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Document number: 5562
Date: 13 Feb 1846
Recipient: TALBOT William Henry Fox
Author: BUSCH & Co
Collection: British Library, London, Manuscripts - Fox Talbot Collection
Collection number historic: LA46-027
Last updated: 5th April 2010

Liverpool
febr [sic] 13th 1846

William Henry Fox Talbot Esqre
Lacock Abbey, Wiltshire

Sir

A friend of ours who has a cottonmill on the Continent for which his water power is rather deficient has read in the german [sic] Newspapers of your patent for improvements in producing and obtaining motive power by carbonic gas, <1> and wishes us to obtain for him an exact information of the operating of such power. He seems to be determined to apply this system to his mill in addition to his waterpower in the event of his getting satisfied by the information that it works well and without being too expensive.

As we are not aware of a mill in which the motive power is applied according to your system we consider it best to write to you direct and request you to let us have some details of the power produced by engines made according to your system in comparison with steam power, of the costs of such an engine, and the approximate costs of the working of the same. It might also be desirable to point out the cheapest means by which the carbonic acid is to be obt produced, in a district, where coals are not to be obtained We also will thank you for a reference to some mills which are worked upon your principles as we think this to be the best way to convince our friend of their utility.

Waiting for your reply we remain respectfully Your obed Servts
E. Busch & Co

We do not think that our correspondents will order one of your engines without having a sufficient guarantee that it will work well EB

Reference
Royal Bank of Liverpool

[envelope:]

W. H. Fox Talbot Esqre
Lacock Abbey
Wilts
31 Sackville Street
London


Notes:

1. WHFT had three patents for engines; the one involving carbonic gas was no. 10,539, "Obtaining and Applying Motive Power," 1845.