'Private & Confidential.' All seven invited to join [University of London's] senate have agreed. Urges JH to reconsider.
No summary available.
Sends an interesting result of the comet computed by Mr. Barber of Etwell. W. R. Dawes's observations are about to be printed. Wilhelm Struve has some curious optical equations. Will be pleased to see Dr. [Henry?] Holland when he arrives.
As a result of Rajah's tricks & climate JDH lost many parts of collections, now replacing. Thomas Thomson [TT] & Maxwell are surveying Rumman river. Lord Dalhousie has not settled TT & JDH's future route. Madden & J.M. Grant are leaving. JDH has sketch book for WJH, a Mrs Lydiard[?] insists on making a large coloured drawing for WJH. Discusses expenses for the FLORA ANTARCTICA. Sceptical of Mr Archer's plant, supposes it cannot be female Huon pine. Discusses leaving West Park for Aiton's house. Discusses instruments; telescope, azimuth compass, theodolite, barometer, actinometer, sextent watch, chemical box & mentions Thuillier's kindness. Parcels sent to Calcutta [Kolkata] containing seeds, items from Snows, Lhasa purses, Larch, Brunoniana, Khutrow cones, & whole specimens of R. nivale. Tchuka rhubarb & Rhododendron manuscript will go next mail. Falconer planted Webbiana seeds in Calcutta & the boxes go to England with JDH's 1848 dried collection & museum specimens. Vegetable bellows to follow & also 100 kinds of wood. Mentions bulky specimens, gunny cloth, lutea fibre, knife & cloth died red with munjeet from the Rajah, cloth died yellow with Symplocos, & fibres of Sterculia. Thinks Lushington & General made inconceivable mess of Sikkim affair & discuses this in detail. Hodgson delighted with 'Hodgsonia'. JDH sorry he cannot send drawings of anthers, has written to ask Cathcart. Discusses Wightia. Has recommended Thwaites to Wight. Royle[?] sent Tea pamphlet. Sends fragment of Cypress unlike Staunton's drawings. Thanks WJH for offer of money to travel in Nepaul [Nepal]. Mentions Bellender Ker [Kerr]. Thinks Greenough[?] very kind & will work on Geographical Society map. Discusses: the Donkiah [Dongkha La] pass, excellent coloured sketch of Thibet, Bhotia servant & profits for the Linnean Society. Has no acorns so far. Sends more Larch seeds by Secretary India House & has planted some.