Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1849) From ‘The Balloon Hoax’ (1844)

HEADNOTE

Nineteenth-century American author Edgar Allan Poe was well-known for his macabre poetry and short stories. He was also a witty writer with a clever, even maniacal, sense of humor, as exemplified by the entry below. Poe’s newspaper article, known today as ‘The Balloon Hoax’, was published in the New York Sun as a special edition report on April 13, 1844. Ironically, it was a complete fabrication that a hydrogen-propelled balloon carrying multiple passengers had crossed the Atlantic Ocean from Europe to the United States in record time. The hoax article highlights the author’s sense of trickery and humor, resonating with wit such as he exhibited when writing ‘The Cask of Amontillado’.

The story was accepted as fact by the Sun’s editors for over 24 hours, though some perceptive readers wondered why the incredible flight information had not come from Charleston newspapers near where the flight supposedly ended. The rival newspaper the New York Herald quickly realized the impossibility at that time of a balloon flight originating from Europe and landing in South Carolina in the unheard-of time of a mere 75 hours from coast to coast. Herald writers were quick to attack their publishing competitor, and two days later, the Sun published a retraction of the story. How had the paper’s editors been fooled?

The supposedly first transatlantic balloon flight in three days’ time was accepted as true because of the wealth of scientific data and observations which Poe included. Throughout the article, he mentions the weather, the physical conditions of the individuals in the balloon, even down to minute mechanical details such as the size of bolts used to connect the large passenger basket to the balloon. Credibility also came from his inclusion of occupants of the balloon flight who had balloon flight experience, including the aeronauts Monck Mason and Robert Holland, the flying machine inventor William Samuel Henson, and the novelist Harrison Ainsworth.

‘The Balloon Hoax’ was far from the first of Poe’s works with transatlantic dimensions. Poe was well-known on both sides of the Atlantic for his short stories ‘The Pit and the Pendulum’ (1842) and ‘The Tell-Tale Heart’ (1843). He also reviewed English author Charles Dickens’s fifth novel, Barnaby Rudge in 1841. Transatlantic elements in the hoax article include the British passengers, both real and fictional, such as the pilot Mason, who had flown the balloon Nassau from Dover, England, to Weilburg, Germany in the mid-1830s. In addition, Poe’s balloon was named The Victoria after the young queen of England. Another transatlantic aspect of the fictional flight is the balloon’s route. It supposedly leaves England for a Continental landing, similar to Monck’s earlier actual flight. But the imaginary balloon is swept off course by mechanical problems and a hurricane, and lands near Fort Moultrie and Sullivan’s Island in South Carolina, which Poe was familiar with from his service in the United States army in 1827.

Poe’s hoax article also inspired other transatlantic literary works, such as French author Jules Verne’s adventure novel Five Weeks in a Balloon (1863), which was an immediate success. Another novel of Verne’s, Around the World in Eighty Days (1872), was also about a fictional balloon flight from England that travelled the world in a record eighty days, as opposed to Poe’s imagined transatlantic flight of three days.

Editorial work on this entry by Nick Drury.

SUN OFFICE }

April 13, 10 o’clock A.M. }

=======================================

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 Charleston, S.C., of
Mr. Mason, Mr. Robert Hol-
land, Mr. Henson, Mr. Har-
rison 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 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 inst.: by Sir Everard Bringhurst;¹ Mr. Osborne,² a nephew of Lord Bentinck’s; Mr. Monck Mason³ and Mr. Robert Holland,⁴ the well-known aeronauts; Mr. Harrison Ainsworth,⁵ author of Jack Sheppard, &c.; and Mr. Henson,⁶ 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 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, in a connected and intelligible form.

THE BALLOON.

