To Charles Wood   24 May 1838

Sir

In consequence of the Lords Commissioners of Her Majesty’s Treasury having granted me assistance towards the publication of the Natural History of the Voyage of H.M.S. Beagle, I am preparing an account of the geology of the Is^d. of Ascension.— The object of the present letter is to beg the permission of the Lords of the Admiralty, that I might be allowed, to have a copy of the published Admiralty chart of that island, engraved, which will greatly add to the value of my geological observations. I hope their Lordships will excuse the liberty, I have taken, in making this request, & that they will not object to it, as my work will be purely of a scientific nature, & will form part of the results obtained during the voyage of one of Her Majesty’s vessels:—

I have the honor to remain | Sir | Your obedient servant, | Charles Darwin To | Charles Wood Esq^r

&c &c—

Admiralty