London
44 Manchester St
Manchester Sqre
– or Royal College of Chemistry.
Sir
I regret that your letter was delayed by passing through Reading and I beg at once to thank you and accept your kind offer of a free license to take portraits by your Amphytype process or by any of its modifications It will be some time before I can fully avail myself of your kindness so spontaneously offered, but I do see that by & by I shall derive much gratification & I hope not less profit from using my privilege. I have seen enough to convince me that most marvellously beautiful results are attainable by it attentive manipulation. – There are cases perhaps in which the Talbotype positive would be preferred – for all the reasons which make the fully developed Talbotype process superior to the Daguerreotype, which latter the Amphytype resembles – though with advantage. – In such special cases an additional favour would be conferred if I were allowed to put a strongly developed Amphytype into the hands of one of your regular licensees, or at least the copy on paper which is to become the property of the sitter; a proper per-centage would then be accounted for to you. I do not apprehend any difficulty in such an arrangement; for at present I should be able to use the privilege only sparingly, and I should be always open to control in any case that might present a difficulty.
Since I last wrote I have entered the winter session at the College of Chemistry under Dr Hofmann I find that at present I shall have more opportunities of making negatives of general subjects than in portraiture still I shall be most pleased & obliged by your license for the Amphytype. I also think I can do much by a new arrangement of the fixing process in which I expect my Chemical knowledge will aid me. These general labours can be carried on at times when portraiture would be impracticable. I therefore propose keeping in view more branches than one, and it was with these latter conclusions in view that I ventured to make a request which you will perhaps kindly consider still open. At the College we have to pay for all apparatus & materials relating to special investigations & even for many of the ordinary processes in daily use. And then as regards photographic apparatus Henneman said he could not lend me the microscopic camera and a small, portrait lens temporarily lent me was required back for making stereoscopic pictures. Under all these circumstances I should think it a great favour if I could be independent as to Apparatus & Materials. I could then start fairly & in earnest And I think you Sir would not regret having done me the service of making me the advance I contemplated. The smaller sum of £20 – would go far to accomplish my purpose.
You will pardon me Sir for saying that to one who is working up “The Hill of Life” – the want of sufficient pecuniary means is a sad bar to usefulness, especially in prosecuting arts where the results are very much dependent on expensive apparatus.
My thankfulness therefore would be proportionate to my need. By giving up my occupation as a Druggist I have unfortunately lost the sympathy of my relatives as far as photography is concerned. This I hope will excuse me for following up my request in a manner that at first sight might seem to be excessively importunate. I have a real desire to be second to none in photography but feel myself fettered by circumstances
I have no doubt I could repay so moderate a sum if the plan of balancing it by negatives &c &c did not seem advisable.
Again thanking you
I remain Sir Your obedient obliged Servt
T A Malone
Friday Oct 15th/52
College of Chemistry
Oxford St –
I take the liberty of enclosing a specimen of one days work on the “Non Metallic Elements”
The equations are written down, generally, after making the actual experiments. Dr Hofmann requires a reason for each step in the various processes. I have ventured to think Sir that you will be pleased at the sound manner in which I am acquiring Chemical knowledge to be hereafter I trust, very much devoted to the investigation of the difficulties which are caused in photography by the use of imperfect materials (both papers & chemicals) & which now so often mar the results of your most beautiful processes. –
(page 1)
Non-Metallic Elements
Chlorine. Cl = 35.5
Prepn
| R.C.C. { | 1st | MnO2+ 2HCl = MnCl + 2 HO + Cl. |
| 2nd | MnO2 + NaCl + 2 SO3 = MnO,SO3 + NaO,SO3 + Cl. | |
| Properties &c | ||
| (4) | ||
Iodine. I = 126
Prepn
| 1st | NaI + MnO2 + 2SO3 = MnO,SO3 + NaO,SO3 + I. | |
| R.C.C. { | 2nd | 2(CuO,SO3) + 2FeO,SO3 = Cu2O,SO3 + Fe2O3, 3SO3 |
| NaI + Cu2O,SO3 = NaO,SO3 + Cu2I. | ||
| Cu2I + 2MnO2 + 4(HO,SO3) = I + 2(CuO,SO3) + 2(MnOSO3) + 4HO | ||
| (5) | ||
Bromine. Br = 78.2
Prepn
| 1st { | a. MnO2 + 2HCl = MnCl + 2HO + Cl | |
| B. MgBr + Cl = MgCl + Br | ||
| R.C.C. { | 2nd { | NaBr + Cl = NaCl + Br sep by Æther & KO then 6Br + 6KO = 5KBr + KO,BrO5 |
| this heated gives 6KBr +O6 – | ||
| lastly KBr + MnO2 + 2(HO,SO3) = Br + KO,SO3 + MnO,SO3 + 2HO. | ||
| (6) over – | ||
(Page 2)
Phosphorus.
= 32
Prepn
| 3CaO,PO5 | + 2(HO,SO3) | = 2CaO,SO3 | + CaO,2HO,PO5 |
| solid | soln | ppt | soln to evaporate |
heat to ignition
CaO,2HO,PO5 = CaO,PO5 + 2HO
Then distill at red heat.
| 3(CaO, PO5) +C10 | = 3CaO,PO5 | + 10CO | +P2 |
| residue | gas | vapr | |
| CaO,PO5 | |||
| residue | |||
| CaO, | P | O5 C5 | |
| CaO, | P | O5 C5 | |
| vapr | gas | ||
| Properties &c | |||
| (13) | |||
or
| R.C.C. { | 3CaO,PO5 + 2(HOSO3) = 2HO,CaO,PO5 + 2(CaO,SO3) | |
| 2HO,CaO,PO5 = 2HO + CaO,PO5 | ||
| 3(CaO,PO5) + 10C = 3CaO,PO5 + 2P + 10CO. – | ||
The above changes occur in the manufacture of Phosphorus from “Bone Earth” by means of Sulphuric Acid – The “tribasic phosphate” on heating becomes “meta phosphate” & this with Charcoal & heat gives 1st tribasic phosphate 2nd Phosphorus & 10 Carbonic Oxide
[envelope:]
H F Talbot Esqr.
Lacock Abbey
Nr Chippenham