Two very decided failures, of late,–those of Mr. Henson and Sir George Cayley⁷–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,⁸ 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 demonstrated 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 Weilburg⁹ 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.¹⁰ Its length was 13 feet 6 inches–height, 6 feet 8 inches. It contained about 320 cubic feet of gas, which, if pure hydrogen, would support 21 pounds upon its first inflation, before the gas has time to deteriorate or escape. The weight of the whole machine and apparatus was 17 pounds–leaving about 4 pounds to spare. Beneath the centre of the balloon, was a frame of light wood, about 9 feet long, and rigged on to the balloon itself with a net-work in the customary manner. From this framework was suspended a wicker basket or car. The mode of arrangement of the rudder and of the Archimedean screw, will be best shown in the annexed engraving, which we have kindly been permitted to use.

Picture of The Extra Sun paper which printed "The Balloon Hoax."

New York Sun Article. 1844. Harry Ransom Center Edgar Allan Poe Collection.

THE JOURNAL.

Saturday, April the 6th.–Every preparation likely to embarrass us, having been made over night, we commenced the inflation this morning at daybreak; but owing to a thick fog, which encumbered the folds of the silk and rendered it unmanageable, we did not get through before nearly eleven o’clock. Cut loose, then, in high spirits, and rose gently but steadily, with a light breeze at North, which bore us in the direction of the Bristol Channel. Found the ascending force greater than we had expected; and as we arose higher and so got clear of the cliffs, and more in the sun’s rays, our ascent became very rapid. I did not wish, however, to lose gas at so early a period of the adventure, and so concluded to ascend for the present. We soon ran out our guide rope; but even when we had raised it clear of the earth, we still went up very rapidly. The balloon was unusually steady, and looked beautifully. In about 10 minutes after starting, the barometer indicated an altitude of 15,000 feet. The weather was remarkably fine, and the view of the subjacent country–a most romantic one when seen from any point,–was now especially sublime. The numerous deep gorges presented the appearance of lakes, on account of the dense vapors with which they were filled, and the pinnacles and crags to the South East, piled in inextricable confusion, resembled nothing so much as the giant cities of eastern fable. We were rapidly approaching the mountains in the South; but our elevation was more than sufficient to enable us to pass them in safety. In a few minutes we soared over them in fine style; and Mr. Ainsworth, with the seamen, were surprised at their apparent want of altitude when viewed from the car, the tendency of great elevation in a balloon being to reduce inequalities of the surface below, to nearly a dead level. At half past eleven, still proceeding nearly South, we obtained our first view of the Bristol Channel; and, in fifteen minutes afterward, the line of breakers on the coast appeared immediately beneath us, and we were fairly out at sea. We now resolved to let off enough gas to bring our guide-rope, with the buoys affixed, into the water. This was immediately done, and we commenced a gradual descent. In about 20 minutes our first buoy dipped, and at the touch of the second soon afterwards, we remained stationary as to elevation. We were all now anxious to test the efficiency of the rudder and screw, and we put them both into requisition forthwith, for the purpose of altering our direction more to the eastward, and in a line for Paris. By means of the rudder we instantly effected the necessary change of direction, and our course was brought nearly at right angles to that of the wind; when we set in motion the spring of the screw, and were rejoiced to find it propel us readily as desired. Upon this we gave nine hearty cheers, and dropped in the sea a bottle, enclosing a slip of parchment with a brief account of the principle of the invention. Hardly, however, had we done with our rejoicings, when an unforeseen accident occurred which discouraged us in no little degree. The steel rod connecting the spring with the propeller was suddenly jerked out of place, at the car end, (by a swaying of the car through some movement of one of the two seamen we had taken up,) and in an instant hung dangling out of reach, from the pivot of the axis of the screw. While we were endeavoring to regain it, our attention being completely absorbed, we became involved in a strong current of wind from the East, which bore us, with rapidly increasing force, towards the Atlantic. We soon found ourselves driving out to sea at the rate of not less, certainly, than 50 or 60 miles an hour, so that we came up with Cape Clear, at some 40 miles to our North, before we had secured the rod, and had time to think what we were about. It was now that Mr. Ainsworth made an extraordinary, but to my fancy, a by no means unreasonable or chimerical proposition, in which he was instantly seconded by Mr. Holland–viz: that we should take advantage of the strong gale which bore us on, and in place of beating back to Paris, make an attempt to reach the coast of North America. After slight reflection I gave a willing assent to this bold proposition, which (strange to say) met with objection from the two seamen only. As the stronger party, however, we overruled their fears, and kept resolutely upon our course. We steered due West; but as the trailing of the buoys materially impeded our progress, and we had the balloon abundantly at command, either for ascent or descent, we first threw out fifty pounds of ballast, and then wound up (by means of a windlass) so much of a rope as brought it quite clear of the sea. We perceived the effect of this manoeuvre immediately, in a vastly increased rate of progress; and, as the gale freshened, we flew with a velocity nearly inconceivable; the guide-rope flying out behind the car, like a streamer from a vessel. It is needless to say that a very short time sufficed us to lose sight of the coast. We passed over innumerable vessels of all kinds, a few of which were endeavoring to beat up, but the most of them lying to. We occasioned the greatest excitement on board all–an excitement greatly relished by ourselves, and especially by our two men, who, now under the influence of a dram of Geneva, seemed resolved to give all scruple, or fear, to the wind. Many of the vessels fired signal guns; some displayed flags; and in all we were saluted with loud cheers (which we heard with surprising distinctness) and the waving of caps and handkerchiefs. We kept on in this manner throughout the day, with no material incident, and, as the shades of night closed around us, we made a rough estimate of the distance traversed. It could not have been less than 500 miles, and was probably much more. The propeller was kept in constant operation, and, no doubt, aided our progress materially. As the sun went down, the gale freshened into an absolute hurricane, and the ocean beneath was clearly visible on account of its phosphorescence. The wind was from the East all night, and gave us the brightest omen of success. We suffered no little from cold, and the dampness of the atmosphere was most unpleasant; but the ample space in the car enabled us to lie down, and by means of cloaks and a few blankets, we did sufficiently well.

