WCP33

[1]

Parkstone, Dorset,

March 6^th. 1901

My dear Will

Shortly after I wrote last I determined to do the Electrical Chap[ter]. at once, so I read up art[icle]. in [MS illeg.]. — Garrot’s[?] Physics, & J. Thompson Elect[rical]. & Mag[azine]. — made a few notes of points to refer to, & then started off to write. Considering that I know absolutely nothing of the subject, I think it will be rather interesting & clarifying to those who know as little as I did. I seem to see it a little better now.

You must remember that I have described the applications in earlier chapters. Transmission of power & Niagara, in Chap[ter]. II. Telegraphy including wireless, in Chap[ter]. III. Radiation chap[ter]. you have seen. Elect[tric]. Light in Chap[ter]. IV.

[2] Please in noting errors etc. put. a X in pencil in the margin, & then make the correction or suggestion on the a separate paper- noting page of Mss.—

Also if there are any more verbal errors in tech[nical]. terms etc. give the exactly correct phrase.

I have tried hard to get to understand the thing myself and I do not think there can be much wrong, as I have followed J. Thompson, and on the whole he is exceedingly clear.

I shall write to ask him to let me use his cat[alogue]s to illustrate [3] the chapter. His bit about what Elect[ricity]. is & is not ^{on p. 1 of his book}, & his statement of Clerk-Maxwell's¹ theory, make a good finish for my Chap[ter].

When the first Ed. came out a Mr. Garnett wrote to me about some errors in physics etc. so I wrote to him & asked if he would look over my new chapters, & he said he would, so I have sent him the Radiation Chapter. He is evidently well up in Chemistry. — ^{(& pretty well in Physics)} & I shall send him that chapter too.

I have now done all of importance except the new chapter on Astronomy — four of them I think.

(1) Solar System — (2) Comets Meteors etc.

(2) Sun & Stars etc. Telescopic.

(3) do. do… Spectroscopic

[4] (4) Cosmic Theories — Nebular & Meteoritic Hypotheses.

By the bye, I cannot find anywhere a good cut of the old post chaise — with postilion, — such as were used all over England by gentlemen & ladies down to about 1850. If you know any one interested in old fashions you might ask them or any 2nd hand bookseller [who] might know a book containing one. I bought a book called Progress in G[rea]t. Britain in 2 vols with excellent cuts of old coaches & wagons, old ships & new ships etc but no post-chaise; & I have got a big book on "Highways and Horses" out of the library with more fine engravings of coaches, cabs, etc. but no Post chaise!

If there is any one in Newcastle you can trust about any points in my Mss. you are not quite sure about, you need not send of[f] to Mac. but return at once

as² the old road to Gretna Green went through Newcastle many old people must have seen run-away marriages in Post-chaises.

Yours very affectionately | A R Wallace [signature]