Proposes compromise that might settle dispute resulting from abolition of company of Moneyers. Make revisions if JH chooses before sending document to Chancellor of Exchequer [Charles Wood].
Arranges for meeting with JH to decide on adjustments in Mint offices. Wants to discuss Henry Bingley's salary request.
Committee duty at House of Commons prevented HR visiting JH today. Plans to visit JH at Harley Street tomorrow to discuss 'compensation question.'
Chancellor of Exchequer [Charles Wood] approved annual £1200 salary for G. F. G. Mathison.
Recovering from cold. Wants to visit suburbs while Lou [Margaret Louisa Herschel?] is there.
Apologizes for delay in answering TH's letter. JH makes arrangements to visit TH at his home.
Comments on different washes to be used in photography, and clarifies the matter of a supposed Daguerreotype of the nebula in Orion.
Requests copy of RM's lecture on distribution of gold, and further information on value of it and silver. Asks specific questions about Russian gold.
Mostly family matters, especially the education of several of their sons.
Will he and David Brewster dine with him on Tuesday.
About their son Alexander, and the striking of 60,000 medals.
Comments on JH's work on the spectrum and photography.
Sends copy of letter from JH to Chancellor of Exchequer on state of Royal Mint. Fears JH's position there may be misunderstood.
Concerning his recent visit to Starfield and the observations made by William Lassell with his 20 foot. Regarding the rings of Saturn. Has not heard of the Craig telescope.
Discusses W. H. Fox Talbot's patent application, commenting that JH wishes all patents were abolished. Regrets that duties at the Mint and for the Cambridge University Commission have hindered JH's ability to carry out JH's responsibilities to WP.
Mostly about JH's health and instructions about the madeira and claret JH is sending home.
As the Mint is closing for a week, JH is trying to arrange a long weekend at Collingwood.
Will be home a few days later than expected as JH is involved in a court case to be heard immediately after the one he is sitting through, and which he describes.
First time he has used a pen since his illness. Approves of leaving the Education question in abeyance. Thanks for the Mint return.
JDH has been in Chittagong about a week & been welcomed by Mr Sconce, a judge & relation of [Thomas] Thomson [TT], & by the Latours who are civil servants. Sconce grows coffee, tea & pepper & makes bandages from Callicarpa bark. For the museum JDH is sending: articles made of common Mura at the convent, Gurjan oil made from Dipterocarpus, & curious items from Sylhet. En route to Chittagong JDH stopped at Noakolly at the mouth of the Megna & stayed with Dr Baker, a wealthy man on the Government Salt Commission. Baker's wife knows about Suffolk & Halesworth & remembers JDH as a baby. JDH has not received WJH’s letter about Ceylon [Sri Lanka]. TT goes home by the Feb Steamer, JDH may go with him or to Arracan [Arakan, Burma]. Maria told TT's sister WJH had been ill. JDH has declined Colvile's offer to go to Nepal as physician to Lord Grosvenor. JDH is disappointed there is no maritime vegetation in Chittagong, no Mangrove, Avicennias, Rhyzphora [Rhizophora] or even herbaceous salt water plants other than Ipomoea pes Caprae. Inland there is hill & forest vegetation & JDH & TT have collected 300 species in the scrub near the station incl. Linastoma, Memecylon, Rubiaceae, Jasmine & Calamus. Further inland they hope to find palms. The only person in the area interested in plants is Mrs Captain Mathison, formerly Miss Chapman, daughter of a naval officer at Lowestoft. It has been a long time since JDH got any botanical news. Reeve has asked, secretly, for names of people who will subscribe to a lithograph of [William] Tayler's portrait of JDH. There was bad weather on the voyage from Sylhet, some dried Orchideae were damaged but JDH is used to this after Sikkim & is trying to recover them. JDH will write to WJH by the Marseille mail.