Letter received by Banks from William Mudge, 15 February 1798 (Series 72.122) - No. 0001

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Shooter's Hill, Kent, Feb.y 15 1798

Sir,

          I did myself the Honour of calling at your House, in Soho Square, this Morning, for the purpose of informing you, that, an Application had been made, on the part of Mr. Faden, to the Master-General of the Ordnance, for permission to print the Accounts of theTrigonometrical Survey, published in the Philosophical Transactions.

          My purpose, was also to have made known to you, that, His Lordship, had replied to Mr. Faden's Request, in the affirmative;  qualified, however, with the conditions, of yourself, as President, and the Council of the Royal Society, having no objection to the measure;  His Lordship conceiving that, the Papers, appearing to the Publick [public], through the Channel of the Transactions, gave a right to the Royal Society to offer a Negative.

          I should yesterday have waited on you in Person with the Volume containing the Accounts of our Operations, if Business had not detain'd me at the Tower.  Permit me to avail myself of the present opportunity, to return You my Thanks for Your Letter to Mr. Young, the Secretary to the Board of Agriculture.

I have the Honour to be
Sir
Your Most Obedient and
very humble Servant

W: Mudge.
Cap.t Artillery

The R.t Hon.ble Sir Joseph Banks, KB.
&c. &c.