Engraving, Lithographic & General Printing Office
26 Waterloo Place,
Edinburgh
March 15th 1860
Sir/
Your two notes are to hand, as well as the parcel of plates, and I shall let you know the cost of printing in a few days.
With respect to using larger Steels – there are several of the views upon steel much smaller than 5 × 4, such for instance as St Sulpice, the work coming within a very short way of the edge, & this renders it difficult for the printer to clean the surface round the work, without running the risk of taking out a portion of the ink. 5 × 4 will do, provided there be left an inch round of clean steel – You are in the wrong quarter for steel, if I may judge from the name upon the back of the one sent here to burnish – Sheffield is the true market for that article, and the house in particular that I get it from for the first class of work. Steel plates that are manufactured for me in Edinr are all made from the steel procured in Sheffield. There can be no doubt that hard steel is what you ought to get for wearing well in the printing, & I have little difficulty in procuring the plates, tempered to suit the various kinds of Engraving we have to do.
If 5 × 4 is your size, perhaps you may allow me to order (along with some for myself) a dozen of plates, or less if you think necessary.
I think the 5 Steels would have come much cheaper than 4/- (the sending charge) by post.
The steel plate you have sent me to examine, is one of the softest sort, & very bad in quality, my son has tested it – this is just what I expected.
I am Sir Most respectfully yrs
William Banks.