I have not yet seen The Illustrated London News with the Messenger Balloon in, neither can I get a copy of the paper of the date you speak of. The account of the Leipsic flying experiment is quite new to me, I had not seen it before. It was not Coxwell who made the experiment, he was in Hamburg at the time. The account of Montemayor’s balloon has appeared in nearly all the papers, but no account has yet appeared of its ascent. I should have been glad if you could have let me have a copy of the first edition of your essay. I wish to collect everything I can relating to Aerostation, and all shall be carefully preserved.
From J. MacSweeny Esq., Cork, June 15, 1850.
I have not got Wise’s book yet, but I had ordered it before your last letter arrived. The work is probably on sale by this time in London, I dare say I shall get it soon. You probably saw in the papers the account of Coxwell’s ascents from Hamburg in May, if not I can send you a statement.
The advertisement relating to the Aerial Machine, described in the Patent Journal, might have escaped your notice, I therefore send it.
To J. MacSweeny Esq., Bradford, June 24, 1850.
I received your last letter and have to thank you for the information it contains, and in particular for the account of the voyage of M. Arban.20 ←76 | 77→The advertisement in The Times respecting the Patent Journal I had not noticed, although I look the papers over carefully every day. I have ordered a copy of the Patent Journal, and expect to find in it a description of Bell’s Aerial Machine. I see there is a short account of it in The Builder of last week.
I never yet heard your opinion of the machine proposed by Mr Luntley under the name of Dadalus Britannicas, a description of which was given in a small pamphlet published by him in 1848. That, I think, is the nearest approach that has yet been made towards effecting aerial navigation.
In the Paris letter of the Standard of Freedom of Saturday last, it is stated that a balloon called The Californian was announced to ascend on Sunday with two ladies and a gentleman. The latter is said to be able to guide the machine as he pleases. I hear nothing more of Porter’s machine although I see the New York papers regularly. The New York Courier and Enquirer has a notice of Wise’s book, which, it says, gives the particulars of the various attempts made to navigate the air, and also accounts of remarkable balloon ascents including those of Mr Wise. I have not yet got the work. In Saturday evening’s Standard there is an account of the ascent of a Frenchwoman named Bertrand from Lisbon, who, after remaining up two hours, attempted to descend among a number of country people, but some of them having armed themselves with cudgels, she thought proper to reascend. She descended safely some miles off. The account is a very droll one. The people were so alarmed at the balloon that some fell on their knees, other ran away as fast as they could.
Gale ascended from Portsmouth on the 18th and descended near Hilsea Lines. On the 20th Gale, Goulston, and another person ascended at ten at night from Cremorne. On the 22nd Green and Rush – his 14th ascent – ascended in the Nassau balloon from Vauxhall at half past seven, and descended at twenty minutes past eight at Pauls’ Cray. Gale is announced to ascend from Dudley Castle this day. No ascent took place at Birmingham last week.
From J. MacSweeny Esq., Cork, June 28, 1850.
MacSweeny had earlier enquired of Charles Clark. Clark was not an aeronaut, but he described himself as an ‘amateur’ aerial enthusiast. He had reprinted on his private ←77 | 78→press the early work of the Rev. Ralph Morris, Flying No Failure or Aerial Transit Accomplished More Than A Century Ago. 1751. Reprinted 1848.
A letter from Mr C. Clark of Totham, Essex, informs me that in The Dispatch newspaper of the 2nd instant there is a long review of Wise’s book. If you succeed in getting The Dispatch of that date I wish that you will let me know your opinion of the review.
Mr Clark sent me the account of the inquest on the body of the man killed by the grapnel, this account I subjoin:
The Inquest. On Tuesday an inquiry took place touching the death of the unfortunate man Clark, before C. C. Lewis Esq. Coroner, and a respectable jury, when the following evidence was adduced. Jonathon Little of Matching deposed: On Friday evening last a balloon fell in this parish, and deceased with several others went to render assistance, the grappling iron caught in a pollard tree, and being disengaged from that, struck deceased on the left side. I saw him standing with his hands to his side, and I asked him if the hooks had caught him, he said they had. He then followed me after the balloon, but could not run, after which I saw no more of him.
William Beloc Rix of Matching, surgeon, deposed: I was called to deceased on Friday evening about 8 at the house where he lies. I found him in a state of great suffering, complaining of violent pain in the pit of the stomach, and unable to get his breath, he said the iron of the balloon had struck him a severe blow to the stomach. He had the appearance of having received a very severe injury. I saw him six or eight times subsequently and he died at half past one on Saturday afternoon, having never rallied in any perceptible degree, the cause of death was some severe internal injuries. There was one gentleman in the balloon who gave his name. Hugh Bell, 1 Spring Garden Terrace, Trinity Square, Southwark.
A verdict in accordance with these facts was retuned. The unfortunate accident, we are informed, is to be attributed in great measure to the incautious act of the deceased, in approaching so near to the grapnel, Mr Bell having placed himself in great danger in leaning over the side of the car in order to warn the people of their liability to injury therefrom.
Your letter of the 24th instant has come to hand. I suppose that Comaschi was drowned.21
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I perceive by the supplement to No. 210 of the Patent Journal that Mr Bell has adopted the plan of bands crossing each other instead of the usual knotted netting, a plan I advocated long since. The balloon you were constructing in Leeds, was it to be a fire or gas balloon? I should like to see some of the material of which it is composed.
From Mr Hampton, Aeronaut, 23 Jervis Street, Dublin, July 1, 1850.
I fear you will not excuse my neglect in not writing to you before this, but I so hope your good sense will make an allowance. I have been so busy that I have not had a moment to myself. I received the newspaper you so kindly sent me. You will see by the bill I have sent you that I have at last fixed on a day for my public trial. I have had a private one and it had turned out better than I expected, the particulars you shall have in full as soon as I have time. I have written for the Lord Lieutenant to patronise my first trial. I have not yet had his answer.
Now, my dear friend, will you draw out the account I have sent you, put it in proper form, make good all mistakes, and send the same back at your earliest convenience, indeed I should like to have two copies, if you have time, but one if not. My reason for wanting them soon is I think of getting it into The Illustrated London News, and other papers, therefore I am sure you will do what you can for me. I must someday make up for all the trouble I give you. Give me all the news you can, etc etc.
To Mr Hampton, Aeronaut, Bradford, July 2, 1850.
It is now a month since I heard from you. I hope all is going on well with you and your new undertaking. Have you yet got the balloon completed? I should not have written today but I thought I would let you know of Green’s accident. Green and Rush ascended from Vauxhall on Saturday night with the Nassau balloon and fell in the Thames below Gravesend. They were dragged rather roughly through the water for some time, but a man discharged a quantity of shot through the balloon, which set the gas at liberty speedily. The aeronauts were taken on board a vessel. Green had his face hurt and bruised. This is the 15th time Rush has been up with him but the first time he has met with an accident, I believe. He thinks a deal of Green and places great confidence in him, and Green makes a good deal of money out of him. On the 10th September 1838 Rush paid £300 for the use of the Nassau balloon for one ascent only.
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Gale ascended from Dudley on Tuesday last but with