[printed notepaper:]
110, Bunhill Row
E.C.
March 15 /60
My dear Sir,
Mr Paul Pretsch is well known to me and I am generally acquainted with his process of producing plates for printing from drawings photographs &c. I consider that his process is one of great promise and although I cannot say that in its present state it is one of immediate commercial application yet the rapid development of the art since Mr Pretsch brought his first efforts under my notice are such that I believe that I am warranted in saying that the process will ultimately prove of commercial value.
Unfortunately Mr Pretsch is almost without monetary resources and hence he is in great difficulty and can ill spare the monies he has to expend in experiments indeed I think he has difficulty even in finding the ways & means for living expences.
I have felt a pleasure in aiding Mr Pretsch to some small extent and in order that his labors may be facilitated I have had the moulds & electro[illegible] made from his light-produced originals in our establishment free of any expence to him.
The art is not immediately applicable to our business as we do not produce art engravings for sale but require only engravings made for special applications and for this reason, I have not entered into the speculation but I have told Mr Pretsch we will take a license if he patents his invention.
I can confirm Mr Pretsch [sic] statement that no touch of the graver has been made on the plate of Dover Castle all that was done was to cut away the edge with a saw – I believed that all that would be required would be to face down the plate a little in parts in order to increase the shadows. Mr Pretsch who is a practical printer thinks the plate if properly "made ready" in the printing press would give a good impression without this.
I am my dear Sir Yours Very truly
Warren De La Rue
H. F. Talbot Esq