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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.
Regrets he has been wrongly styled F.R.S. Comments on the projected Lawson Observatory at Nottingham and the high value placed on the instruments. Outlines his plan for the Equinoctial Time column in the Nautical Almanac.
If the Herschels intend visiting the B.A.A.S. meeting at Liverpool he will be pleased to accommodate them.
Has heard of a projected attack on the Henry Lawson instruments at the Observatory. Would like a line from JH on the value of the instruments. Has written to W. R. Dawes, [John?] Lee, and W. H. Smyth.
Willingly gives JH permission to engrave a portrait photograph taken with WT's process. WT asks JH if he would be willing to testify on WT's behalf if necessary, relating to infringement of patent rights. WT announces that John Hind has discovered another asteroid [Euterpe].
Would like JH to write the obituary of François Arago for the R.S.L.
Calls attention to tendency of recently cut silver coins to be too light in weight.
Details of next week's shipment of copper coins from Mint to four branches of Bank of Ireland.
Modifies method of accounting for copper coins shipped from Mint to Bank of Ireland.
Approves financial reports. Production of sovereigns and half sovereigns.
Requests increase of wages for Mint employees, in preparation for resuming gold coinage on extensive scale.
Refers to [James] Wilson's letter of 18 Nov. Queen must proclaim certain coins to be legal tender in colonies before Mint may issue them.
Cease coining florins and commence production of shillings and sixpence. [JH annotation: Saw Brande today and gave these instructions verbally.]
Encloses letter, with JH's approval, from E. W. Ward at Sydney branch mint requesting authority to appoint W. S. Jevons and F. B. Miller as assayers, H. A. Severn and John MacCutcheon as clerks, two foremen of mechanics, and one engineer in Coining department.
Confer with CT on rates of piecework for gold coinage before making decision. Did JH receive Treasury's official approval of remaining appointments to Sydney branch mint?
J. R. Hind [whose election to the R.S.L. had been declared void] has been referred to as 'F.R.S.' several times. This is not the fault of Hind, who has objected to it.
Nominates Margaret Herschel's nephew for Addiscombe.
Comments on son John and daughter Caroline; wants some material to deal with a possible infringement of W. H. Fox Talbot's patent.
Asking for a photograph of himself [see JH's 1853-11-[10]]; complains about the binders putting too much material in one book; talks about daughter Caroline spending much time at Windsor.
About the death of a cousin and attendant funeral arrangements, the status of family finances, and some preparations for Christmas.
A shipment of special china for MH has arrived from Paris; some news about daughter Caroline, and several stories JH heard at a literary society meeting.