Ɛpsilon

To W. E. Darwin   20 May [1881]1

Down.

May 20th

My dear W.

I am much disturbed in my mind what best to do with the £3000, the value of my U. States Funded Loan.— I have so much in Railways that these, I think, had better be avoided.—2 I see in newspaper that a million $ Bonds have been offered to the States to be renewed at the 312 per cent. interest; & does this not show that in the States this is thought a fair offer for a good security?3

Please settle for me, if I retain the Bonds at this interest, I believe that notice shd. be given (I suppose through the U. Bank)4 immediately.—

If I allow the Bonds to be paid off, then you will have to advise me hereafter about some accrued investment—in August, I think.—

Pray settle what I had better do. & let me hear. | your affect Father | C. Darwin

Idleness tempts me to accept the 312. Bonds.

1
The year is established by the relationship between this letter and the letter from W. E. Darwin, 7 May 1881.
2
William had suggested a number of possible investments in his letter of 7 May 1881. CD had been forced to sell some of his investment in United States Funded Loan shares (see letter to W. E. Darwin, 4 May [1881]).
3
See letter from W. E. Darwin, 7 May 1881 and n. 2. The newspaper announcement has not been identified.
4
CD’s bank was the Union Bank, Charing Cross Branch, London (see Correspondence vol. 5, letter to John Higgins, 11 April [1853]).

Manuscript Alterations and Comments

1.1 £3000,] comma after del ‘which’
1.2 Railways] above del ‘Ry. C’
3.2 about … investment] interl
3.2 in] after del illeg

Please cite as “DCP-LETT-13167,” in Ɛpsilon: The Charles Darwin Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/dcp-data/letters/DCP-LETT-13167