L7957-001

Balloon Long Caption: A half section of a balloon used by the Franklin search expeditions for distributing messages. Rescue vessels loosed hydrogen-filled balloons carrying bundles of messages stitched to lengths of fast and slow burning fuses. As the lines burned through, they released the messages, scattering them over a wide area. It is made of red and white paper enclosed in silk net. Credit line: © National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London, Greenwich Hospital Collection Object: AAA4347 Artist: George Shepherd [designer] Date: 1852-1853 Medium: paper Size: Overall: 1150 mm x 1220 mm x 690 mm Click here to buy a bespoke print of this image.