From J. MacSweeny Esq., Cork, January 31, 1850.
I received your letter of the 7th instant. Your remarks on the jealousies of aeronauts are too true. Their bickerings have not been of service to Aerostation, and the erroneous statements made by some aeronauts have misled many persons. For instance, several aeronauts stated that they would know the direction in which a balloon was going, by throwing out bits of paper which they supposed would be left behind to indicate that the balloon was moving in the opposite direction; but the papers having acquired the motion of the balloon would not be left behind. The very air which checks their descent has the same velocity as the balloon and the air carries them on with it. It is true that the act of throwing out a bit of paper makes it recede from the car, but suppose a balloon to rotate and in the car four aeronauts who throw out papers at the same moment, one from the prow, another from the stern, one from the right hand side of the car, and another from the left hand side of it, though the papers by the force of expulsion may recede from the car to a short distance, it is clear that the balloon could not move in ←55 | 56→the opposite direction from each paper at the same time; therefore, the throwing out of bits of paper is of no use to make the course of a balloon when out of sight of fixed objects above clouds. You ought to be on your guard against this error.
Since my essay appeared the belief in the possibility of directing balloons has been making way among amateurs, but as yet the greater number of the public are under the impression that aerial navigation is an impossibility and take little interest in the science.
The writer of the article on Aerostation in the Westminster Review for January 1848, vol. 48, says that the art of guiding or propelling a balloon appears to be almost as far from our grasp as ever. Yes this writer is inconsistent, as error always is. He states in a subsequent passage, in alluding to Hedging, that an attempt to steer balloons made in conjunction with the guide rope would be successful.
Do you know anything about the history of Mrs. Sage? From what part of England was she?2 As you intend to be a practical aeronaut, I wish to draw your attention to a mode of presenting a grapnel rope from snapping in a storm when the grapnel holds. Some of the rope below the hoop should be formed in several loops by binding cord round the neck of each loop. The first loop is formed by weak cord, the second by a stronger cord, and so on, each loop in succession is made with stronger cord. When a rope breaks, it always breaks at its weakest part. The above plan destroys the injurious effects of a jerk on the rope. The cords round the necks of the loops break one after the other, the weakest first, and the rope will not be broken. When Mr Hampton was in Cork, in July I drew his attention to this plan, and he highly approved of these snap-loops.
From Mr Hamptom, London, February 1, 1850.
I hope you will get the book safe. This day I start for Dublin by sea. Mr Gale is, I am told, at Hull, giving lectures. If you see the Hull paper, see what they say about him and let me hear from you soon.
←56 | 57→
From Mr Hampton, Stove Tenters, Cork Street, Dublin, February 13, 1850.
The Mr Sheppard that Hampton disparages was George Sheppard, inventor of a small silk balloon later used by the 1852 Franklin Relief Expedition. The balloon automatically dropped printed messages giving details of the location of the rescue party.
I received your kind letter this morning and I thank you much for the information therein. I agree with you that the inventions you speak of will die away to nothing. As for the trial made by Mr Sheppard in the Park, it shews he knows nothing about balloons, and he is doing Aerostation a deal of harm.3 I find that another expedition is to be sent out. My plans are before the Lords of the Admiralty. Gale does not seem to do much. Let me know if you hear more about him, I wish to know all I can, and you seem to get more information than I do here.
I am sorry they do not treat you better at your office but take my advice, and keep it till you can better yourself. We shall see what luck I have. I hope to see you this spring or in course of the summer. I will send you my papers as soon as I can get settled. We had a dreadful time of it, being at sea six nights and days. We were out at sea the night of the frightful storm, but thanks be to God, we are safe.
From Mr Hampton, Stove Tenters, Cork Street, Dublin, February 19, 1850.
James Goulston, ‘a great friend’ of Gale, was a professional aeronaut. On occasions he ascended under the name of Guiseppe Lunardi, the alias no doubt intended to suggest a relationship with the renowned aeronaut Vincenzo Lunardini.
I received your kind letter this day. If Gale comes to Leeds, do not say that you know much of me, nor that I was at Leeds, as he may say to you what he thinks proper about me. The foolish man thinks I have been doing him some injury at the Admiralty and that I have done so with Lady Franklin, this I have not, but I fear he has some enemy that has done so, and this I told him when I saw him in London.
I have again sent my drawing with some improvement at the Admiralty on Saturday last, and I will let you know what the result is when I receive a ←57 | 58→reply. Do not tell Gale this when you see him, also say that from what you have heard that I have not done much in Ireland, nor do you think lectures or balloon ascents will do much in Ireland. The fact is I do not wish him to come here this summer, there is not enough for two, therefore we shall only injure each other. I hear that Coxwell has not left London, nor do I think he will, from what I hear he has got the balloon he had ‘locked up’ and I should not be much surprised if he was to get in with Mr Goulston, and get the management of the balloon Gale had and to throw out Gale.4 Gale has been a very foolish man by not acting right to Mr Goulston, that gentleman has been a great friend to him, I am told.
In my opinion Gale’s letter to Lady Franklin will not serve him much. I agree with you that Sheppard has made a bad thing of ballooning, and that the Admiralty has not shown much judgment in not having an experienced aeronaut. Continue to send me all the news you can, and I will do the same to you. Should Gale come to Leeds, notice if anyone is with him, that is, in partnership, if so, let me know their name if you can.
From Mr Hampton, Stove Tenters, Cork Street, Dublin, March 1, 1850.
Gale’s supposed partner, identified simply as Dean, was Joseph Dean, alias Captain Bedey. This aeronaut was later to play an extensive, and at times intrusive, part in Brown’s own aeronautical endeavours.
I have just received your letter. I am very sorry to hear the account you give of poor Gale’s bad success, he must be in a frightful state. I wish you had the means of buying the things, if they are sold, I have no doubt he would sell the whole for £5. I cannot spare the money or I would send it to you. Should you think of having them, mind how you make your bargain. He had a silk balloon when in London, you should try and get this in for the £5. If you have the means of getting them, they may be of great use to you next winter. It would be better that you should have them than a stranger. I have seen them when in London and they are worth, without the silk balloon, £5, and the silk balloon is worth about fifteen shillings. I would ←58 | 59→not give more than £5 for the lot. Was anyone with him as a partner, and had he a man attending him named Dean? If he had no one with him as a partner, I cannot make out how he has kept up against these losses.5
I have received a letter of thanks from the Lords of the Admiralty for my invention, this is two letters I have received, besides what I have had from Lady Franklin. I have written again to Lady Franklin, and when I get a reply you shall know. I have got my model fire balloon done and I shall next week try some experiments, the result you shall know. Shall we have the pleasure of seeing you this summer? I hope we shall. I think of getting up my Surveying Balloon if I can raise the money to do so, it would tell well to have an experimental trial here, I have no doubt. I find the solution you first told me of has answered well, it prevents the linen getting into a blaze, only burning a hole, and goes out as soon as it is taken from the fire. Let me hear again from you, and state what poor Gale is doing, etc. I would readily assist him had I the means of doing so. I fear he will find that Coxwell is no friend to him.
From Mr Hampton, Stove Tenters, Cork Street, Dublin, March 5, 1850.
I have just received