From Archibald McLachlan   Wednesday June 1st 1843

Wednesday June 1^st 1843

Dr.¹ X.²

The letter of Y. is enclosed³ ------------ By this time you have received the conclusion of No. 1.⁴ When I state a fact, you may rely on the assertion; you are to take the facts of quantity and quality of work done as strictly correct, or, rather, I always make the sum total less than the truth, and thus err on the right side – for instance I state the quantity done, I know from those at the Phenix Park⁵ that I am nearly correct, also, from old acquaintances of long standing and who have made, in the olden times, similar calculations, I am bourn out that there were fully 14 counties finished, I remember having given to Mr Hume, a full true and particular account, forwarding it to the House of Commons getting his letter in reply &c. I, and another knave concocted the Report (in 1836), and also a map colored to show the quantity done, and we then made it 15 counties. We had also a good large pamphlet printed in Dublin 1834, the quantity done there was 15 counties, expenses £200.000. But the thief of a printer cowed, and would not give us a single copy, ‘not for £50’ – he was afraid of a prosecution. As to the error in the No.⁶ of men employed, whatever error is + on one side will be - on another – that there were at one time 32 R.E.⁷ officers on the O.S.⁸ but how long they remained is uncertain, we are sure that 25 Lieutenants remained on it up to the time of the revision,⁹ also 5 Captains – The number of laborers is understated, the real number is more near 1000 than 600. The conclusion to which I come is infalliable, but my mode of coming at it may not be strictly correct. I am not positive that 240 R.S.M.¹⁰ were on it. But on the other hand, I have not included a number of Royal Artillery who were for some time employed. If I remember correctly Colonel C.¹¹ stated before the Committee 1829¹² that 10 Co:¹³ were finished and expenses £77,000. I am positive as to the £77,000, but not sure of the 10 counties, Now at the lowest calculation from 1825 to 1829 or 3 years¹⁴ the expenses would be £120,000, you can put confidence in what I state, because I am, bourn out, by others who know as much as I do. I would advise that you take just so much from my story as suits you, the rest throw away. And study brevity, for the lengthy part is yet to come. I am hereafter to take certain positions, and to challenge the parties to deny the facts if they can and this will be most serious stickler of all. I could refer to some letters, but then that would compromise the parties concerned (Bickett¹⁵ for instance) to whom alone the secret was made known – You will of course consult D.¹⁶ a very cautious cool gent: I forgot to tell you, I cannot recollect the time because I never saw the N. paper,¹⁷ but think it was in 1840 that T.C.¹⁸ spoke of the pay of C.A.¹⁹ in the House of Commons.²⁰ Also the Act for the S. of the 6 Northern counties of England,²¹ ceases in January 1846 – the Act contemplates that the S. will be finished at the end of 1846 – Several questions you have asked in your letters shall be answered when we come to that point. – But I wish to keep the survey – the failure – revision – and conducting of the work separate from the pay of the men &c. Let the pay and work &c. get a chapter to itself – Look out for Babbages work on the O.S.²² in some Mechanics Institution. another letter in 2 or 3 days.

B.²³

RI MS JT 1/11/3781–2