Drainage work on house; sale of Dr Allman's house; detailed advice on where William and Mac should go while in America, recommending visit to William's aunt and uncle (Mary and John Wallace) in California, cousin Herbert Assistant Engineer of Southern Railway and may get them work or rail passes; urges William to write a book on his return; recommends Wyckoff's articles on "The Workers" in Scribner's Magazine; birthday and new year greetings.

William's letter from America describing Mack's (sic) machine; misinterpretation of ARW's letter, he does not think William wasting his time in America but should move somewhere more interesting; ARW's health better, asthmatic cough going away; planting in garden; search for details of Wallace Scottish ancestors and Greenell family for autobiography, information from headmaster of Hertford Grammar School; fate of three family portraits, Mr and Mrs Gorringe, the current owners of one of the architect William Greenell refuse permission for it to be photographed, asks William to intercede on his return; Miss Evans wants American stamps; William's finances; Socialism in America.

William's letters from America, death of his horse, snowshoes, severe winter in New York; "Ardmore" still not sold; gathering material for autobiography, does William know whereabouts of steel seal and inscription on family ring, intends to visit a Dorset clergyman who owns a painting of a member of the Wallace family and if possible photograph for the book; bulbs and seeds ordered for garden; apparent loss of books and magazines in post; William's intention to start a business in Bournemouth [with Ma]); ARW writing on white men in the tropics for the New York Independent; writing on Craig's History of Ralahine, Irish cooperative farm 1831-33, to publicise a successful experiment in Socialism.

Dora Best painting a portrait of ARW, possibly for sending to the Royal Academy; no more news about the Beaconsfield affair except that Prof Barrett and Dr Abraham Wallace will join it; William's sister Violet and May Swinton leaving tomorrow; beginning work on new edition of Wonderful Century; Mr Casey's latest enigma; reading Julie.

Progress of house building [at "Old Orchard", Broadstone], workmen's shop put up in grounds by Percy Curtis who will mark foundations next week and begin excavating; Mr Donkin says plans ready to send to Mr Barnes and building committee; water mains laid to main road; greenhouse ordered from Cooper; plans to put stove under house to warm both it and greenhouse; William to remember acetylene and fire-brick; sending books Kim and one on Anglo-Saxon history, opinions of both.

Work on new edition of Wonderful Century, will leave chapter on electricity until last; answer to latest (newspaper) enigma; watch repairs; William's holiday and Fellowship dinner (in America); winter weather; plot and character in The Prisoner of Zenda and Rupert of Hentza [sic, for Hentzau. Both by Anthony Hope].

Progress of house building at "Old Orchard" (Broadstone); collapse of cellar excavations after wet weather but cellar walls now going up, plans for drainage of cellar, concrete footings for outer walls well advanced, three bricklayers and six labourers working, Mr Donkin's drawings for windows done; horses and cows from adjacent fields have eaten some garden plants, fencing now improved; ARW has recommenced work on new edition of his New Century and finished chapter on Astronomy; request for information on the "Dargue" system of acetylene gas.

No summary available.

Decision to buy 3 acres of land for £500 at Broadstone, Dorset, and build there, giving detailed descriptions of locality, soil, trees in old orchard, and views of Poole harbour and the Purbeck hills, enclosing a sketch plan (not present - possiblyWP1/1/118, 121 or 123); former Broadstone resident Miss Broughton has recommended a gardener and labourer; plans to build a road and wire fence, begin a garden immediately and start building in spring; promises to send plans of house soon.

William's proposed visit during his holidays; ARW working since Christmas on new editions of Wonderful Century, Darwinism, and Island Life the latter requiring much correspondence to correct lists of flora and fauna; also working on a Wonderful Century reader, trouble with illustrations; has also been looking at estates and feels one between Tunbridge Wells and East Grinstead suitable, Mr Swinton to see it tomorrow; Rose (Mitten) and Grandpa (William Mitten) staying, visiting the Caseys; Rose's health; encloses I.L.P. News containing ARW's article on Tolstoy, sorry to hear Tolstoy ill.

