JB/539/286/001

Click Here To Edit

Irkutsk April 12th

I send you a salt which from the Experiments I have made on it
I imagine to be fossile alkali. Here is a pond of several square
miles in area consisting of a saturated solution of this salt. The
pieces I send are taken from the bottom where it is deposited
no doubt in consequence of the evaporation of the watery part of the
solution.

I cannot but imagine that fossile alkali must
be dearer than vegetable: if so, and this specimen which I send
is in a state of sufficient purity, or may be easily brought to
that state, this salt may become an important article of
commerce. If however the invention which you have mentioned
to me of obtaining the alkaline basis of sea salt succeeds; the
expence of that operation may probably be less than the extra
expence of transport from so distant a part of the world
I wish you would let me know the wholesale price of
alk ali and indeed (if it wont be much trouble to you) of
new salts & alkalis. The transport from hence would
cost about 1/2 a guinea for forty pounds weight.

I have full employment here in acquiring information about the
Kaintschatka trade which is under the direction of this Government.
and compleating my information about Nerchinsk & the connection
with the Chinese.

---page break---

Do above all things let me know immediately
when for certain I can receive at Petersbourg some copies of a
translation of your "Principles of Jurisprudence" I think that is the
title or tell me if you have any other work in hand which may
be acceptable here. I have not received a letter from you since
October last. The last was dated July 1781. If you write about nothing
else tell me how your work goes on. Be ye but as happy as I hope to be.!

Identifier: | JB/539/286/001 "JB/" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 539.
Date_1	1782-04-15	Marginal Summary Numbering
Box	539	Main Headings
Folio number	286	Info in main headings field
Image	001	Titles
Category	Correspondence	Number of Pages
Recto/Verso		Page Numbering
Penner	Samuel Bentham	Watermarks
Marginals		Paper Producer
Corrections		Paper Produced in Year
Notes public		ID Number
Box Contents