Recommending Robert Waterhouse to succeed C. D. E. König as Keeper of the Mineralogical Collection at the British Museum.
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The Sir John Herschel Collection
The preparation of the print Calendar of the Correspondence of Sir John Herschel (Michael J. Crowe ed., David R. Dyck and James J. Kevin assoc. eds, Cambridge, England: Cambridge Univ. Press, 1998, viii + 828 pp) which was funded by the National Science Foundation, took ten years. It was accomplished by a team of seventeen professors, visiting scholars, graduate students, advanced undergraduates, and staff working at the University of Notre Dame.
The first online version of Calendar was created in 2009 by Dr Marvin Bolt and Steven Lucy, working at the Webster Institute of the Adler Planetarium, and it is that data that has now been reformatted for incorporation into Ɛpsilon.
Further information about Herschel, his correspondence, and the editorial method is available online here: http://historydb.adlerplanetarium.org/herschel/?p=intro
No texts of Herschel’s letters are currently available through Ɛpsilon.
Recommending Robert Waterhouse to succeed C. D. E. König as Keeper of the Mineralogical Collection at the British Museum.
Asks about policy at Royal Dockyards for paying workmen on major holidays. [JH annotation: Summary of WH's reply, with procedures for specific holidays or leaves.]
Notes on weighing and coining silver. Payment of wages in Coining room.
RJ's letter to William Whewell helped JH understand why public panic creates pressure for more money. Asks for RJ's opinion about concurrent circulation of gold and silver. Gives example of this 'compound tender' or 'binary standard' that haunts JH.
Received BP's letter of 'the 9th.' Concerned that BP's words were colored by strong emotion.
Wants BP's opinion on the number of casts that should be made for medal.
Needs to know how much gold from California has entered England.
Discusses sketch of new coin to be struck. C. E. Trevelyan will attempt to get Chancellor of Exchequer [Charles Wood] to grant money to Mint. Discusses calculations.
JS's 'great book' on Augustine arrived safe and is testimonial to 'Sir Joshua' and JS. Offers informal critique. Will send magnetic circulars to Pasha of Egypt as JS asked. Tell Peter [Stewart] that telescope arrived safely.
Chemical training needed for prospective assayers at Royal Mint. Workload of John Field, resident assayer, does not allow time to train apprentices.
[Marked 'Confidential.'] JH will confer again with CT on 'this paper.'
Encloses letter from moneyer contractors claiming compensation.
Comments on proposed gold coinage.
Needs more time to consider R. L. Sheil's proposal for Mint reforms.
Advises substantial changes in organization and operation of Royal Mint.
Received letter of 10th. Understands that there is no need to forward any more copper.
Encloses copy of note from [W. D.] Haggard regarding production of quicksilver in California. Use of gold bullion coins will be influenced by issue of equilibrium of gold and silver as 'concurrent measures of value.' [JH note on verso on copper alloy ratios.]
Received formal notice that MH will be voted to membership in Royal Institution on 3 Mar. John Barlow will reserve seats for daughters Caroline and Isabella. JH has tickets to Institution lectures. Son William's exams with W. T. Hooper [at Haileybury College] yesterday. Family finances.
No other 'letter of agents' here. MH is right about son William's camera. JH longs for Collingwood.
Distressing train trip back to London. JH protested at Tunbridge Wells and had third class passengers removed from second class carriage. MH's medicine works well for JH. Will go to Charley Street this evening.