Faraday to Thomas Phinn1   27 August 1855

Royal Institution: August 27, 1855.

Sir, - I am sure that when the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty look again at the enclosed printed advertising paper2 which you have sent to me, and which I return herewith, they will see that it is not such a document as I can be expected to give an opinion upon. My Lords will do me the favour to remember that, as I have said on former occasions3, though I am always willing to help the Government in important cases, and when it is thought that others cannot give satisfactory information, still I am not professional; and being engaged in deep philosophic research, am desirous of having my time and thoughts as little engaged by extraneous matters as possible.

I have the honour to be, Sir, your very obedient servant, | M. Faraday.

1
Thomas Phinn (1814-1866, B2). Second Secretary to the Admiralty, 1855-1857.
2
According to Bence Jones (1870a), 2: 364 this was to do with Charles Crews’s disinfecting powder and anti-miasma lamp (patent number 1855/732). See also Admiralty Digest, PRO ADM12 / 604, class 37.1.
3
For example, Faraday to Auckland, 29 July 1847, letter 2009, volume 3.

Bibliography

BENCE JONES, Henry (1870a): The Life and Letters of Faraday, 1st edition, 2 volumes, London.

Please cite as “Faraday3019,” in Ɛpsilon: The Michael Faraday Collection accessed on 29 April 2024, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/faraday/letters/Faraday3019