P. S. (by Mr. Ainsworth). The last nine hours have been unquestionably the most exciting of my life. I can conceive nothing more sublimating than the strange peril and novelty of an adventure such as this. May God grant that we succeed! I ask not success for mere safety to my insignificant person, but for the sake of human knowledge and–for the vastness of the triumph. And yet the feat is only so evidently feasible that the sole wonder is why men have scrupled to attempt it before. One single gale such as now befriends us–let such a tempest whirl forward a balloon for 4 or 5 days (these gales often last longer) and the voyager will be easily borne, in that period, from coast to coast. In view of such a gale the broad Atlantic becomes a mere lake. I am more struck, just now, with the supreme silence which reigns in the sea beneath us, notwithstanding its agitation, than with any other phenomenon presenting itself. The waters give up no voice to the Heavens. The immense flaming ocean writhes and is tortured uncomplainingly. The mountainous surges suggest the idea of innumerable dumb gigantic fiends struggling in impotent agony. In a night such as is this to me, a man lives–lives a whole century of ordinary life–nor would I forgo this rapturous delight for that of a whole century of ordinary existence.

Sunday, the seventh [Mr. Mason’s MS.] This morning the gale, by 10, had subsided to an eight or nine knot breeze (for a vessel at sea) and bears us, perhaps, 30 miles per hour, or more. It has veered, however, very considerably to the North; and now, at sundown, we are holding our course due West, principally by the screw and rudder, which answer their purposes to admiration. I regard the project as thoroughly successful, and the easy navigation of the air in any direction (not exactly in the teeth of a gale) as no longer problematical. We could not have made head against the strong wind of yesterday; but, by ascending, we might have got out of its influence, if requisite. Against a pretty stiff breeze, I feel convinced, we can make our way with the propeller. At noon, today, ascended to an elevation of nearly 25,000 feet (about the height of Cotopaxi),¹¹ by discharging ballast. Did this to search for a more direct current, but found none so favorable as the one we are now in. We have an abundance of gas to take us across this small pond, even should the voyage last 3 weeks. I have not the slightest fear for the result. The difficulty has been strangely exaggerated and misapprehended. I can choose my current, and should I find all currents against me, I can make very tolerable headway with the propeller. We have had no incidents worth recording. The night promises fair.

