Balloon Ascension

Balloon travel developed greatly in the 18th and 19th centuries, with those inflated with hydrogen being mostly preferred over so-called Montgolfières, which were lifted by hot air. Feeding the fire in the rechaud hanging over the middle of the car and watching it without a moment's cessation rendered this sort of air travelling subject to many dangers and difficulties. However, M. Eugene Godard eliminated a portion of this difficulty by adding a chimney. Thanks to this improvement the Montgolfière rose highly in popular esteem.

Born in France, Eugène Godard (1827-1890) made his first ascension in 1847 under a paper hot air balloon of his own construction. This began a career in ballooning that took him to perform in Europe and, in 1854 and 1856, in North America.