From:
Richard Clark and William Shepherde
To:
Sir John Herschel
Date:
1848-8
Source of text:
RS:HS 19.136a
Summary:
Increasing importation of [whale oil] allows Metropolitan Light Company to reduce [candle] prices.
Contributor:
John Herschel Project
Increasing importation of [whale oil] allows Metropolitan Light Company to reduce [candle] prices.
JDH reports he has written to Humboldt, [Henry] de la Beche, Lord Morpeth & will write Mr Phillipp next. A gale has blown down flowers & fruits of many timber plants JDH could not previously get specimens from. His collection included: epiphyte Vaccinia, Mistletoe, ferns, branch of a new Oak sp, Loranthi & Viscaceae, 8 oaks & Edgeworth's Streptolirion. Will send batch of Orchideae to Calcutta [Kolkata], mostly Dendrobia & Coelogyne. Other things coming into fruit at Darjeeling: Rubiaceae, stinging nettles & other Urticeae. Forest species incl: Arum, Balsam, Streptolirion, Polygona, a small bamboo, large tasty figs, Laurinea, Cyrtandreae, Begonias & Magnolias. Madden has suggested he will give WJH the pick of his collections. Winterbottom has joined Strachey's brother surveying Kumaon. JDH plans to go to the snow [in Sikkim] even without permission, though the Lepchas are fearful of showing him the way without government sanction & [Archibald] Campbell is not pushing hard enough to get this. Rubiaceae & Myrtaceae & Leguminosae are rare in Darjeeling & there are no Acanthaceae, which abound 3000 ft lower. Araliaceae, Rosaceae, Aroideae, Verbenaceae & Laurinceae are common. Timber trees are remarkable, few have good wood, Walnut is one of the best. Compares fruit of the Darjeeling Walnut to the Bhutan kind. Mentions wild & cultivated plantain & wild mango. He has sent seeds of the ground Raspberry; a Rubus he advises be sown in a cool place & grown with Vaccinium. Oxycoccos & Tussack. Writes he is enclosing fragments of tree fern [not present] that resembles Alsophila gigantea.
Has sent to India House to find out if William Mann has been appointed to Madras. Thomas Maclear's views on a new assistant. Unable to get a copy of Mr. Collet's Trigonometrical tables.
Lists difficulties with the [Isaac] Pitman phonetic system for writing Oriental languages in the Roman alphabet. Problems include inaccurate vowel usage. Suggests a revised system.
Responds to a letter received long ago concerning sounds. Is convinced that a 'new printed and written character' is needed. Suggests consulting Pitman's phonotype system. Believes joint use of Roman, italic, and Greek characters would create a more complete system. Stresses that he is willing to correspond, but is unable to meet in person.
Forwarding some misdirected proofs of ship's officers instructions to JH [see GA's 1848-7-17].
Is grateful for JH's support for his application for a post in the Cape Observatory. Outlines his practical experience in astronomy. Does not mind what post is offered him.
A note accompanying a letter from Thomas Maclear, forwarded to JH.
Will keep W. R. Birt in view for any vacancy that may occur. Will leave Thomas Maclear to appoint Mr. Montague. Will be obliged for the trigonometrical tables.
Does not mind being considered for the alternative position at the Cape. Has seen Edward Sabine about the prospects.
No summary available.
No summary available.
No summary available.
Forwards William Burnett's paper on medicine and medical statistics for the Manual. It exceeds the desired length but JH may prune it as he thinks fit.
JDH sent the most important news, re. travelling in Sikkim, in a letter to Bessie [Elizabeth Hooker]. Flowering season in Darjeeling is advancing rapidly, recent additions to the collection incl. fine Cyrtandreae, a new Balanophora & many other tree specimens. JDH is behind with his drawing & has given up doing fungi. [Archibald] Campbell [AC] has sent him a new Caryota palm & a citrus with enormous pink fruit. Palms JDH has are: Calamus rotang, Phoenix sp. & 2 Arecinae. Roots of Orchids & Cyrtandreae sent to Calcutta [Kolkata]. [Hugh] Falconer has sent JDH books for free, including vols by De Candolle, Walpas, Kunth & Royle. JDH thinks all his Rhododendrons are new species, he advises that this should be clear on examination of the numbers of cells in the ovarium, the hairiness of the filaments & the shape of the calyx. [Brain Houghton] Hodgson [BHH] & JDH are both ashamed of Royle's book, the only good part is Hope's entomology section. JDH has captured an Indian Goliathidae, an opalinus like the one he drew from 'Mr Melly's cabinet' as a boy. JDH has made a small insect collection incl. some lovely beetles. Common insects incl.: Stag--beetles; Coccinella, most commonly Penetala; a Bostrychus that kills oaks, a metallic gold Caprida & noisy Cicadas. JDH sent collectors to the Terai but they became ill, he plans to replace them with Mechis who are a race used to living in malarial places. 10 collectors have been sent Tonglo for Rhododendron roots & are bringing things back in instalments, JDH also has collectors in Sikkim but they are too far away to bring things back in good condition & will not put plants in papers. He hopes AC will also send some collectors beyond the snow. JDH asks for stationery supplies to be sent whenever WJH is sending him an overland parcel. Under date Aug 10 [1848] JDH adds that he has sent men to the Terai & still awaits the return of his Nepal men, these matters are managed for him by BHH.
RS's progress in establishing standards of measurement. Lists objections to earlier methods of measuring. Compares various materials for use in making bars for measurement standards.
No summary available.
No summary available.
Sending a publication similar to the one which JH is editing. Hardly seems worthy of the names of G. C. L. D. Cuvier and A. L. Jussieu.
No summary available.