P. S. [by Mr. Ainsworth.] I have little to record, except the fact (to me quite a surprising one) that, at an elevation equal to that of Cotopaxi, I experienced neither very intense cold, nor headache, nor difficulty of breathing; neither, I find, did Mr. Mason, nor Mr. Holland, nor Sir Everard. Mr. Osborne complained of constriction of the chest–but this soon wore off. We have flown at a great rate during the day, and we must be more than half way across the Atlantic. We have passed over some 20 or 30 vessels of various kinds, and all seem to be delightfully astonished. Crossing the ocean in a balloon is not so difficult a feat after all. Omne igontum pro magnifico.¹² Mem: at 25,000 feet elevation the sky appears nearly black, and the stars are distinctly visible; while the sea does not seem convex (as one might suppose) but absolutely and most unequivocally concave.*

Monday the 8th, [Mr. Mason’s MS.] This morning we had again some little trouble with the rod of the propeller, which must be entirely re-modelled, for fear of serious accident–I mean the steel rod–not the vanes. The latter could not be improved. The wind has been blowing steadily and strongly from the North-East all day; and so far fortune seems bent upon favoring us. Just before day, we were all somewhat alarmed at some odd noises and concussions in the balloon, accompanied with the apparent rapid subsidence of the whole machine. These phenomena were occasioned by the expansion of the gas, through increase of heat in the atmosphere, and the consequent disruption of the minute particles of ice with which the network had become encrusted during the night. Threw down several bottles to the vessels below. Saw one of them picked up by a large ship–seemingly one of the New York line packets. Endeavored to make out her name, but could not be sure of it. Mr. Osborne’s telescope made it out something like “Atalanta.” It is now 12, at night, and we are still going nearly West at a rapid pace. The sea is peculiarly phosphorescent.

P. S. [By Mr. Ainsworth] It is now 2 A.M., and nearly calm, as well as I can judge–but it is very difficult to determine this point, since we move with the air so completely. The vanes are working admirably. I have not slept since quitting Wheal-Vor, but can stand it no longer, and must take a nap. We cannot be far from the American coast.

Tuesday the 9th, [Mr. Ainsworth’s MS.] One P.M. We are in full view of the low coast of South Carolina. The great problem is accomplished. We have crossed the Atlantic–fairly and easily crossed it in a balloon! God be praised! Who shall say that anything is impossible hereafter?

The Journal here ceases. Some particulars of the descent were communicated, however, by Mr. Ainsworth to Mr. Forsyth. It was nearly dead calm when the voyagers first came in view of the coast, which was immediately recognized by both the seamen, and by Mr. Osborne. The latter gentleman having acquaintances at Fort Moultrie, it was immediately resolved to descend in its vicinity. The balloon was brought over the beach (the tide being out and the sand hard, smooth and admirably adapted for a descent,) and the grapnel let go, which took firm hold at once. The inhabitants of the Island, and of the Fort, thronged out, of course, to see the balloon; but it was with the greatest difficulty that any one could be made to credit the actual voyage—the crossing of the Atlantic. The grapnel caught at 2 P. M. precisely; and thus the whole voyage was completed in 75 hours; or rather less, counting from shore to shore. No serious accident occurred. No real danger was at any time apprehended. The balloon was exhausted and secured without trouble; and when the MS. from which this narrative is compiled was despatched from Charleston, the party were still at Fort Moultrie. Their farther intentions were not ascertained; but we can safely promise our readers some additional information either on Monday or in the course of the next day, at farthest.

