BLANC

Mont. See Mont Blano. BLANCHARD, FRAN901B (by some called Jean one of the first aeronauts, bom at Andelys, the department of the Euro, in 1738 (or according others in 1753), was fond of mechanics from his and in his sixteenth year invented a self carriage, in which he rode a distance of miles. This invention, which he improved in recommended him to the court of Versailles. displayed equal ingenuity by the invention of a hydraulic machine, in the nineteenth year of his and afterwards in the construction of a flying which, by means of a counterpoise of 6 pounds, was raised to more than 20 feet from the ground. He eagerly availed himself of the discoveries brothers Montgolfier, and the improvements same by Profe or Charles and M. Kobert in After having made his first aerostatic voyage, March 4, 1784, he cro ed the Channel from to Calais, 1785, with Dr. Je£Eries, a gentleman Boston, in the United States. For tMs exploit was rewarded by the King of France with a present of 12,000 francs and a pension of 1200. same year, at London, he first made use of chute invented by him, or, according to others, Etienne Montgolfier. After having performed aerostatic voyages in foreign coimtries also, accused of propagating revolutionary prindplee, imprisoned, 1793, in the fortre of Kiif stein, Tyrol. Having obtained his liberty, he made forty-sixth ascent in the city of New York, In 1798 he ascended with sixteen persons in balloon at Kouen, and descended at a place 15 distant. In 1807 his aerostatic voyages amoimted to more than sixty-six. He died in 1809. — ^Madame Blanchard continued to make aerial voyages. 1811 she ascended in Home, and after going tance of 60 miles, she rose again to proceed to Naples. In June, 1819, having ascended from Tivoli, in her balloon took fire at a considerable height, to some fire-works which she carried with her. gondola fell down in the Bue de Provence, and haple aeronaut was dashed to pieces. 233