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like respectful attention。 The error here involved … a gross error 
redolent of mischief … I cannot pretend to expose within the limits 
assigned me at present; and with the philosophical it needs no 
exposure。 It may be sufficient here to say that it forms one of an 
infinite series of mistakes which arise in the path or Reason through 
her propensity for seeking truth in detail。 

 
~~~ End of Text ~~~ 

 
FOOTNOTESMarie Rog阾 

{*1} Upon the original publication of 〃Marie Roget;〃 the foot…notes 
now appended were considered unnecessary; but the lapse of several 
years since the tragedy upon which the tale is based; renders it 
expedient to give them; and also to say a few words in explanation of 
the general design。 A young girl; Mary Cecilia Rogers; was murdered 
in the vicinity of New York; and; although her death occasioned an 
intense and long…enduring excitement; the mystery attending it had 
remained unsolved at the period when the present paper was written 
and published (November; 1842)。 Herein; under pretence of relating 
the fate of a Parisian grisette; the author has followed in minute 
detail; the essential; while merely paralleling the inessential facts 
of the real murder of Mary Rogers。 Thus all argument founded upon the 
fiction is applicable to the truth: and the investigation of the 
truth was the object。 The 〃Mystery of Marie Roget〃 was composed at a 
distance from the scene of the atrocity; and with no other means of 
investigation than the newspapers afforded。 Thus much escaped the 
writer of which he could have availed himself had he been upon the 
spot; and visited the localities。 It may not be improper to record; 
nevertheless; that the confessions of two persons; (one of them the 
Madame Deluc of the narrative) made; at different periods; long 
subsequent to the publication; confirmed; in full; not only the 
general conclusion; but absolutely all the chief hypothetical details 
by which that conclusion was attained。 

{*2} The nom de plume of Von Hardenburg。 

{*3} Nassau Street。 

{*4} Anderson。 

{*5} The Hudson。 

{*6} Weehawken。 

{*7} Payne。 

{*8} Crommelin。 

{*9} The New York 〃Mercury。〃 

(*10} The New York 〃Brother Jonathan;〃 edited by H。 Hastings Weld;  
Esq。 

{*11} New York 〃Journal of Commerce。〃 

(*12} Philadelphia 〃Saturday Evening Post;〃 edited by C。 I。 Peterson; 
Esq。 

{*13} Adam 

{*14} See 〃Murders in the Rue Morgue。〃 

{*15} The New York 〃Commercial Advertiser;〃 edited by Col。 Stone。 

{*16} 〃A theory based on the qualities of an object; will prevent its 
being unfolded according to its objects; and he who arranges topics 
in reference to their causes; will cease to value them according to 
their results。 Thus the jurisprudence of every nation will show that; 
when law becomes a science and a system; it ceases to be justice。 The 
errors into which a blind devotion to principles of classification 
has led the common law; will be seen by observing how often the 
legislature has been obliged to come forward to restore the equity 
its scheme had lost。〃 … Landor。 

{*17} New York 〃Express〃 

{*18} NewYork 〃Herald。〃 

{*19} New York 〃Courier and Inquirer。〃 

{*20} Mennais was one of the parties originally suspected and 
arrested; but discharged through total lack of evidence。 

{*21} New York 〃Courier and Inquirer。〃 

{*22} New York 〃Evening Post。〃 

{*23} Of the Magazine in which the article was originally published。 

 
 



                            THE BALLOON…HOAX

    'Astounding News by Express; _via_ Norfolk !  … The Atlantic 
crossed in Three Days !  Signal Triumph of Mr。 Monck Mason's Flying 
Machine ! … Arrival at Sullivan's Island; near Charlestown; S。C。; of 
Mr。 Mason; Mr。 Robert Holland; Mr。 Henson; Mr。 Harrison Ainsworth; 
and four others; in the Steering Balloon; 〃Victoria;〃 after a passage 
of Seventy…five Hours from Land to Land !  Full Particulars of the 
Voyage!

