Faraday to Jacob Herbert   31 August 1846

Royal Institution | 31st August 1846

My dear Sir,

I owe you many thanks for your kind and sympathising letter and am very grateful for your kind consideration¹. The enlargement of tube which I spoke of² would be necessary all the way up in any new system of tubes but in the case of the Winterton Light my judgement would be for an enlargement of the lower joints only, this would relieve considerably the strangulation caused by the use of too small a tube and I am in hopes the effect would show that the larger tubes alone might be left in this case unaltered without any impropriety.

I should be very glad however to have a report from the keeper, of the present general state of the Lanthorn that we may compare it hereafter with the state under the new condition & to have the power to judge the effect of the smaller pipes i.e. of those parts of the old system which will remain. I would also rather that the new lower joints were enlarged in all their length instead of being made taper, they can easily be made to fit at their upper extremity by a ring collar fitted on to them or the upper joint.

I purpose running to the South Foreland lighthouse next Wednesday or Thursday³ from Tunbridge Wells and as we return at the end of the week after that will see you[.] I will call on Mr. Wilkins today about the lower joints of the Winterton Light[.]

Ever my dear Sir | Yours very faithfully | (signed) M. Faraday

J. Herbert Esqre | &c &c &c