[This complex draft by WHFT is not a letter, but rather a summary of his continuing correspondence with the Royal Commissioners over the production of photographs to illustrate the Reports of the Juries for the Great Exhibition of 1851.^<1> It is the first 3 leaves of a 17 leaf manuscript shared with Doc. No: 05976]

M^r Cole to M^r T.

(extract)

Nov 14. H M’s Com^rs do not seek t act as tr^smn & obtⁿ a p^ft by y^e sale of y^e ph^c impr^ns

1) (last) 8). . . . . . . . . . (Z)

2) 1) 1 w^d fur^r remind y. y^t after y^e productⁿ of y^e nec^y q^ty of impr^ns for pres^ntn t F^n. G^mts &c. y^e sale was to rest wholly w^th y^r Lic^sees & y^t all prof^ts th^on w^d accrue not ind^d to ye C^rs w^h p^lc y^e wh^le orig^l risk & outlay but only t yr^sf & Y^r Li^sees

3) 2) by producing & circu^ltg many 1000 ph^ghs thr^t y^e w^ld H M C^res are confering y^e g^tst b^fit on an Art y^e use of w^ch has h^to bⁿ circ^scrd & of w^ch y^e p^tee & his ag^ts will ult^y derive y^e wh^le & sole pecun^y adv^tge

Extract from letter 3) M^r Wyatt in a l^r to M^r Hⁿ says to y^e same effect. In considⁿ ...

4) It was y^e fail^re of M^r Hⁿ 1^st in t^kng satis^fy P^pr neg^ves & next in produc^g of good pos^ves y^t h^ve bⁿ y^e imm^dte causes w^ch led y^e Ex. Coms t ascertain y^e means by w^ch they c^d disp^se w^th his services. (The defects of the pos^ve copies are then examin^ed thus stated by M^r Cole)
too dark & not at all artist^c & already show sev^l defects (Obs^ns They cannot beas to their being "too dark"
That is easily remedied, for all photog^rs can make copies either as light or d^k as they please. And of course in a much shorter time than dark ones-

A) M^rT. to Ex^ve C^teeUpon y^e same principle that a man who can run fast, can also run slowly.
2. It is said the copies are "not artistic"- This is very vague. A copy cannot be artistic, unless the neg^ve photograph from w^ch it is copied, is so. Were the neg^ves artistic in this inst^ce? If not y^e objⁿ falls to the ground)
H.F.T.

5) M^r C. Thurston Thompson to Mr. T (Ext^t) Nov. 8
I am directed by y^e Ex^e C^tee to ackn^ge &c (he goes on to state that y^e high price proposed is) calc^d v^y much to def^t y^e desire of H M C^rs y^t y^e pb^lc sh^d enjoy y^e privilege of p^chsg y^m espec^lly as y^e price proposed by M H^nmn was in less y^e f^r case no less yⁿ 5/.
(obsⁿ It cannot be y^e wish of the Royal C^mmrs to depreciate the Art. In reply I beg to state a v^y low price w^d have y^t effect)
and I feel almost confident that M^r Thompson himself told me in conversantⁿ that he thought 5/ was about a fair price for M^r Hⁿ to charge to the public. H.F.T.)

6) M^r T. to y^e Ex C^tee (Extract)
Nov 9. Y w^ll pl^se to rec^ect y^t I h^ve w^vd all cl^m to ryl^ty or p^tnt dues either from yrs^ves or f^m my lic^sees on y^e gr^d of this b^g a n^l w^k & so t say p^t & p^cl of y^e G^t Ex^tn w^h was an hon^r to y^e E & C^ty. Were it a m^ctle specⁿ y^e ry^lty w^d prob^y am^t to £500 or £1000

7) W^d y^e C^tee like t see spec^s of pos^ves printed off by M^r Hⁿ f^m 6 to 10 y^rs ago w^ch have rem^d unaltered? In that case I w^d forw^d a p^cl cont^g 100 of y^m fr their inspectⁿ.

8) 9) 29 Sept Ex. C^tee to H^n.

9) 10) Answer.

Z) Obs^t. This was repeat^d in sev^l other let^rs - that the Com^tee c^d were to derive no pecun^ry benefit whatever directly or indirectly from y^e sale of the pictures- But in contradictⁿ with this promise in entire forgetfulness of this promise they have granted to M^r Bingham the sale of these pict^s as part payment for the making of the copies - and on that account he has undertaken to make do y^e work on lower terms than he otherwise could do. Is this not an Here is an indirect pecun^y benefit rec^d by the Com^ee. And what is y^e difference between receiving it directly or indirectly?

