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Terence FitzSimons
PETER LANG Oxford • Bern • Berlin • Brussels • New York • Wien
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As for you plan of the fire balloon I do not condemn it, on the contrary I think your ideas are good and I will feel much pleasure in meeting you and having some conversation on the subject, and to assist you as far as I can, and if agreeable I will call on you when I leave Dublin for London and have some serious conversations with you on all the points Respecting my ascent from Hackney, it took place in 1839. In 1838 I ascended from Canterbury. On both occasions I ascended on the hoop without a car, but I cannot give you the dates, as I have not the papers with me, they are in London. My second ascent with the Albion was from Gravesend a week after my first ascent in 1838, with my arm in a sling, it having been broke at my first ascent at the Eyre Arms Tavern, St John’s Wood. This ascent was made in my parachute car, the balloon not being able to take up the car of ←45 | 46→the balloon. My third ascent took place a few days after, about a week, and this was as fine an ascent as could be made. I was up about an hour and three quarters over the town and descended quite safe at Hoe, close to the Church. I was offered £20 at this ascent to take up a lady, but I refused, thinking I was not experienced enough. About a fortnight after I made my fourth ascent from the same place and this nearly was my last. I fell in the sea, about 15 miles below Sheerness in the North Sea, and had the top of one of my fingers pulled off, my balloon lashed to pieces by striking a brig that was beating up the Channel in the storm. This was on a Tuesday and on the following Saturday I made an ascent at Cremorne Gardens for Mr Glenny who had a grand Flower Show. It was ten shillings each to the gardens. I was paid £37.10.0 for this ascent. It was thought a matter of impossibility that I could have made this ascent, my arm being so recently broken and my finger off and the balloon so much destroyed, but myself and Mrs. Hampton with others, worked night and day and got into London on Saturday morning, and at four o’clock in the evening I made my ascent. I was so much exhausted that when I got the balloon fairly afloat I sat down in my car, and nature was so overcome that I fell off to sleep. After the balloon going about 15 miles it began to descend, owing to condensation, and I was awoke by the shouts of some farming men. I awoke, jumped up, threw out three bags of ballast, and went on five miles further and descended on the estate of Mr Walpole Esq, and after dining with that gentleman and some of his friends, I returned home about three the next morning. The dates of those ascents must be got from the papers in London. Any other information you want I will be most happy to give you. Let me hear from you soon, stating if I shall call on you, as I have stated. Keep your plans to yourself. Are you in communication with other aeronauts or not? Do not deceive me if so, as I would not wish to interfere.
From Mr Hampton, 23 Jervis Street, Dublin, October 29, 1849.
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