Monsieur
J’ai reçu avant hier votre honorée du 24, mais je n’ai pas voulu engager M. Juncker à vous envoyer sa note sur les aimants avant de m’avoir convaincu par l’expérience que surtout le grand aimant repondit pleinement à mon attente. Il a éprouvé un revers dans la fabrication: un des lamelles s’est cassé lorsqu’on la dressait après la trempe. Hier cependant il a pu en faire l’essai en présence de Mr van Breda et de moi. Il y a suspendu sans grande précaution, un poids de à peu près 280, deux cents quatre vingt livres anglais (avoir du poids naturellement). Il s’occupe maintenant de le polir et il vous l’enverra avec les deux autres, qui portent 50 et 24 livres, dans la semaine prochaine. En attendant, il vous envoie sa note, [1 word illegible] pour acquit, comme vous le désirez.
Je vous donnerai avis du jour exact de l’expédition. La caisse qui contiendra les trois autres caisses dont chacune contient un aimant vous parviendra de Rotterdam et sera déclarée contenir des instruments de physique. Peut être qu’il vous sera possible d’empêcher que les agents de la douane n’ouvrent la caisse autrement qu’en notre présence. Je sais par expérience que de cette manière seulement vous pourrez être bien sûrs de recevoir les aimants en bon état.
Agréez monsieur, les salutations empressées de votre dévoué serviteur
W. M. Logeman.
Haarlem 27 mars 1862
Sir,
On the day before yesterday I received your letter from the 24th, but I did not wish to engage Mr Juncker2 to send you his note on the magnets before I was myself convinced through the experiment that especially the large magnet fully met my expectations. He experienced a setback in the manufacturing: one of the lamellae broke when we put it up after the tempering. Yesterday, however, he was able to test it in the presence of Mr van Breda3 and me. He suspended it without much precaution, a weight that is approximately 280, two hundred and eighty English pounds (naturally avoirdupois4). Now he is busy polishing it, and he will send it to you along with the other two, which are 50 and 24 pounds, next week. In the meanwhile, he sends you his note, [1 word illegible] for granted, as you wished.
I will notify you of the exact date of the shipping. The box that contains the three other boxes, of which each contains a magnet, is sent to you from Rotterdam and will be declared as containing instruments for physics. Perhaps you will be able to have the Custom agents opening the box only in our presence. I know from experience that only in this way can you be sure of receiving the magnets in good condition.
Please accept, Sir, eager greetings from your devoted servant
W. M. Logeman.
Haarlem, 27th March 1862
RI MS JT/1/L/31
Wilhelmus Martinus Logeman: (1821–94), son of an instrument maker. Logeman started a factory for the manufacture of steel magnets in 1849. He later became a physics teacher after the factory failed in 1863. Logeman worked for Jacob van Breda and was closely connected to a number of periodicals such as Album der Natuur and Wetenschappelijke bladen. See P. Molhuysen en P. Blok (eds), Nieuw Nederlandsch Biografisch Woordenboek. Part 9. (Leiden: A.W. Sijthoff, 1933), pp. 616–18.
Mr. Juncker: not clear in original and not identified.
Mr van Breda: Jacob Gisbert Samuel van Breda (1788–1867). Van Breda began his scientific career as Professor in botany, chemistry and pharmacy at the Athenaeum in Franeker in 1816. He later became Professor in botany, zoology and comparative anatomy at Ghent. Forced to flee during the Belgian Revolution, he gained a temporary post at Leiden in 1831, and later a chair in zoology and geology in the same city in 1835. From 1839 onwards he left Leiden to become secretary of the Hollandse Maatschappij van Wetenschappen (Holland Society of Science) at Haarlem, and director of the Teylers museum. He became the chairman of the commission set up to create a geological map of the Netherlands in 1852. See P. Molhuysen en P. Blok (eds), Nieuw Nederlandsch Biografisch Woordenboek. Part 1. (Leiden: A.W. Sijthoff, 1911), pp. 457–8.
avoirdupois: measurement system using pounds and ounces.
Please cite as “Tyndall1873,” in Ɛpsilon: The John Tyndall Collection accessed on