WCP150

[1]

Parkstone, Dorset.

Dec^r. 2nd. 1892

My dear Will¹

I & Violet² were very glad to get your letter at dinner (or just after) today, & to read all your adventures. Your rooms must be very comfortable and even luxurious, & Miss C. appears to give you pretty fair tucker. As to Mr. Lankert, he was evidently hard up to find you something to do, but I suppose it will come all right by next week. Pray send us a similar record of Friday & Saturday’s work. As to the oil caps, had you not your [2] Engineer’s Pocketbook with you to give you weight measures? Since I was a boy I have always remembered these two facts –

1 cub. ft. of water weights 1000 oz = 62 ½ lbs.

1 gallon of water weights ——- 10 lbs. from which all relations of quarts, pint, gills, &c. to cubic inches or to weights of water, can be ascertained. For the most accurate and quickest way would have been to fill each cup with water, weighing it empty & then full, & from the weight ^{of the water} at rate of 10 lbs. per Gall. = 1 ¼ lbs. per pint, you would get the contents. If you have the chance to try this way & so test your measured result. [3] This weight of water to a gallon is most useful for many purposes, & the difference ^{of sp. gr.} between pure water & rain or drinking water is too small to be of any importance.

We have had little news here except lots of rain — Yesterday we had fresh herrings for dinner, and just as they were cooking came a knock at the door, & Mary came down & said’ — "the Bishop of Salisbury!"³ "Don’t ask him to lunch" says Violet —"only fresh herring"! So in the drawing room I found his Lord^shp & Mrs. Usherwood — no fire — had to ask them down to the study. So we had half an hour jaw — about Stone-henge &c. & he hoped we [4] call on him if we went to Salisbury again, & that Canon Swayne⁴ has a fine alpine garden &c. &c. He was quite a jolly old cock notwithstanding his knee breeches & apron. He had come to a Confirmation I believe.

The enclosed card came all crushed up this morning, so I supposed you will at last get your Certif. & Medal.

Be sure & write full on Sunday to enlighten our darkness on Monday.

Your affectionate Pa | Alfred R. Wallace — [signature]