Faraday to James Timmins Chance   23 January 1862

<qr>Private | [Royal Institution embossed letterhead] | 23 Jany / 62

My dear Mr Chance

My communication is quite informal but you will see that it has a bearing[.]

Suppose the T.H. had occasion to send out a specification¹ to the manufacturers of lights;- it ought not to be loose or it would not secure the degree of perfection they would desire;- it ought not to be too precise for they could not treat every point with precision or if they could might really enforce faults & take away from the Manufacturer the power & right of exercising his own intelligence:- and so the question arises as to what would be a good specification? Now I know you so well that I think you could put self aside and sketch out or draw up, the fittest possible specification, to be sent, not to middlemen but to the real Manufacturers. I do not think such a paper should be very long or very minute:- it should of course stipulate for a thorough examination of the optical action as security for the T.H.

What do you think of this matter? If I should find occasion to suggest to the T.H. that you should be consulted on this subject, either privately or more openly, would it be agreeable or disagreeable to you? At present I have only talked with one person on the subject, & quite at a distance. I would not say much until I knew your thoughts;- but I suspect the matter would be done best in the way I hint at; & think it might be right with, & agreeable to, all parties.

Ever My dear Sir | Yours | M. Faraday

Jas. Chance Esq | &c &c &c