Kay, correspondence

Scope and Content

  • MS 248/431;D Letter to John Franklin, 23 September 1847 [News of Van Dieman's Land and problems with his promotion] 3 leaves, holograph (With annotations by Lady Franklin)
  • MS 1226/15;D Letter to Sir James Clarke Ross, 7 December 1847 [Lengthy assessment of American explorer Charles Wilkes, praise of Ross's narrative of Antarctic expedition, reports on work of Observatory, Van Dieman's Land] holograph

Administrative / Biographical History

Correspondence regarding the observatory set up in Tasmania during the British Naval Expedition, 1839-1843 (leader James Clark Ross), the explorer Charles Wilkes (Senior commander of the United States Exploring Expedition 1838-1842) and personal matters.

Arrangement

The correspondence is arranged alphabetically by recipient.

Related Material

The Institute holds archival collections for the United States Exploring Expedition, 1838-1842 (led by Wilkes), the British Naval Expedition, 1839-1843 (led by Ross)and collections for both men.