Thanks GB for making exception. Will send copies [of JH's Cape Results] immediately to American legation. Offers personal copy to GB. Notes national and private efforts at astronomy in America.

About observing stars with the transit circle, and timing the annulus [of an eclipse?].

Was too cloudy to observe the eclipse; very worried about the health of Thomas Maclear.

Agrees to a request to forward some work to BL.

Has dealt with the problem of thanking H. C. Schumacher [see GA's 1847-10-6].

Thanks WH for 'plan' of [asteroid] Iris. Family is happy to have WH's son (JH's son William's friend) with them for holidays. Recounts their playful and adventurous activities.

JH avoids participating in meteorological enquiry. Suggests improvements on WB's plan to establish government office to collect and publish meteorological reports from worldwide network of military stations. Has read Francis Ronalds's papers.

Agrees that H. C. Schumacher and foreign institutions should be added to list of recipients for catalogs. Please submit recommended names to B.A.A.S. Needs addresses of [W. S.] Stratford and Paramatta observatory. Complications in mailing B.A.A.S. catalog to foreign recipients.

Discusses use of 'force' versus use of 'power' in translating [Alexander von] Humboldt's Cosmos. Says science has outgrown 'force.' [See 1847-10-8]

Offers to assist Peter S[tewart] in his financial difficulties; also comments on E. M[ackintosh]'s financial problems. JH expects more funds soon from dividends.

Is concerned about a domestic [?] who is having fits; asks MH to get some information on the rights of domestics, and then JH asks MH to get him some scientific information that would be at the R.S.L. library.

Thanks for information [on latest platina research]. Has encountered 'a totally new metallic chemistry.' Searching for papers by Mr. Gros and Mr. Beiset. Describes JH's experiments with 'Platinoids,' which JH named like asteroids: Heberum, Astraeum, and Neptunium.

Encloses JH's letter of 11 Oct., which was not mailed to RK. Discovered traces of titanium in Astraeum. Puzzled by saline compounds that appear in JH's experiments with 'Platinoids.'

Gives information from W. R. Hamilton on the location of the asteroid Iris. Proposes R.A.S. begin collecting observations of sunspots, the goal being a complete series of 'the sun's aspect for every day of every year.' Offers the observations of H. Griesbach for 1846 as a 'nest egg' as well as some of his own. Requests address of G. Schwinck, who prepared a star atlas. Reports on F. G. W. Struve's Neptune observations.

JH expects that CH has received the copy of his Cape Results that he sent recently.

Thanks AQ for package No. 32. Asks AQ to acknowledge receipt of JH's Cape Results. Commends AQ for outstanding work on magnetic meteorological and periodic phenomena.

Tells AB about the state of education in South Africa when JH was there, comments on his part in such reforms as were made, and gives all the credit to Sir George Napier.

Grateful that AK withheld 'fanatical letter' addressed to Caroline Herschel. JH authorized Drummonds Bank in London to honor any check from [A. A.] Mühry up to £50 to pay for Caroline's needs. Tell Miss [Sophie] Beckedorff and Dr. Mühry to use this channel, rather than writing to JH directly.

Sending him details of the system of Education used at the Cape.

Thanks for excellent Talbotypes. Notes how few photographs are 'perspective representations on a vertical plane' and suggests how to correct this.