From:
H Hoe & Co
To:
George A Halsted
Date:
16 January 1854
Source of text:
MM/21/43, Royal Society
Summary:
No summary available.
Contributor:
Royal Society
No summary available.
Now that pressure for gold and silver coinage has abated, JH wants to eliminate some temporary clerks assigned to Mint. Mr. Watt and H. A. Severn were assigned to Sydney branch mint. [John] Goldsmith was appointed supernumerary clerk in Mint office. JH informed Mr. Welsh that Welsh's services will end soon.
Comments on which rights should be forfeited when public servants are dismissed.
No summary available.
A letter of regret that JH is unable to attend the funeral of [William Carr Beresford].
Notes striking increase recently in gold wasted in melting process. Calls for inquiry and report of cause by RM.
Specifies procedure for combining the contents of two pots.
No summary available.
Directions for sending mail to son Willy [in India?]; about daughter Margaret Louisa's health, the family bills, some stories about people JH met at a dinner, and finally, JH's despair about his work.
No summary available.
James Wyon has proven to be competent engraver for two years.
Number of coin dies required by Sydney branch mint and lifetime of each die. WB would need six months to produce these.
Further comments on JAHdeB’s MS.
No summary available.
Acknowledges CT's error in writing name of 'Rose & Crown.' Returns JH's unsigned letter on copper coinage with two errors noted. Concurs with JH on coins proposed for adoption.
No summary available.
"A letter having been read from Mr. Darwin stating that the MSS of the 2nd vol. of his work [Living Cirripedia] extended to 900 pages it was resolved that the whole be published in one volume."
Distance scales to be used on Ordnance Survey maps.
Requests permission to pay Mint expenses from special account until Parliamentary grant becomes 'available.'
JDH thanks Asa Gray for his opinion on an unspecified essay by JDH, letter includes discussion of species & specific centres suggesting the subject of the essay is geographical plant distribution, the definition of a species & whether they are created entities or varieties evolve with environmental influences. JDH refers Gray to his comments in the FLORA ANTARCTICA. He argues against Gray & Agassiz's belief in multiple centres. Discusses the relative importance of genetic resemblance as opposed to habitat, referring to the Dorking Fowl, Manx Cats & Falkland Island rabbits. He favours theories based on observable evidence of geography, physiology etc. Dismisses Agassiz's work, incl on glaciers such as Aletsch, as prejudice not based in fact but on a desire for notoriety. JDH & Lyell like Agassiz personally. JDH looks to Americans for future discoveries in science as he considers them more practical. Bentham has decided to give his herbarium to RBG Kew. Thomas Thomson [TT] wants to be botanist on an expedition to North West Australia, if the East India Company will give him leave. Hurt approves of TT, who was imprisoned with his brother during the Afghanistan campaign. William Jackson Hooker has applied to The Duke of Newcastle on TT's behalf. Writes of progress with FLORA INDICA & distribution of plant sets to Gray, Paris, Berlin, Vienna, St Petersburg, Brown at the British Museum, Lowell & Torrey. Asks Gray about North American Larch, Yew, Junipers & Coniferae incl. Scotch Pine. Uses Yews from Pontrilas as an example of the difficulty of using habitat vs character in determining species. The Deodar Avenue at Kew is another example of how plants may not always have the ideal characteristics of their species. Agrees that species cannot be pronounced the same because they are united by certain forms, gives Mt Lebanon & Himalayan Cedars as example of extreme forms. Argues the difficulty is with local botanists wanting to give local varieties a distinct classification.