[expanded version:]

Mr. Cole to Mr. Talbot

(Extract)

2) 1) I would further remind you that after the production of the necessary quantity of impressions for presentation to Foreign Governments etc., the sale was to rest wholly with your Licensees and that all profits thereon would accrue not indeed to the Commissioners who take the whole original risk and outlay but only to yourself and your licensees.

3) 2) by producing and circulating many thousands of photographs throughout the world, Her Majesty’s Commissioners are conferring the greatest benefit on an Art the use of which has hitherto been circumscribed and of which the patentee and his agents will ultimately derive the whole and sole pecuniary advantage. Extract from letter

3) Mr. Wyatt in a letter to Mr. Henneman says to the same effect. In consideration ...

4) It was the failure of Mr. Henneman, first in taking satisfactory paper negatives and next in production of good positives that have been the immediate causes which led the Exhibition Commissioners to ascertain means by which they could dispense with his services. (The defects of the positive copies are then examined thus by Mr. Cole)
too dark, not at all artistic and already show several defects (Observation: They cannot be as to their being “too dark,” that is easily remedied, for all photographers can make copies either as light or dark as they please. And of course in a much shorter time than dark ones Upon the same principle that a man who can run fast, can also run slowly. Secondly, It is said the copies are "not artistic". This is very vague. A copy cannot be artistic, unless the negative photograph from which it is copied, is so. Were the negatives artistic in this instance? If not the objection falls to the ground. H.F.T.)

5) Mr. Charles Thurston Thompson to Mr. Talbot (Extract) November 8^th, 1851 ^<2>
I am directed by the Executive Committee to acknowledge etc. (he goes on to state that the high price proposed is) calculated very much to defeat the desire of Her Majesty’s Commissioners that the public should enjoy the privilege of purchasing them especially as the price proposed by Mr. Henneman was in the first case no less that 5 shillings.
(observation. It cannot be the wish of the Royal Commissioners to depreciate the Art. In reply I beg to state A very low price would have that effect, and I feel almost confident that Mr. Thompson himself told me in conversation that he thought 5 shillings was about a fair price for Mr. Henneman to charge to the public. Henry F. Talbot)

6) Mr. Talbot to the Executive Committee (extract) November 9^th, 1851. ^<3> You will please to recall that I have waived all claim to royalty or patent dues either from yourselves or from my licensees on the ground of this being a national work and so to say part and parcel of the Great Exhibition which was an honour to the Exhibition and Country. Were it a mercantile speculation the royalty would probably amount to £500 or £1000.

7) Would the Committee like to see specimens of positives printed off by Mr. Henneman from 6 to 10 years ago which have remained unaltered? In that case I would forward a parcel containing 100 specimens for their inspection.

1) (last) 8)November 14^th, l851 ^<4> Her Majesty’s Commissioners do not seek to act as tradesmen and obtain a profit by the sale of the photographic impressions....
Observations: This was repeated in several other letters, that the Committee were to derive no pecuniary benefit directly or indirectly from the sale of the pictures. But in contradiction with this promise in entire forgetfulness of this promise they have granted to Mr. Bingham the sale of these pictures as part payment for the making of the copies and on that account he has undertaken to make do the work on lower terms than he otherwise could do. Is this not an Here is an indirect pecuniary benefit received by the Commissioners: And what is the difference between receiving it directly or indirectly?

8) 9) 29 September, Executive Committee to Henneman. 9) 10) Answer.

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Notes:

1. Exhibition of the Works of Industry of All Nations, 1851: Reports by the Juries. Four volumes, illustrated by original photographic prints from negatives by Hugh Owen and Claude Marie Ferrier. In the copies given to WHFT, a dedicatory sheet was inserted (most likely printed up by him): 'This Work, on the Results of the Great Exhibition of 1851, Illustrated with Photographic Plates, being One of Fifteen Copies Given by the Royal Commissioners to H.F. Talbot, Esq. of Lacock Abbey, as The Inventor of this Branch of the Photographic Art, was by him presented to _____'. This publication caused WHFT considerable consternation at the time, for he felt that the Commissioners had stealthily and unfairly taken the job of printing the plates away from Nicolaas Henneman. For a summary of this complex situation, see Nancy B Keeler, 'Illustrating the "Reports by the Juries" of the Great Exhibition of 1851; Talbot, Henneman, and Their Failed Commission,' History of Photography, v. 6 no. 3, July 1982, pp. 257-272.

2. This is Doc. No: 06510.

3. This is Doc. No: 06512.

4. This is Doc. No: 06513.