Talks about William starting work at Woolwich, advising him on type and cost of lodgings, behaviour at work and need to thank Davis, Meldola and Professor Thompson for help; orchids from Natal received from Canon Usherwood; work on index to Australia book (presumably Stanford's Compendium of Geography and Travel. Australasia, Vol.1, Australia and New Zealand. New Issue, London 1893); Prof Perry's book on spinning tops; Ma's (William's mother Annie Wallace) visit to Malvern; Mr Ponton's pin-hole photography in France; Mrs Crump; Aunt Fanny.

Insurance, with instructions for applying for a birth certificate; enclosing ground plan of property (at Broadstone) - not present, possibly WP1/1/120; describing plans to build a house including 5 bedrooms and a study, larger than needed but for the future benefit of William and his sister Violet, description of other rooms, proposed gabling and windows, use of perforated zinc over hollow walls and site of hot water storage tank; proposes a picnic in the grounds at Christmas if William can visit; has been surveying the land; reckons cost of house at £1000; discusses possibility of selling "Nutwood Cottage" (at Godalming) to current tenant vs. selling Parkstone house; asks for comments on plans as working drawings soon to be made; sorry William's séance did not go well; asks him to bring an air-rifle to shoot rabbits or stray pheasants at Christmas, ordinary rifle might attract game-keepers.

Near completion of purchase of (Broadstone) property, road making, fencing and gardening can now begin; Carter's head builder to draw up preliminary house plans; ARW expects definite offer for "Nutwood" (Cottage, Godalming) next week and will also put up "For Sale" sign at Parkstone house; has designed two gates on proper mechanical principles; if work slack at William's firm after Christmas he might take leave and supervise "Ellerslie" [proposed name for new house]; Sends tracing of upper floor plan (not present) and rough tracing of Ordnance map showing ground and access from Poole road.

Adoption of William's suggested alterations to house plans, architect Mr Donkin recommends a cheaper substitute for plaster; wooden ceilings; plan and elevations to be ready before Christmas; letter from Mac written from ship bound for South Africa; ARW recovering from bronchitis; plans to sink a well as connection to mains water expensive; over one thousand trees and shrubs including roses, filberts, cherries, apples and rhododendrons bought at nursery sale, some for as little as 3 pence.

Thanking him for information about acetylene gas supply, asks for address of "Dargue" system London offices; Well Fireplace Co at Newcastle; progress of digging of foundations and making garden (at "Old Orchard", Broadstone), rain likely to flood cellar excavations, plans for drainage; details of cement and brick supply; "Well" "Rational" and "Teal" fires; altered plans for study; William's increase in salary; definition of and immorality of gambling.

Forwarding of a sextant and book, suggests William takes readings and compares results with Ordnance Survey map, gives detailed instructions for surveying fields and boundaries; progress of house building, walls and ceiling joists, expects roof to go on in a month; Bingo? unwell so has done no digging; Greenhouse leaks; pond filled and red water lilies planted, plans to exchange water plants with a nurseryman in Christchurch [Dorset]; glad William has met more Socialists, encloses letter from a Socialist correspondent (unnamed, letter not present).

Progress of house building; 3 chimneys up, Percy (Curtis) proud of appearance of roof's gables, hips and dormers, felting and tiling to be done; annoying delays in fitting window frames; rough calculation of 400 feet of water piping, good book on hot water supply by Mr Dye; choosing fixtures and fittings for kitchen and bathroom from Spring? and Marten of Stratford catalogue; electric bells to be fitted; suggests William might find books on surveying in old Newcastle bookshops.

Progress of house building; extra expense and days lost through replacement of faulty windows, re-hanging a door, missing door locks and window glass of wrong thickness (ink sketches of windows and door latches on two pages); bills of £120 this month, economy needed; bookshelves fitted in study but no shelves elsewhere, house full of unpacked crates; work on garden and greenhouse; sheep, cattle and horses nibbling plants; "Manx Codlen" and "Northern Greening" apples in orchard; teak front door begun; parrot now well and beginning to talk.

The 1902 Rede Lecture by Osborne Reynolds "On an inversion of ideas as to the structure of the Universe" - his explanation of gravity similar to Allen's; work on house and garden; reading books for material for his own book, [Man's place in the Universe] hopes to get it out by summer; William Greenell Wallace's business in Ipswich and London.

Approval of William's notes [on proofs of Man's place in the Universe], sending four more chapters, relieved to be finished, thinks the book will sell well; enclosing a letter (not present) from Hicks; going to meet Mrs Fisher.