,278 > (4,081") 4 h. 11 m. (4,869 " At 4 h. 14 m. the barometer marked 9 degrees, the elevation being 2,013 metres, (6,604 feet.)

1,484

66

At 4. h. 15 m. elevation 2,570 metres, (8,432 feet.)

At 5 h. 2 m. their elevation was 4,503 metres, (14.774 feet) and the temperature had risen to 9° below zero.

Zero was found again at the height of 2,695 metres, (8.841 feet.)

The descent was effected safely at 5 h. 30 m. They had thrown their anchor, it had taken hold, and the savans were about touching earth again, when they just missed remounting in the air under highly unfavorable circumstances. A willing but not very scientific garde-champêtre, thinking to do them a service drew his sword and cut the cable. There were fortunately more intelligent persons hard by, who seized the severed rope in time to prevent a re-ascent and the travellers were hauled in.

MM. Barral and Bixio took up with them several pigeons to be let loose at various heights and report news to the observatory. None of the pigeons regained Paris. M. Arago conjectures that they were frozen to death.

Since the date of my last the National Assembly has passed a law upon the press, which in spite of constitutional guaranty is so violative of its liberty, and which directly and indirectly tells with such effect upon literature generally and novel writing in particular, that the correspondent of the Literary Messenger would be without excuse should he pass it without notice.

Touching newspapers the law prescribes that every one of them which treats of polities in its columns, shall deposit with government a sum of money as security (cautionnement). This sum is intended to secure the prompt and easy collec

At 4 h. 20 m. elevation 3,752 metres, (12,309 tion of any fine to which in the course of events

which is peculiar I believe to the French press, and has contributed more than anything else perhaps to the immense popular circulation of many of the journals, causing some of them to print editions of thirty, fifty, seventy thousand copies per day. Eugene Sue, Alexander Dumas, father and son, Sandeau, Sand, and a host of inferior luminaries, who have gained, many of them, most substantial fortunes, and reputations more or less substantial, may exclaim "my occupation's gone," and couching pen set forth in quest of literary fame and reward upon other fields. The clause which has so discomfitted this gay and brilliant, this talented but immoral and demoralizing class of literary men, reads thus—

the journal may be condemned for violations of and merited fame. It will prevent no man that is existing laws. In the four departments of the capable from building one up for himself. It will Seine, Seine et Oise, Seine et Marne, and Rhone, afford one of the most reliable guaranties that the cautionnement is fixed at 24,000 francs, ($4.800) can be devised for political consistency and infor journals and periodical publications which ap- tegrity. These guaranties are of prime necessity pear more than three times per week: it is only in France, where, I am profoundly convinced18,000 francs ($3.600) if the publication is three it is a severe remark but not, I trust, uncharitaor a less number of times per week. ble—a want of respect for truth, for truth's sake, In the other eighty odd departments of is a fundamental defect of national character exFrance the cautionnement is fixed at $1,200. $720, emplifying itself in all relations, public and pri$600, and $360, according to the location of the vate. The bill if persisted in, will work, as all journal and the frequency of publication. admit, a complete revolution of journalism in In addition to the above a stamp tax is imposed France. But the provision of the new press law, upon all political newspapers and periodicals. which I should particularly notice as affecting This stamp tax is of 5 centimes (1 cent) per sheet the interests of a very important branch of French in the departments of Seine, and Seine et Oise; literature, is yet to be alluded to. The law deals and of 2 centimes elsewhere. Political mat- a death-blow to the famous novel-feuilleton, ter, not periodical, as also writings on social economy, are subjected to a similar tax of 5 centimes per sheet. This clause is applicable to works printed abroad, which become obnoxious to the tax upon their introduction into France. Another provision of the new law at which the journals throughout France winced terribly, all without exception exclaiming against it, enacts, that "every article of political, philosophical or religious discussion inserted in a journal," and "all articles, whatever their extent, published in political or non-political sheets, in which shall be discussed the acts or opinious of citizens, and individual or collective interests," shall be signed with the name of the veritable author; upou pain of severe fine and imprisonment. In spite of the hue and cry which was raised against this provision as ruinous to the influence of the press, much I think may be said pro and con. I am, upon the whole, inclined to approve this clause. 1 Bee nothing in it violative of the liberty of the press, properly understood. It will I have little doubt work for the purification and elevation of the character of journalism in all its departments. Let a man have the courage of avowing his opinions political, moral, social, religious, philosophical. Let him say what he will, but let him dare to avow it: The honorable member avowed that by his let him take the responsibility of opinions. An amendment he proposed to strike a death-blow infinity of scandal, of dirty and villainous attacks at a branch of industrial literature which had will be avoided. Much of the undue, and irre- become dishonoring to the press. "I need not," sistible power of the press in France lay in the said he, "dwell long upon the character of the occult origin of its merciless, unscrupulous and novel-feuilleton for the purpose of developing its scathing criticism. The name at the bottom dangers. You all know that this bastard literawould often throw floods of light upon a subject ture is in the habit of attacking whatever is most which the article itself to which it is appended respected and sacred among men: not even may very imperfectly or very falsely illuminate. sparing that which pagan society itself protectsIf some good articles are lost from the modesty family and the domestic fire-side." (Noisy inor the sensitiveness that would not deliver a wri-terruptions from various quarters of the house ter's name to public animadversion, the loss will here interrupt the speaker.) "I had thought in be more than compensated by the superior honor, au assembly composed like ours the defence of honesty, independence, and ability of those that outraged morals would be tolerated. It is notoriremain. Publicity will tear down no honourable ous that the novel-feuilleton is the glorification

