Sends a description of a large meteor he observed last night. Since his letter he has erected a meteorological observatory.
Requests JH forward [James] Grahame's last letter to the Stewarts. Enjoyed JH's Cape Results. Discusses Harvard Observatory and a recent bequest.
Reports on the effect of potato blight in his crop.
No summary available.
Has now completed his manuscript for the Admiralty Manual. Runs to 90 pages. To what Office shall he forward it?
Will forward recommendation of Edward Cresy to Edwin Chadwick, but thinks there will be no further need of engineers.
Encloses note from William Buckland [1190], stating that no appointment of surveyor is to be made. Thinks further recommendation would be unwise, but will write to Sir Henry De la Beche and [Robert?] Hutton if EC wishes.
No summary available.
Received proof pages of Admiralty Manual [see JH's 1848-2-2], and wants to add a paragraph on the zodiacal light [which GA attaches].
Regarding Mary Somerville's proposals for extraordinary terrestrial refractions—Admiralty Manual.
Agrees that no requests for additional observations should be made of Thomas Maclear; Admiralty Manual is about to be printed [see GA's 1848-7-15].
No summary available.
Declines to review C. R. Weld's book on Royal Society [A History of the Royal Society, 2 vols., London, 1848]. Fears will be unable to review Alexander von Humboldt's Kosmos to own satisfaction.
Captain F. W. Beechey is in town and will remain until Wednesday evening. He received the enclosed this morning.
A note accompanying JH's copy of Admiralty Manual [see JH's 1848-7-15 or later].
Has been condensing his contribution to the Admiralty Manual, now reduced to forty pages; comments on this. The Westminster fever delayed the Admiralty manuscript.
Accompanying packet has just arrived from [Richard?] Owen. Appears that it will make the Admiralty Manual larger. Would like JH's views.
No summary available.
Via Calcutta [Kolkata] JDH has sent: end of NIGER FLORA, sketches, incl. many Rhododendrons, list of roots sent to RBG Kew & sample of Lepcha Boehemeria cloth. Discusses navy half pay & difficulty getting items of economic botany for the museum, he has cotton cloth & baskets & awaits bows, arrows & quiver. Mentions specimen of only large spadixed palm. Has completed [River] Soane journal & discusses publication of it by WJH & The Asiatic Society, a copy shld be sent to Robert Chambers' Journal to promote the expedition. Advises that roots sent to Sir L. Peel by Smith shld be packed better, likewise bottles sent to JDH. JDH will send home extensive collection of dried herbarium specimens on leaving Darjeeling for Mr Jenkins' in Assam, after the rains. Mentions expenses & living with [Brian Houghton] Hodgson [BHH], whose only neighbours are: Dr & Mrs Archibald Campbell [AC] & the Muller brothers, one of whom works at the Patna opium factory, the other at Calcutta mint. JDH still hopes to go North & visit the snows: border issues with Sikkim& China are complex & he is being assisted by AC, Lord Dalhousie & Colonial Office. JDH wants new species named after Mrs Campbell & Lady Dalhousie, WJH may re-name the rest. Has drawn Phaenogams &, for Berkeley, fungi. Found new Balanophoras sp. & prepared dissections for THE LINNEAN SOCIETY TRANSCATIONS. Promises descriptions of Magnolias. Mentions: assistance provided by Gurney, HF lecturing, writing to Stocks, BHH's sister Miss Colville to visit RBG Kew with Miss Edens, defending [Nathaniel Wallich], Madden's TENTAMEN FLORAE NEPALENSIS, Col. Lawrence , Griffith's synonymising, falling out with Brown over Rafflesia & fossil cones, a phosphorescent fungus resembling Belcher's Borneo one. Heard of Col. Waugh, Surveyor General, measuring Kanchenjunga as the highest mountain in the world. JDH has a view of it, one of the true Himalayas of the Chamalari rising from the plain of Tibet. Possible that Dawalgiri in Nepal maybe taller.
No summary available.