Praises RS for work on R.A.S.M.N. Will arrive in time for the R.A.S. council meeting. Has heard nothing of John Lubbock's paper or lecture, except through J. C. Adams. Fears that before the R.A.S. anniversary, it will lose one of its female associates, his aunt Caroline.
Suggests WS take the chair at the next R.S.L. meeting. Discusses a project of John Lubbock's. Fears Caroline Herschel will not survive the year.
Gratitude for news [of Caroline Herschel], whose death seems imminent. Notes on burial, disposition of property, and transfer of papers to JH. Sends obituary written by JH for use at appropriate time. Will send inscription for headstone later.
Has sent the review of George Everest's Indian Survey to Longmans. Fears it is hard and dry after JH's review of Kosmos. If JH decides to publish it, would he let him have it back for revision.
Writes about matters relating to the death of JH's aunt Caroline.
No summary available.
Since JDHs last letter from Aden they have been on the Indian Ocean, the most uninteresting sea he has crossed. Sighted Cape Comorin last Thursday & landed at Point de Galle on Friday, a few hours after the 'Precursor'. Thought of FH & English friends on Christmas day. Describes the 'Moozuffer' as more like a yacht than a man of war. Lord & Lady Dalhousie are in the Captain’s cabin whilst he, Fane, Courtenay & Dr Bell are in the ships dirty armoury next to the engine. Indian Navy officers do not like ships being used as passage boats. JDH met a godson of FH’s father, Lieutenant Jermyn. At Ceylon [Sri Lanka] JDH again saw Matilda Rigby who left Colombo where James Smith’s house & property is. JDH finds Lord & Lady D extremely agreeable but indifferent to science. Notes the cuisine as odious. Lady D’s health is better & soon after arriving her father, Lord Tweeddale, Governor of Madras [Chennai], came on board in a grand party. JDH will leave Madras on Friday morning & go to Calcutta [Kolkata]. He has not made many sketches since leaving Cairo, he was too busy botanising in Aden. Nearly all his collections have been destroyed from salt water on board ship. His spare papers were also destroyed so he could not collect at Point de Galle. Intends spending a week with George Gardner [GG] at Candy [Kandy], Ceylon on his way to Borneo. Describes curious boats in Madras. Describes the beauty of Point de Galle & the Cinghalese [Singhalese] people with tortoise shell combs & coca-nut oil in their hair. Notes Areca, Betel-nut palms, bread-fruit, plantain, banana, pineapple, mosquitoes, sand flies & leeches. At Point de Galle party divided into three. JDH went on several walks with GG, his father’s protégé. JDH was glad to introduce GG to Lord D who received him kindly. JDH will write shortly from Calcutta.
Omitted a detail concerning observations in his last letter. Further regarding the proposed observations in New Zealand.
Thanks for personal copy of JH's Cape Results.
[George] Peacock asks for more time for his review. Enough science in vol. 2 to tempt JH. JH should be the new editor for Brown. Will send Alexander von Humboldt a copy of the review unless he thinks it should come from the author and not the editors. Returns to Haileybury on Thursday.
JH writes to the best of his knowledge about William Mann's competence in various areas.
Requests letter ascertaining William Mann's competence, assuring his hiring as astronomer at Madras.
Writes of the death of JH's aunt Caroline. Is happy that Caroline is at rest. Describes funeral. Deals with some matters related to servants and other business matters.
Expresses gratitude from Council of Directors for library copy of JH's Cape Results.
RS will receive two communications for the R.A.S., one from S. C. Walker on Neptune's elements, the other from Otto Struve on the interior satellite of Uranus. Walker's could go into the R.A.S.M.N., whereas Struve's ought be read at a regular meeting. Recommends reading of William Lassell's work on Neptune's satellite as it predates Struve's. Caroline Herschel died on the 9 [Jan.] at age 98.
Recommends that the form that a testimonial should take would be the presentation of a parchment bearing the seal of the R.A.S. rather than a bound book.
Urges WL to make public his observations of the seventh satellite of Saturn as Otto Struve is about to announce his observation of the same body.
Illness in the family has prevented him from acknowledging JH's splendid work, which arrived some weeks ago. Is grateful for JH's appreciation of TM's work. Wife has been very ill. C. F. H. Ludwig has died. H. G. W. Smith has said there must be a Botanic Garden at the Cape. New treaty regarding Kaffir land may increase the chance of peace.
Cannot find any record of his having written. Is sending an official request from the Admiralty for JH to superintend the dome of the Cape telescope. Advice regarding his overpayment of money to the Astronomer Royal.
Permission is granted for JH to order construction of dome for Cape of Good Hope observatory.