VOL. XVI-78

Every novel-feuilleton published in a journal or its supplement shall be subjected to a stamp tax of 1 centime per number. This tax shall be of a half-centime for journals of other departments than those of the Seine, and Seine et Oise." I consider a summary of the debate in the Assembly upon this provision to be of sufficient interest for insertion. It will enable me to dispense with further remarks. The subject was brought up in the Assembly on the 15th ult., in the shape of an amendment proposed by M. Riancy.

of adultery: its heroes almost without excep- [bitant circulation of the novel by means of a tion are bastards and bandits; and the principal newspaper of fifty or sixty thousand subscribers feuilleton writers, have, as we may all see, made to the great detriment of the book trade.” princely fortunes. I do not however go to the length of asking the complete suppression of this species of literature; but I do ask that it may be subjected to a heavy tax."

M. Riancy would seem to be no great sticklerfor consistency, for in this short discussion he completely changed the ground of his motion. Besides it is difficult to perceive if one be endowed with M. de Girardin. To be consistent, it is not a only ordinary ethical acumen, how that which is tax that the mover of this resolution should have corrupt, perverting and worthy of repression proposed; it is the absolute interdiction of the when published in the feuilleton of a newspaper, novel-feuilleton. In other words. he should have can become matter worthy of encouragement proposed the reestablishment of the Censure; and protection when appearing in form of a book. for this is not a fiscal question. I do not mean We know not which of his arguments prevailed here to undertake the defence of the novel-feuil- with the assembly. The amendment, however, leton; but will only say here that they are not all passed by a vote of 351 against 252 and alike, and that I can distinguish between them. was incorporated into the law. The fact is, that You are in effect asking for the Censure-say so the suppression of the novel-feuilleton will not se then frankly. Do not produce in a sly and round- much benefit the book-trade as sound, wholesome, about way an effect clearly immoral. You are durable literature. The class that devours with associating government, by giving to it the pro-such avidity the sickly, sentimental, and immoral fits arising from immoral publications, with the trash of the newspaper feuilleton, would not immorality itself. I pray the assembly to re-read, would not be able to procure books. Books member that the amendment in question conducts therefore must be written for another class more inevitably to the Censure."

able to pay. They will be more carefully diM. Coquerel (a protestant clergyman). "I am gested and more carefully composed than the in favor of the amendment. If passed it will evanescent feuilleton, which is only written to materially benefit sterling literature and the book satisfy the morbid appetite of to-day and under the trade. Every one is aware that the novel-feuil- influence, so pernicious to style, of a contract leton has been the death of literary criticism. which allows the writers so much per line upon This it may be almost averred exists no more. delivery of the manuscript. Most of the feuilleIt has been necessary that two of the principal tonists furnish their journal with the stipulated journals of Paris should in a special manuer quota of lines per day, and are dependent upon encourage this branch of literature in order the daily price of them for their daily bread. to retain in the French press, even in a slight It is impossible that men, even of unquestionable degree, the practice of that wholesome and use- talent, writing thus, and literally to live, can give ful criticism which may render to literature and to the public, works which will live. The sooner society such essential service. I support there- such a literature is stifled and its past producfore the amendment." tions forgotten, the sooner the men who have adThe Reporter. "The committee has had this dicted themselves to it are driven to other trades amendment under consideration and rejected it, or compelled to a more elevated, comprehensive, because it has appeared to us impossible to draw and a more honorable practice of the literary the line of distinction between the novel-feuille - profession, the better will it be for their own ton and history. The latter is without doubt morals and fame, for the character and moral sacred and unobjectionable. The former ex-tone of literature, and the real interest of society. cites the indignation of all who would fain do La Presse contends, and Le Journal des Debuts something to improve the moral tone of the lite-admits that this stamp tax is equivalent to, nay rary pabulum of the community. But your law, worse than the Censure itself. The testimony even if it were one of absolute interdiction, of the latter journal is above suspicion, for it would be evaded. In that portion of the journal alone, of all the Paris papers, has long since esdevoted to the feuilleton some have published chewed the novel-feuilleton. The tax imposed real histories, others mere novels, to which they will in almost every instance prove to be of have given the name of history' or 'souve-greater amount than the value of the article. nirs.' Now how are we to distinguish ?" There are journals in Paris whose circulation is M. Riancy. "I do not perceive the force of so great that the tax of 1 centime per number the suggestions just made. The word novel-feuil-will equal $100 per day. The Presse seizes this leton appears to me a very precise expression, occasion to impress the public with the imporwhich it is almost impossible to mistake. My tance of the feuilleton, and its own public spirit, object is by no means the reestablishment of the by recounting the pecuniary sacrifices to which Censure. I propose simply to prevent the exor- it has submitted in order to secure to this depart