Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954), Monday 9 December 1878, page 5


AMUSEMENTS.

At the Theatre Royal, on Saturday evening, the programme which was given on the occasion of Mr. Reeve's benefit, was repeated to an excellent house. The dress circle was crowded, the stalls was well filled, and the pit and family circle contained a fair sprinkling of people. The pieces, as our readers will Womerah M', wem "Still Waters Run Deep and 'Cool as a Cucumber," and both went quite as smoothly and successfully as on the former

occasion.

The Victoria Theatre was moderately well attended on Saturday evening. The performance comment ed with the romantic drama " The Charcoal Burner, or the Diojjp'ns? Well of Knareeboro'. " Mr. E. Holloway took the pa t of the Charcoal Burner very well, and Mrs. Holloway made an excellent Edith Harrington, (he other characters being tolerably well sustained. After a distribution of Chustiimt. Guts " The Rough Diamond'?) was

played, with Mrs. Holloway as Margery, and Mr. Bland

Holt as Captain Blenheim

There was a good attendance at the Queen's Thxaheon Saturday evening, when " Charles the Second, on the Merry Monarch," and .' King IConkobus, or the adventures of the Princess Charming," were played.

Hicks's Georgia Minstrels had a full house at the School of Arts on Saturday evening, when in enter liniment, similar to that of previous evenings, was given.

A concert, got up by the Trades and Labour Council, was given at the Protestant Hall on Saturday evening, in aid of the Seamen's Union. The arrangements in view of the possibility of the strike coming to an end were not of the most complete nature, but for all that there was some good music, and the attendance numbered between 500 and 600. It is anticipated when the accounts are made up that there will be a balance of profit of over £30.

In order to make up for the disappointment consequent upon his first appearance > here as an aeronaut, Mr. H. L'Estrange attempted, on Saturday last, another balloon ascent. On this occasion he chose Belmore Park for his operations, and the fact of this being within a few hundred yards of three large gasometers, justified him and the public in apprehending that his efforts to keep faith with his patrons would be attended with success. The filling of the balloon commenced at seven o'clock in the morn-ing-,- and it was anticipated that the process of inflation would be accomplished in four or five hours This anticipation indicated a - great deal of confidence in the available mechanical appliances of the Gas Company, which was not fulfilled, by subsequent facts, for by 3 o'clock in the afternoon the balloon was scarcely three parts full of gas. About this time, or a little after a large number of people assembled near the balloon ; larger numbers congregated outside the iron railings of the park, and larrikins almost innumerable dropped over the enclosures, regardless of the presence of a large body of constables ostensibly present to keep order. During this time the balloon was taking in gas, but at rather a slow rate, and it was not until about 5 o'clock that the aeronaut appeared on the scene with his mind made up that the time to ascend had' arrived. The balloon, as he cast his eye over it, presented a pretty appearance as it surged about under the influence of the wind. It was not by any means filled, but there were evidences about it leading to the conclusion that it would at least carry Mr. -'Lestrange and the car attached to it. Mr. L'Estrange was evidently of this opinion, for he gave some final orders, and the car was hitched on and placed in position. Then followed one of those almost indescribable scenes of confusion attending nearly every balloon ascent attempted in Sydney, and which to a large extent hamper the movements of aeronauts, and adversely interfere with the men they engage to assist them. A crowd numbering several hundreds of individuals clustered round the balloon like a lot of bees, and although they were manifestly animated by a desire to be of service to the aeronaut, their good offices made it appear as if the balloon would never get clear of them. At last, however, the order was given to " let go." At this the balloon went away at a tolerably quick rate, dragging the car along the ground for a hundred yards or so, or, in fact, until it was captured, and taken back to starting point. Some ballast was thrown out, and "let go" was repeated. This time it appeared as if the balloon was going to ascend. Instead of groping along, the ground, as in the first instance, it went up for about fifty feet in an almost direct line. This was only a delusive movement, however, for it descended as rapidly as it ascended. The people made a lane for it, whereupon it went straight towards a fence. Here the wind got under the parachute, and lived the whole apparatus over the fence, and almost into the faces of a number of persons on balconies attached to Carter's barracks. It looked as if it was going to strike these buildings, but the wind and the parachute got into operation together again and lifted it over them in splendid style. About this time it became evident to Mr. L'Estrange that playing hide and seek amongst chimney tops was not in his programme, and as it was patent also to that gentleman, that the balloon would not ascend, he let out his anchor with the view of making it take a contrary direction. The anchor dragged for a considerable distance but eventually it caught in the spouting of a building and threw the balloon into the dry-ing ground of the Benevolent Asylum. Here it got entangled amongst a lot of wires used for drying clothes on. These wires were stretched in the vicinity of posts which perforated the balloon and let the 'gas out unless seconds than it had taken hours to go in.. Mr. L'Estrange had several narrow escapes from being thrown out of the car and on one occasion was thrown into the netting by the balloon canting over., He managed to reach the ground with the assistance of some inmates of the institution, and was immediately carried inside the building. It was found that he was not seriously injured, although rather badly bruised about the knees. The balloon is almost irreparably

damaged, but, Mr. L'Estrange's satisfied that he will yet I make a balloon ascent from Sydney. The gas hitherto ¡ placed at his disposal, he says, is not so buoyant as he de- . sires, and he is entertaining the idea of making gas

of a much lighter quality. It is to be hoped that his future efforts will he more successful than those of the past. Hitherto he has manifested much courage and daring, and it is to be regretted, now that the danger of ballooning is reduced almost to a minimum, and ascents are common in many parts of the world, that his exertions as an aeronaut here have been a disappointment to himself and to the public. *. , '