| Description | 2 pcs. Concerning: William Captain Wellford and the delivery of letters from his brother Joe and Mr Collins; Boulton's intention to send a pair of dies and their engraving and Hoy's friend who sent a seal die of the Emporer's head; the new dollars to be presented to Count Wasilieff and the need to convince his colleagues in the Mint Department that coining silver as well as copper is possible, and that one should be given to Mr Novazittoff [Novosittzouff] for the Russian Emporer Alexander I; Novazittoff's 'immense' political influence as President of the Academy of Arts & Sciences; the queries of Count Soblikoff who wants Boulton to send him a steam engine; the Mint Department's deliberation on whether to send a workman to England and Walker's opinions on the employment of a man by the President; an account of the President by Walker, described as a 'semi-barbarian... drawn by the Count from the back parts of Siberia'; an account of the labourers in Russia, described as 'thieves' and 'savages'; James Walker's fever, recovery, and Dr Leighton; the 'extreme changes' to 'this rude climate' in summer; William Speedyman's illness; James Harley; James Duncan's illness which has rendered him 'cross and tedious as an old woman' with colourful description of Duncan's character and intended marriage to Miss Twycroft; an explanation for paying Dr Leighton large sums of money to save Walker's life in the icy conditions; and commercial connections in Russia.
[2 July 1804 N.S.] |