also sent you a task, but I have no doubt you will be able to arrange them. I shall leave them to your judgement, you can curtail them where you think it can be done. When you have looked over them you then must give me your opinion. Let me know when you received them, so as I may know you have got them safe.
From Mr Hampton, 23 Jervis Street, Dublin, April 8, 1850.
The ‘first attempt with the Albion’ that Hampton refers to resulted in a near fatal turn of events. Hampton makes a brief reference to the incident in an earlier letter. On June 6th, 1838, Hampton sought to take his new balloon Albion aloft from the Eyre Arms Tavern, St John’s Wood. Insufficient lift brought the Albion into collision with the side of a house, the balloon having travelled a mere quarter of a mile. Hampton was flung from the car and sustained severe injuries.
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Your very kind letter has just come to hand. Your advice is good and kind, and I am well aware that you say all for my good and meant it. You are quite right in what you state about the size, and I am of the same opinion as you. Although I have stated in the papers I have sent you that the balloon was to be so large, it is not, and never was my intention to have it so large. She will not be larger than my Erin Go Bragh, and in proof of this I am using the same pattern, so that it will be the size you state, that is, high 63 feet, and 43 feet diameter. You must also bear in mind that I do not mean to ascend with it in Dublin – I should be mad to do so, being so near the sea, and not fully acquainted with the power of a fire balloon, indeed I mean to make myself master of it before I ascend. The reason I stated it to be so large was that I thought it would be a greater draw on the day of the experiment, but on the second consideration I think it will be better to keep to facts. As for failures, I am no way favourable to them, not will I risk one, but I do not mean to say that I may not have one, the best and most cautious may fail, but I will, as I always have, do my best to prevent them.
I have not a doubt but you have got my other papers by this time, but lay them aside for the present, and when you have read them, give me your opinion on them. I think they may be condensed or may be brought out with the account of my first attempt with the Albion, the Parachute, etc. I want to see if I can make some money by this experiment, and I then think of getting up some good views of ballooning for lecturing next winter. Though Gale has not done well, it does not follow it may not answer. I shall act very different to Gale. Make the little pamphlet as interesting as you can, perhaps a sketch or two from the accounts of the aeronauts you have named in your last letter you have sent may not be out of place. As for the fire, I shall make some trials, and you shall know the result soon.
From Mr Hampton, 23 Jervis Street, Dublin, April 21, 1850.
I received the papers on the 19th, which I thank you for. You must think me a very troublesome fellow – but from your kindness I am sure you will make allowance. I am getting on rapidly with the balloon, and shall have the paper all pasted on this next week, and shall then commence cutting out. The solution does not act so well as I would wish it, I fear ←65 | 66→it evaporates, or it may be that I have not made it as strong as I should have done, money has prevented me doing this. I am using the first, that is the phosphate of ammonia and ammonia. I am in the greatest anxiety about the rarefying the air when the balloon is complete. I fear the spirits of wine or naphtha will not give the heat I want. Turpentine causes too much smoke, so does resin. I am about to try charcoal and other things. Should you think of anything likely to answer, pray let me know. I am well aware I shall have much to contend with, but I must do my best, and please God I hope to succeed.
I had heard that Gale made an ascent at Ipswich, but I was informed he was well paid.9 This might not be true. I think he ought to have written to you before this; my reason for saying what I did, when I found you had lent him money was from what had been stated to me. Gale is a stranger to me, this you know – he has a large family and things are very bad with him. As for the papers you have got now, do not put yourself to any inconvenience, I fear they are complicated and will take much time and trouble to get them in order. I wish, as you say, we were nearer to each other than we are, for more reasons than one. Mind one thing, my balloon and car are at your service at any time and place for you to have an ascent at any time you can get leave. I think you and I must have some talk about getting up a pamphlet in numbers or otherwise. I have sent you all the pieces of newspapers I have got at present cut out. I have many more, but all my accounts of the Albion, Parachute are with a printer at Cheltenham. This man has failed, and I have tried to get them from him but cannot, perhaps I may some day when I can go to Cheltenham. I need not tell you to keep the pieces of newspaper safe, I have sent you all as you may take what you want.
To Mr Hampton Post Office, Leeds, April 23, 1850.
I received your letter this morning along with the newspaper scraps and will return you the latter in a few days. You speak of getting up a publication in numbers – I have often thought of doing this myself. The expense of printing a pamphlet of 16 pages would be very trifling, but you see that ←66 | 67→to advertise it runs away with a deal of money and it could not well be made known without advertising. I was surprised to hear Gale say that the Aerostatic Magazine was the ruin of Coxwell. I think he cannot have attended to it properly, or it would have done well. If you think of commencing a magazine I fancy we can find matter for it, part can be taken up with the History of Aerostation, etc.
You appear to have some doubts about being able to fill the fire balloon by means of spirit of wine. Now I am glad you think of giving up this plan for it would be a very expensive one. I think if you try spirit of wine and linseed oil you will find that they together will answer. Linseed oil yields a little smoke, but not much, and the smell is not quite as disagreeable as that of turpentine. I have let off a great number of balloons with linseed oil alone, but it would be better with a little spirit of wine.
I am sorry to hear that the fire-proof solution does not answer. The piece of linen that I had some time since that had been dipped in that solution continued to be fire-proof several weeks and I think it is very likely to be as you say, that what you have tried is not quite strong enough, but I hope you will succeed in making the cloth fire-proof, the balloon will not be safe without.
From J. MacSweeny, Esq., Cork, April 27, 1850.
It is sad to think of accidents that might have been avoided if simple contrivances had been used. It would be very difficult for an aeronaut to be flung out of a car if netting between the ropes which suspend the car were fastened to the ropes for his protection. A small door of cane work and netting at each side of the car would enable him to get out when necessary, by withdrawing a small bolt from the door at one side.
An objection raised against the guide rope is the damage it would do in passing over a town, but as the friction of a guide rope prevents a balloon from moving as fast as the wind, sails placed obliquely can be used for steering a balloon clear of any town or building. This plan would have saved Roche and might have enabled Arban to reach a headland.10 It is odd ←67 | 68→that Gale did not in his lecture treat of this mode of directing balloons. Is it possible that he was not aware of it when he lectured in Hull? You had, I dare say, some conversation with him on the subject in Leeds. What was his opinion of it? You have seen the account of Hampton’s voyage from Cork. You probably did not see the remarks of a Cork paper on his previous attempt to ascend. I enclose a cutting which may amuse you.
The safety-car for descending on water, was it made by Coxwell, or by Hampton? I drew Hamptons’ attention, when he was in Cork, to a matter that would add to the safety of the car, and fastened to it by a long rope, when the car touches the water it offers resistance to the balloon urged on by the wind. The consequence is that the car is thrown on its side, and the aeronauts being in some measure fettered by the apparatus for keeping out of the water, are in danger of having their heads plunged under water. The drag by offering resistance at the opposite side of the car tends to keep the car upright, and thus prevents the aeronaut from being smothered by the water, when the
