Item C20 - Letter from William Hunter Campbell, Demerara, to John Hutton Balfour

1 letter

Letter from William Hunter Campbell in Georgetown, Demerara to John Hutton Balfour dated 27 April 1855
Campbell writes: We have just finished the descriptive part of the catalogue of articles sent to the Paris exhibition with the help of Dr. Blair and David Prior? There is still to be added or rather preferred, some description of the general features of the Colony but this is not quite ship-shape yet and the proofs will take some time to revise. I enclose a copy as far as we have got to show you and ask if you are sufficiently acquainted with Boussaingault [Jean-Baptiste Joseph Dieudonné Boussingault (2 February 1801 – 11 May 1887)?] of Paris to write to him to enlist his help in preparing a translation into French. We are sending copies to Paris for that purpose, as it has occurred to us that if it gets to someone who knows little of natural history it will be made a great mess of and we know that the person mentioned can do justice to it if he can be prevailed upon to help. Unfortunately the woodcutter Mr. Buchanan, for whom I had got a five year licence to fell wood wherever he chose, and on whom I relied for specimens of rare woods has died and only three specimens have reached me. These you will see mentioned in the end of the catalogue and I think you have examples of these already. When the catalogue is finished I will send you a copy or more if desired. I am now all alone here; my father-in-law Capt. Lyons [first cousin of Sir. Edmund] having gone home with wife and two daughters on the last mail. They intend to go to St. Andrews and spend the summer with my wife who is expecting another of my “little responsibilities” next month. The mail due on the 23rd has not yet arrived and we are looking anxious for news. Remember me to Mrs Balfour. Yours, etc.----

Letter summarised by Simon Muirhead, 2024