This is unquestionably the most stupendous, the most interesting, and the most important undertaking, ever accomplished or even attempted by man. What magnificent events may ensue, it would be useless now to think of determining.
__________
*Note.–Mr. Ainsworth has not attempted to account for this phenomenon, which however, is quite susceptible of explanation. A line dropped from an elevation of 25,000 feet, perpendicularly to the surface of the earth (or sea), would form the perpendicular of a right-angled triangle, of which the base would extend from the right angle to the horizon, and the hypotenuse from the horizon to the balloon. But the 25,000 feet of altitude is little or nothing, in comparison with the extent of prospect. In other words, the case [sic: base] and hypotenuse of the supposed triangle would be so long when compared with the perpendicular, that the two former may be regarded as nearly parallel. In this manner the horizon of the aeronaut would appear to be on a level with the car. But, as the point immediately beneath him seems, and is, at a great distance below him, it seems, of course, also, at a great distance below the horizon. Hence the impression of concavity; and this impression must remain, until the elevation shall bear so great a proportion to the extent of prospect, that the apparent parallelism of the case and hypotenuse disappears–when the earth’s real convexity must appear.

Black and white portrait image of author Edgar Allen Poe.

Portrait of Edgar Allan Poe. Circa 1849.

Source text

Poe, Edgar Allan. “Astounding News! By Express Via Norfolk: The Atlantic Crossed

in Three Days.” The Extra Sun (13 April 1844): 1. Harry Ransom Center Edgar Allan Poe Collection. https://hrc.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p15878coll102/id/2895/rec/79

References

“Battledore.” The Free Dictionary, 2022, Source: https://www.thefreedictionary.com.

Ellison, Murray. “Thesis on Poe and Nineteenth-Century Science.” Poe Museum, 20 Aug. 2018, https://poemuseum.org/poes-great-balloon- hoax-part-1/.

Hughes, Linda K., et al., editors. Transatlantic Anglophone Literatures, 1776-1920. Edinburgh University Press, 2022.

Mabbott, T. O., editor. The Collected Works of Edgar Allan Poe–Vol. III: Tales and Sketches. Edgar Allan Poe Society of Baltimore, 1978.

Poe, Edgar Allan Poe. “The Balloon Hoax.” New York Sun, Extra, 13 April 1844, p. 1. Courtesy Edgar Allan Poe Society of Baltimore: https://www.eapoe.org/works/tales/ballhxa.htm.

Poe, Edgar Allan. “Astounding News! By Express Via Norfolk: The Atlantic Crossed in Three

Days.” The Extra Sun (13 April 1844): 1. Harry Ransom Center Edgar Allan Poe Collection.

https://hrc.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p15878coll102/id/2895/rec/79.

Romney, Rebecca. “When Edgar Allan Poe Pranked New York City—And Inspired Jules Verne.” Mental Floss, 19 Jan. 2018, p.1. https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/524140/when-edgar-allan-poe-pranked-new-york-city-and-inspired-jules-verne.

Tresch, John. “The Balloon-Hoax of Edgar Allan Poe and Early New York Grifters.” Literary Hub, 16 June 2021. https://lithub.com/the-balloon-hoax-of-edgar-allan-poe-and-early-new-york-grifters/.

Image References:

Poe, Edgar Allan. New York Sun Article. 1844. Harry Ransom Center Edgar Allan Poe Collection. Courtesy of Harry Ransom Center. https://hrc.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p15878coll102/id/2895/rec/79.

Forget, Yann and Cuerden, Adam, portrait restorers. Portrait of Edgar Allan Poe. Circa 1849. Wikipedia Commons. Courtesy of Wikipedia https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/97/Edgar_Allan_Poe%2C_circa_1849%2C_restored%2C_squared_off.jpg.