Queen Victoria visited Ireland from the 2nd to the 12th of August. The country was in the grip of a famine, the devastating effect of which many attributed to England’s want ←39 | 40→of appropriate remedial action, yet surprisingly Victoria was well received, drawing large crowds wherever she went.
I have just received your letter which I thank you for and the enclosed. I shall leave here tomorrow for Limerick. The Queen had not done much for me as she came before her time here, and as for Dublin, a balloon ascent would not have done much for all was taken up by the Review, and gas could not be had when it would have been wanted owing to the illumination, the same as it was here. I have made well without the Queen and I think I have cleared about £120.
If you see Green speak of me, but do not say you are in communication with me or he will not speak his mind to you. Mind and not give him any idea of what you are about doing; he will give the ideas to his son or brothers.
I should have been glad if things could have been arranged so as you could have joined me in my new undertaking this winter. I am sorry to say that I have been made such a tool of since this balloon has been made, that I have not the means to carry out my plans. I would sooner meet with someone without advertising if I could do so. I have not a doubt but a fortune could be made if properly managed and with two honourable men one to the other. Ballooning by itself will not be worth following, but connected with my plan much may be done. Let me hear from you soon with all particulars of Green. Be on your guard with Green.
From Mr Hampton, 12 Cecil Street, Limerick, August 25, 1849.
I received the newspaper and your letter. You have seen Green, and you have found him to be the man I represented.9 He does not like me or my name it seems. I have the most reason to dislike him, but it does not matter much his bad feeling. You will see by the bill that I ascend here on Monday week.
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To Mr Alfred Ormond. Leeds, [Not dated.] August, 1849.
Alfred Ormond, a local identity and would-be entrepreneur, had already sponsored some balloon ascents at Leeds. Brown, still at work on his Montgolfier balloon, hoped to induce Ormond to fund the completion of the project. Subsequent events would indicate that Ormond’s enterprise and ambition exceeded his means.
Allow me to draw your attention to the following; I have made several improvements in the balloon and am anxious to meet with a gentleman who will assist me in carrying out my designs, not having money sufficient to do it myself. A small sum would only be required, about £30 or £40 and, if the parties were honourable to each other, it could not fail to make a fortune for both. My balloon would be so constructed that it would be impossible for it to burst or take fire, the latter causing it to be more suitable for firework ascents. It could be inflated in about ten or fifteen minutes at any place or time without the aid of a gas company. I would fill it myself. The expense would not exceed twenty or thirty shillings. With this balloon I would produce exhibitions equal to those of Vauxhall or Cremorne. I would ascend by night or day. Should you feel disposed to give me a trial I shall be most happy to meet you at any time when I shall be able to give you the particulars more fully. I am well acquainted with all the details of the art of Aerostation. Communications to be addressed Aeronaut, Post Office, Leeds.
To Mr Hampton, Aeronaut, Meanwood Road, Leeds, [Not dated.] August, 1849.
I received your letter enclosing the bill for which I am obliged. I am glad to hear of your again being on the ascendant. I hope all may again go off well. I see Warman has got another young man of the name of Green to pilot his balloon. He has made four ascents this month two from Chester, one from Preston, and one from Blackburn. Wadman was announced to ascend from Rockdale on Monday but failed, owing to the short supply of gas.
Young Green and another gentleman had a narrow escape at Preston on the instant. The balloon, in ascending, came in contact with a weathercock which tore a hole in the balloon 18 inches long. They threw out all ←41 | 42→they had with them, by which they cleared the town. They were only four minutes in the air, but travelled four miles and a half. Gypson made two ascents from Huntington last week. On the first occasion the balloon on its descent was towed in its inflated state back to the place where it started from and he ascended with the same gas the following day. He seems to have done very well there. He was the first person to ascend from Huntington.
I hope in my next to be able to state that I have commenced the construction of a balloon on my plans. I have met with a gentleman who promises to defray the expense of the machine and I believe we shall set about it immediately. I shall be very careful how I proceed. This gentleman is to pay for the machine and to engage me to make the ascents, and I will take care to have a proper written agreement before making the balloon.
From Mr Hampton, 12 Cecil Street, Limerick, September 4, 1849.
I received your note and the newspaper with Green’s balloon in it. You will see by the newspaper I have sent you that I have made my ascent from Limerick. The day was bad, and I did not clear my expenses.10 It seems that the Green’s are plentiful, as Wadman had another Green.
I am happy to hear that you have got a friend to assist you in getting up your balloon. Mind and do as you say, that is, to be on the safe side. Let me hear from you soon.
From Mr Hamptom Limerick, September 25, 1849.
I have just received your letter. I am sorry to hear that you have been so sadly disappointed, but keep up your spirits. I have had this sort of things all my life but, thank God, I got over them and so with you, I hope. I am ←42 | 43→sorry that your friend died with cholera.11 I wish you could join me. I think we should do well. I have got a good balloon and apparatus, but it is too much for one. I find I have a great wish to make a long trip and had I a party to join me I would at once enlarge my balloon for the purpose. If you could in any way raise £100 we could at once enter into some arrangement and come out well next season.
I leave here for Clonmel tomorrow. I fear I shall not get the gas. I have got the offer of the Barracks, the Band, and the patronage of the Mayor, Colonels, and the officers. I never had a better offer, but after having had every reason to suppose I could have the gas, it now seems there is some doubt.
Have you begun your balloon? If not I would like to know on what principle it is to be. You need not fear communicating with me freely as I will not take any advantage. Hoping to hear from you soon.
To Mr Hampton. Meanwood Road, Leeds, September 29, 1849.
Your letter enclosing the bill I received on Tuesday afternoon. I had previously seen your advertisement in Saturday’s Limerick Chronicle. I have no doubt you will do well in this affair. I sincerely hope so. As you seem desirous that I should give you some explanation of my plan for a balloon I will at once proceed to do so. With respect to my being afraid of your taking advantage of any communication I might make that would be likely to be useful to you, on the contrary I should only be too happy if I could tender you a service. I propose to construct a balloon on the original plan of Montgolfier but with the following improvements. The machine would be made fireproof. The fireplace would be provided with a cover, or extinguisher, to be raised or lowered at pleasure, the fire could therefore be lessened, increased or put out in a moment. On the topic of the balloon I would have a large valve only to be used when a rapid descent was required, or for the purpose of exhausting the balloon speedily with it reached the ground. If I were to make one to my wish I should prefer one of about 20,000 cubic feet capacity not larger. When complete ←43 | 44→the machine with its whole apparatus would weigh about 250 pounds, and as the rarefied air would be about half the weight of common air, it would raise about 500 pounds more. The cost of such a machine would not exceed £40. The inflation would cost very little. For £2 I would fill the balloon and keep it up two hours. This kind of balloon would be far more attractive than a gas balloon and, in consequence of the small expense attending