| RefNo | MS/603/11/4 |
| Previous numbers | 1950 |
| Level | Item |
| Title | Letter from T E [Thomas Edward] Thorpe, Government Laboratory, London, to [Joseph] Larmor |
| Creator | Thorpe; Sir Thomas Edward (1845-1925); British chemist |
| Recipient | Larmor; Sir Joseph (1857-1942); Irish theoretical physicist |
| Date | 10 April 1905 |
| Description | What Larmor sends may be of the greatest value, and they would have no business possessing it. [James] Watt's letter, unless a copy, must be the famous letter which gave rise to the water controversy. Arago used it to justify Watt as the discoverer of the composition of water and therefore it is of the highest historical value. It was withdrawn by the author and 'bandied about' between [Jean Andre] De Luc, [Joseph] Priestley and [Joseph] Banks and published in the Philosophical Transactions. He gives a reference for the story. The other letter sent is a portion of one to [George Gabriel] Stokes, from either Vernon Harcourt or George Wilson. Each wrote in the area and it would seem that Stokes may have borrowed Watt's letter from the Royal Society and omitted to return it. |
| Extent | 4p. |
| Format | Manuscript |
| PhysicalDescription | Ink on paper |
| AccessStatus | Open |
Fellows associated with this archive
| Code | PersonName | Dates |
| NA7855 | Thorpe; Sir; Thomas Edward (1845 - 1925); chemist | 1845 - 1925 |