George Biddell Airy to Faraday   1 May 1847

Royal Observatory Greenwich | 1847 May 1

My dear Sir

My friend Mr. James Chance¹, one of the proprietors of extensive Glass Works in Birmingham, and Patentee of the Patent Plate Glass², is very desirous of examining some of the machinery used in Gunpowder Mills, which he thinks might possibly be introduced with advantage in the manufacture of glass.

Now I take the liberty of asking whether you could at my request give Mr. Chance and introduction to any manufacturer of gunpowder on the large scale? I believe that the Messrs. Hall have the largest business, and that their machinery is the best.

Possibly you may know Mr. Chance but if not I can assure you that he is a very gentlemanly and intelligent man and a good mechanic and not the worse I hope for having been formerly a scholar of Trinity College Cambridge.

I am, my dear Sir, | Yours very truly | G.B. Airy

Michael Faraday Esq | &c &c &c