Letter from A.H. Layard [Austen Henry Layard] [to George Maw] enclosing letter from Dr M.P. Graells [Mariano de la Paz Graells] to Austen Henry Layard, with translation by Layard
Information
Title
Letter from A.H. Layard [Austen Henry Layard] [to George Maw] enclosing letter from Dr M.P. Graells [Mariano de la Paz Graells] to Austen Henry Layard, with translation by Layard
Record type
Archive
Original Reference
MAW/1/249
Date
17-20 May 1876
Scope & content
Letter from A.H. Layard [Austen Henry Layard] [to George Maw]. Written from Madrid [Spain]. Manuscript
He has received the box of bulbs for Maw from Professor Graells [Mariano de la Paz Graells, botanist], and is sending them on 22 May to the Foreign Office in England to arrive on 25 or 26 May; Maw should send for the box at once; he encloses a letter to him from Graells, along with a brief translation; Graells puts the expense of collecting the bulbs at 2,245 reales [informal term for a 25 centimo coin], which is close to £23; he leaves Madrid [Spain] on Monday for some time and asks Maw to communicate with Sir John Walsham [Foreign Office envoy in Madrid], who will be in charge of the payment to Graells in his absence; he hopes that Graells has fulfilled Maw’s commission to his satisfaction. . 20 May 1876. 2 page letter (1 sheet) and 1 envelope. With envelope
Letter from Mariano de la Paz Graells to Austen Henry Layard. Written from Madrid. Manuscript (in Spanish)
After many difficulties, he sends the box of Narcissus, Corbularia, Crocus and Oporanthus requested by Maw; the bad weather this spring has delayed the growth of the vegetation, and the men he sent to collect for him were so substandard he had to go himself three times; there was dispute over the agreed price as some species grew far away at high altitudes and so required more work to collect; he paid one real for each bulb collected at high altitude, two reales for each bulb of the precious and hard-to-obtain Oporanthus luteus [Sternbergia lutea], and half a real as agreed for each other bulb; there are many small bulbs which were not charged for, which he thinks have the best chance of success; he has identified the bulbs himself and written classification labels to avoid confusion; each class of bulb is separated, and they are all wrapped in moss and well conditioned; he has included some of his publications for Maw; they cannot procure Crocus nudiflorus or Colchicum clementei [Colchicum triphyllum] until December; he includes the invoice for the bulbs. 17 May 1876. 3 page letter (1 sheet)
Translation of the above letter by Austen Henry Layard. Manuscript
The delay is due to bad weather and disputes over price with Graells’ subordinates; in the end Graells paid one real per bulb from the high mountains, two reales each for the bulbs of the Oporanthus luteus [Sternbergia lutea], and half a real for other bulbs; there are many small bulbs which were not charged for, which Graells thinks will give the best results; Crocus nudiflorus and Colchicum clementei [Colchicum triphyllum] cannot be procured until December; the account of the sum due is attached to the letter. Undated [May 1876]. 2 page translation (1 sheet)
Level
Item
Extent
2 page letter (1 sheet) and 1 envelope, 3 page letter (1 sheet) and 2 page translation (1 sheet)