William Buckland to Faraday   7 December 1830¹

Oxford Dec 7 1830

My dear Sir

I have been called on this morning to assist at the unpacking of a Ball of Hemp impregnated with Turpentine which was found in a back yard near a bake house in the suburbs of Oxford this morning. The total quantity of Hemp was about a hat full tied round with a string having a loose end by which to sling it. In the middle of this Ball of Hemp was a smaller Ball of the same substance securely tied round with a Copper wire. I opened this inner Ball myself & found nothing but Hemp - the outer Ball was opened by this poor woman into whose yard it was thrown. Had any small inflammable pellets been inclosed in it they wd probably have been overlooked. The only extraneous matter I found in any part of either of the Balls are the 3 bits I send you in a small Box together with a Bit of the string that was tied round the outer Ball & which also seems saturated with Turpentine[.] There is a small fragment of some kind of gum which fell from the Hemp as I was examining it & which is clearly innocent of any inflammatory intentions. If so in truth I believe the whole concern to be, but I am at a loss to imagine how or why any child who may have rolled up this Ball to play with should have obtained Hemp impregnated with Turpentine throughout[.] This coarse kind of Indian Hemp as it is improperly called is common enough & used for mats & caulking barges & all kinds of cleaning & scouring, but I know not any purpose for which it is usual to mix it with turpentine & if you can throw any light on this matter you will much oblige me.

Mrs Buckland² unites her kind regards with | Yours very Sincerely | Wm Buckland

M. Faraday Esq

Endorsed by Faraday: The piece of resin is shell lac. The tar smells of turpentine but is now nearly dry the three portions of the soft adhesive matter have the character of a gum resin mixed with a little [word illegible] (without [word illegible]) & softened by the turpentine, but are confused in character from the presence of the turpentine[.] The liquid has been oily turpentine not ordinary turpentine[.] The rolling up of the inner ball copper wire &c &c &c make me think it has been prepared for bad purposes³, if it had occurred about Guy Fawks day perhaps that might have led to its history. It would not fire of itself but would carry fire if thrown in an inflamed state. Was the outside burnt? did it appear even to have been inflamed?

Address: M. Faraday Esq | Royal Institution