From W. H. Miller   25 October 1853

My dear Henslow,

According to the observations of Rupffer, the latest and I believe the best, a cubic inch of distilled water at 6.2 degree F weighs 252.5977 grains.

At its maximum density it weighs 252.8746 grains. A cubic foot at it max. density weighs 62.4239 lbs.

I wrote an article on Meteorites for the Encyclopedia Metropolitana. I am not aware of anything later than this on the subject generally in English. Later I mean in the information collected.

I am greatly obliged to you for pointing out the error of A0 for A1 on page 4

Potash for Potassium p76 is noticed in the Errata.

Glucium is adopted by Naumann and some other writers.

I prefer a name in an English shape such as Chrome instead of the barbarous Latinized Chromium when there is any authority for it as is the case in the present instance.

[annotation in JH hand not said oxides underlined] Oxides of tin, lead, copper &c are not reducible by heat alone. They are only reducible when certain gases such as hydrogen, or carbonic oxide from the blowpipe flame, are applied to the oxide in a heated state.

Oxides of gold mercury &c are reduced by heat alone without the aid of any reducing gas. As for instance when heated in a glass tube exhausted and sealed.

I do not see the objection to art 259. It appears to me to include the case of a body lighter than the water it displaces. The weight of the equal bulk of water is the algebraic difference of the weight of the solid in air and in water. The best value of the length of the seconds pendulum is lat λ appears to be (Airy Fig last to Enc. Metropolitana)

39.01677 + 0.20027 (sin λ) ² inches, or, sin a (sin λ)² = 1-cos 2λ/2 ,

39.11690 – 0.100135 cos 2λ inches.

Yours very truly| W. H. Miller