Parachute

a kind of large and strong umbrella, contrived to break a person’s fall from an air-balloon, should any accident happen to the balloon at a high elevation. ‘This contrivance was first thought of by Blanchard, who at different times, by means of the parachute, let fall from his balloon dogs and other animals. He ventured even to descend in this manner himself; but, whether from the bad construction of his parachute, or from falling among trees, he had the misfortune to break one of his legs. Citizen Garner in, as he chooses to be called, was more succe ful. On the 2ist of October 1797, he ascended from the garden de Mau eux at half past five in the evening 5 between the balloon and ‘the car, in which he sat, was placed the parachute, half opened, and forming a kind of tent over the aérial traveller; and when the whole apparatus was at a considerable height, he separated the parachute and car from the balloon. The parachute unfolding itself, was, by his weight and that of the car, drawn of course towards the earth. Its fall was at first rapid and vertical; but soon afterwards it exhibited a kind of balancing or vibration, and a rotation gradually increasing, which might be compared with that of a leaf falling from a tree. The acronaut, however, reached the ground uns hurt. See A FROST AT I A. This parachute was of cloth, and its diameter, when unfolded, about twenty-five feet. To use such instruments with succe , it is ne~ ce ary that the car be suspended at a considerable distance from the parachute, so as that the centre of gravity of the whole shall be vertically below the centre of resistance made by the air to the descent of the parachute; for if the car be otherwise placed, it is evident that the parachute will incline to one side, descend obliquely, oscillate, and the smallest irregularity tn its figure will cause 4 to turn round its vertical axis.