[draft]

James

May 11/60

I hav ^ge seen in th newsp^rs som mentⁿ made of a pss of yrs called Ph Zincog^y & tht a blue b^k ha d^s bⁿ pub^d to Parl^t so illust^d I was think^g thought of writ^g to y & request^g y to send me a specⁿ or two I shall be v^y m^ch oblig^d to you if y will send me a specⁿ or 2 of this art these product^ns & if you have publ^d any acc^t of the process by w^ch they are made, I shall be v^y glad to receive a copy of it, or a refer^ce to the successful journal or other publicatⁿ in w^ch it is contained

Last y^r I had the pleas^re to send you some small spec^ns of photoglyphic engrav^gs of portion of the Ordn Map obtain^d on copper plates – I did not at that time continue that res^ch feeling more interested about the applic^tn of Ph. engrav^g to the reproductⁿ of ph^c views & landscapes hav^g a variety of mezzotints & half shadow ½ tints & shadows

But a few weeks ago I tried to make some copies of the Ordn^ce s map upon Steel plates & of these & meeting met with tolerable success I enclose 3 spec^ns each f^m a diff^t steel plate, & find can say they are made without the least difficulty – I am desirous of knowing whether by your Photozincography process the finer lines of maps can be equally well copied?

I add 2 or 3 spec^ns of photoglyp^c engrav^gs from Nature w^ch may perhaps interest you

PS. Ought I to address you as on this as Sir H. James? Excuse my ign^ce in ask^g th questⁿ but I live if much out of the little in London & ∴ often make sad mistakes in addressing letters

[expanded version:]

James

May 11, 1860

I hav inge seen in the newspapers some mention made of a process of yours called Photo Zincography ^<1> and that a blue book ha ds been published to Parliament so illustrated I was thinking thought of writing to you and requesting you to send me a specimen or two I shall be very much obliged to you if you will send me a specimen or two of this art these productions and if you have published any account of the process by which they are made, I shall be very glad to receive a copy of it, or a reference to the successful journal or other publication in which it is contained.

Last year I had the pleasure to send you some small specimens of photoglyphic engravings ^<2> of a portion of the Ordnance Map obtained on copper plates – I did not at that time continue that research feeling more interested about the application of Photoglyphic engraving to the reproduction of photographic views and landscapes having a variety of mezzotints and half shadow half tints and shadows.

But a few weeks ago I tried to make some copies of the Ordnance Survey map upon Steel plates and of these and meeting met with tolerable success I enclose three specimens each from a different steel plate, and [find] [can say] ^<3> they are made without the least difficulty – I am desirous of knowing whether by your Photozincography process the finer lines of maps can be equally well copied?

I add two or three specimens of photoglyphic engravings from Nature which may perhaps interest you.

PS. Ought I to address you as on this as Sir Henry James? Excuse my ignorance in asking the question but I live if much out of the little in London and therefore often make sad mistakes in addressing letters.

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Notes:

1. In February, James had given a, ‘Report on the Progress of the Ordnance Survey’, Parliamentary Papers, v. 23, p. 400, detailing this new method, which was published in a ‘Blue Book’, an official parliamentary publication.

2. See Doc. No: 07845.

3. Neither of these is deleted in the original draft.