Faraday to Peter Henry Berthon   29 September 1860

Royal Institution | 29 Septr 1860

My dear Sir

I do not see what is to be gained by Major Fitzmaurice entering into the same “experiments that he originally shewed to the late Chairman of the Trinity Board”¹[.] I think that the subject can be advanced now only by its full trial in a lighthouse as I have said before. I cannot say that I think the applicability to light house purposes has been established as yet - the trial in the lighthouse is to establish or disprove & I think that the latter is quite as probable as the former. The data as regards expence are to me very unsatisfactory for though the proposition to apply this lime light to lighthouses is above two years old yet no estimate of the outlay & the current expence of lighting for a given period as 6 or 12 months has been supplied to be used as a test (when the trial is made) of the preconsidered & trust-worthy condition of the plan. The amount of liability to derangement is also very uncertain. These remarks apply to one lime light as much as another[.] Speaking in the interest of the Trinity house I cannot see any advantage in trying two lime lights at once when one will probable supply all the information & proof that is required. I think the South Foreland is an admirable place for the experimental trial because of the extreme observation that can be brought to bear upon it & because of the presence of the low light as a continual standard[.]

Let me again refer you to my letters of the 20 August 1858² - 20 August 1859³ - 18 August 1860⁴ and 25 August 1860⁵[.] I can only repeat what I have on different occasions there said⁶[.]

I am My dear Sir | Very Sincerely Your Obliged Servant | M. Faraday

P.H. Berthon | &c &c &c