    The subjoined _jeu d'esprit_ with the preceding heading in 
magnificent capitals; well interspersed with notes of admiration; was 
originally published; as matter of fact; in the 〃New York Sun;〃 a 
daily newspaper; and therein fully subserved the purpose of creating 
indigestible aliment for the _quidnuncs_ during the few hours 
intervening between a couple of the Charleston mails。  The rush for 
the 〃sole paper which had the news;〃 was something beyond even the 
prodigious ;  and; in fact; if (as some assert) the 〃Victoria〃 _did_ 
not absolutely accomplish the voyage recorded; it will be difficult 
to assign a reason why she _should_ not have accomplished it。'

    THE great problem is at length solved !  The air; as well as the 
earth and the ocean; has been subdued by science; and will become a 
common and convenient highway for mankind。  _The Atlantic has been 
actually crossed in a Balloon!_ and this too without difficulty … 
without any great apparent danger … with thorough control of the 
machine … and in the inconceivably brief period of seventy…five hours 
from shore to shore !  By the energy of an agent at Charleston; S。C。; 
we are enabled to be the first to furnish the public with a detailed 
account of this most extraordinary voyage; which was performed 
between Saturday; the 6th instant; at 11; A。M。;  and 2; P。M。; on 
Tuesday; the 9th instant; by Sir Everard Bringhurst ;  Mr。 Osborne; a 
nephew of Lord Bentinck's ;  Mr。 Monck Mason and Mr。 Robert Holland; 
the well…known 鎟onauts ;  Mr。 Harrison Ainsworth; author of 〃Jack 
Sheppard;〃 &c。 ;  and Mr。 Henson; the projector of the late 
unsuccessful flying machine … with two seamen from Woolwich … in all; 
eight persons。  The particulars furnished below may be relied on as 
authentic and accurate in every respect; as; with a slight exception; 
they are copied _verbatim_ from the joint diaries of Mr。 Monck Mason 
and Mr。 Harrison Ainsworth; to whose politeness our agent is also 
indebted for much verbal information respecting the balloon itself; 
its construction; and other matters of interest。  The only alteration 
in the MS。 received; has been made for the purpose of throwing the 
hurried account of our agent; Mr。 Forsyth; into a connected and 
intelligible form。

〃THE BALLOON。

    〃Two very decided failures; of late … those of Mr。 Henson and Sir 
George Cayley … had much weakened the public interest in the subject 
of aerial navigation。  Mr。 Henson's scheme (which at first was 
considered very feasible even by men of science;) was founded upon 
the principle of an inclined plane; started from an eminence by an 
extrinsic force; applied and continued by the revolution of impinging 
vanes; in form and number resembling the vanes of a windmill。  But; 
in all the experiments made with models at the Adelaide Gallery; it 
was found that the operation of these fans not only did not propel 
the machine; but actually impeded its flight。 The only propelling 
force it ever exhibited; was the mere _impetus_ acquired from the 
descent of the inclined plane ;  and this _impetus_ carried the 
machine farther when the vanes were at rest; than when they were in 
motion … a fact which sufficiently demonstrates their inutility ; 
and in the absence of the propelling; which was also the _sustaining_ 
power; the whole fabric would necessarily descend。  This 
consideration led Sir George Cayley to think only of adapting a 
propeller to some machine having of itself an independent power of 
support … in a word; to a balloon ;  the idea; however; being novel; 
or original; with Sir George; only so far as regards the mode of its 
application to practice。  He exhibited a model of his invention at 
the Polytechnic Institution。  The propelling principle; or power; was 
here; also; applied to interrupted surfaces; or vanes; put in 
revolution。  These vanes were four in number; but were found entirely 
ineffectual in moving the balloon; or in aiding its ascending power。 
The whole project was thus a complete failure。

    〃It was at this juncture that Mr。 Monck Mason (whose voyage from 
Dover to Weilburg in the balloon; 〃Nassau;〃 occasioned so much 
excitement in 1837;) conceived the idea of employing the principle of 
the Archimedean screw for the purpose of propulsion through the air … 
rightly attributing the failure of Mr。 Henson's scheme; and of Sir 
George Cayley's; to the interruption of surface in the independent 
vanes。  He made the first public experiment at Willis's Rooms; but 
afterward removed his model to the Adelaide Gallery。

    〃Like Sir George Cayley's balloon; his own was an ellipsoid。  Its 
length was thirteen feet six inches … height; six feet eight inches。 
It contained about three hundred and twenty cubic feet of gas; which; 
if pure hydrogen; would support twenty…one pounds upon its first 
inflation; before the gas has time to deteriorate or escape。  The 
weight of the whole machine and apparatus was seventeen pounds … 
leaving about four pounds to spare。  Beneath the centre of the 
balloon; was a frame of light wood; about nine feet long; and rigged 
on to the balloon itself with a network in the customary manner。 
From this framework was suspended a wicker basket or car。

    〃The screw consists of an axis of hollow brass tube; eighteen 
inches in length; through which; upon a semi…spiral inclined at 
fifteen degrees; pass a series of steel wire radii; two feet long; 
and thus projecting a foot on either side。  These radii are connected 
at the outer extremities by two bands of flattened wire … the whole 
in this manner forming the framework of the screw; which is completed 
by a covering of oiled silk cut into gores; and tightened so as to 
present a tolerably uniform surface。  At each end of its axis this 
screw is supported by pillars of hollow brass tube descending from 
the hoop。  In the lower ends of these tubes are holes in which the 
pivots of the axis revolve。  From the end of the axis which is next 
the car; proceeds a shaft of steel; connecting the screw with the 
pinion of a piece of spring machinery fixed in the car。  By the 
operation of this spring; the screw is made to revolve with great 
rapidity; communicating a progressive motion to the whole。  By means 
of the rudder; the machine was readily turned in any direction。  The 
spring was of great power; compared with its dimensions; being 
capable of raising forty…five pounds upon a barrel of four inches 
diameter; after the first turn; and gradually increasing as it was 
wound up。  It weighed; altogether; eight pounds six ounces。  The 
rudder was a light frame of cane covered with silk; shaped somewhat 
like a battledoor; and was about three feet long; and at the widest; 
one foot。  Its weight was about two ounces。  It could be turned 
_flat_; and directed upwards or downwards; as well as to the right or 
left ;  and thus enabled the 鎟onaut to transfer the resistance of 
the air which in an inclined position it must generate in its 
passage; to any side upon which he might desire to act ;  thus 
determining the balloon in the opposite direction。

    〃This model (which; through want of time; we have necessarily 
described in an imperfect manner;) was put in action at the Adela

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