TALBOT6066

Haslar Hospital

Gosport 23 Dec^r 1847

Sir

As in the event of no intelligence of Sir John Franklin arriving before the beginning of March next I shall have to proceed to North America and down the Mackenzie River to the Arctic Sea I am desirous of providing the means of obtaining representations of animals and scenery by some photographic process, and I shall feel greatly obliged by your naming the kind of apparatus I ought to take and the name of the Artist you recommend for making it. Portability is very essential as our means of transport are very limited. I trust that you will excuse this request from a stranger, as it is on the public service and your reputation as a discoverer in this branch of science and the interest you are known to take in its application have been my reasons for troubling you now –

I am Sir

Your very Obed^t Ser^t

John Richardson