Wishes CD well on his trip to General Juan Manuel Rosas. CD is to send word when he wants a boat; there is no hurry, for there is plenty of work for the sounders. He envies CD’s travels.
The [Megatherium] fossils were extremely interesting and were shown at the Geological Section of the BAAS meeting at Cambridge [1833].
The plants delight him; will work them out with W. J. Hooker.
CD should send every fossil he can find; minute insects will be nearly all new. Delighted with descriptions of the few animals alluded to.
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Encourages GA to consider favorably the offer of Hugh Percy [Duke of Northumberland] of donating a telescope to Cambridge Observatory.
Preparation to go to Madeira for health reasons.
Pleased to hear of JH's success with his application to the Treasury. Would like a statement from him on the nature of his communication to the Cambridge meeting concerning the actinometer. Hopes he is not too busy preparing for his voyage.
Has written two letters from the Cape. Arrived three days ago. Will shortly proceed to Edinburgh. Has left the barometer on the ship. Compared this barometer with the one at St. Helena.
Hears that Thomas Henderson is in town and thinks of bringing him down to Slough. Intends to take some iron bedsteads to the Cape; can JH advise him where they may be obtained?
Has been residing with [Robert?] Lee at Hartwell for a few days. Hears that JH and Benjamin D'Urban will be travelling to the Cape on the Elphinstone; is this true?
Hopes that JH will accept a copy of JN's work [on the history of astronomy]. Wishes JH all success in his forthcoming mission [to the Cape].
JH has written to James South again [see JH's 1833-7-8] but has received no answer; is suggesting that it may well be that [R. A.] Cauchoix, the French optician, can supply object glasses as good as those James South has.
Agrees with JH to go direct to the French optician [see JH's 1833-8-9] for a large object glass; HP will provide a telescope with such a lens if G. B. Airy agrees such a large telescope is appropriate to Cambridge Observatory.
A note along with letters from R. A. Cauchoix, the telescope maker, and [J. C. Spencer,] Lord Althorp, about the B.A.A.S.; JH is trying to clean up observation reports before leaving for the Cape.
Received £500 from J. C. Spencer (Lord Althorp) for reduction under the direction of G. B. Airy of earlier planetary observations. Althorp conferred with Lord Grey. Conjectures possible need of a larger grant.
Further about the telescope to be donated by Hugh Percy [see JH's 1833-8-15], along with a promise that JH will write to R. A. Cauchoix about the telescope.
Sends letter from 'chronometer expedition' in Baltic Sea under the leadership of [T. F.] Schubert and supported by the Prussian, Danish, and Swedish governments. Mentions talk written for a larger audience in French publication. Envies JH's opportunity to observe the southern hemisphere.