Letter from Theodor Hartweg to the secretary of Horticultural Society [George Bentham], 21 Regent Street, London

Title

Letter from Theodor Hartweg to the secretary of Horticultural Society [George Bentham], 21 Regent Street, London

Record type

Archive

Original Reference

RHS/Col/7/1/1/28

Date

21 Aug 1838

Scope & content

Written from Morelia [Mexico]

Postmarked ('London 4 Dec 1838'). Part of an opened seal is attached to the letter

Letter No 21

He received a letter from Messrs Byrns & Co [Messrs Byrns, Hooton & Co, merchants in Mexico] stating Mr Ashburnham [Charles Ashburnham, British secretary of the legation in Mexico] at Tampico [Mexico] promised to 'write on the subject'; they did not expect his letter to have much effect, however, as permission had been given to the packets [ships] 'to load cochineal [insects used for producing carmine dye] during the continuance of the blockade, [and] every disposable space is now filled up with that article'; they said that Sir James Barrow's [John Barrow, secretary of the Board of Admiralty] letter to Dr Lindley [John Lindley, assistant secretary of the Horticultural Society of London] was not an order, which the commandants would have to obey; a merchant ship from Liverpool had arrived at Tampico, which may offer a route for the boxes; he forwarded his collection yesterday to Messrs Byrns & Co, to be sent to the care of Messrs R. Munoz & Co [merchants in Mexico] in Vera Cruz [Veracruz, Mexico]; the four boxes, marked HS12-HS15, contain nine kinds of bulbs and roots, four kinds of terrestrial Orchidaceae, 16 kinds of seeds, a bag of pine cones, 25 species of epiphytes, 17 clay balls with 170 roots of a species of Cypripedium, and a species of Cactus; his contract is expiring: 'I beg to be informed of the determination of the Council, whether I am to stay a third year in this country, or what I am to do'; the situation in the country is 'very unpropitious to all foreigners' and war between France and Mexico appears unavoidable; he is intending to travel south to Mexico City [Mexico] and the state of Oajaca [Oaxaca, Mexico], which he has heard is good for plants; if the Council does not wish him to go outside the territory of Mexico, he asks them to give him a map of the places to visit

Hartweg's accounts for 17 Jul-17 Aug 1838 comprise 'monthly allowance' $50, 'wages of mozo [servant]' $18, 'keeping of three beasts' $13.4 and 'shoeing' $1.4, '4 boxes HS12, 13, 14, 15' $7.4 and 'bags, string, hay & packing cloth' $4.6, and 'received in cash' $200 from Don Jose Manuel [?merchant] at del Rio y Atday[?], Morelia [Mexico]. Written from Morelia [Mexico]

Postmarked ('London 4 Dec 1838'). Part of an opened seal is attached to the letter

Letter No 21

He received a letter from Messrs Byrns & Co [Messrs Byrns, Hooton & Co, merchants in Mexico] stating Mr Ashburnham [Charles Ashburnham, British secretary of the legation in Mexico] at Tampico [Mexico] promised to 'write on the subject'; they did not expect his letter to have much effect, however, as permission had been given to the packets [ships] 'to load cochineal [insects used for producing carmine dye] during the continuance of the blockade, [and] every disposable space is now filled up with that article'; they said that Sir James Barrow's [John Barrow, secretary of the Board of Admiralty] letter to Dr Lindley [John Lindley, assistant secretary of the Horticultural Society of London] was not an order, which the commandants would have to obey; a merchant ship from Liverpool had arrived at Tampico, which may offer a route for the boxes; he forwarded his collection yesterday to Messrs Byrns & Co, to be sent to the care of Messrs R. Munoz & Co [merchants in Mexico] in Vera Cruz [Veracruz, Mexico]; the four boxes, marked HS12-HS15, contain nine kinds of bulbs and roots, four kinds of terrestrial Orchidaceae, 16 kinds of seeds, a bag of pine cones, 25 species of epiphytes, 17 clay balls with 170 roots of a species of Cypripedium, and a species of Cactus; his contract is expiring: 'I beg to be informed of the determination of the Council, whether I am to stay a third year in this country, or what I am to do'; the situation in the country is 'very unpropitious to all foreigners' and war between France and Mexico appears unavoidable; he is intending to travel south to Mexico City [Mexico] and the state of Oajaca [Oaxaca, Mexico], which he has heard is good for plants; if the Council does not wish him to go outside the territory of Mexico, he asks them to give him a map of the places to visit

Hartweg's accounts for 17 Jul-17 Aug 1838 comprise 'monthly allowance' $50, 'wages of mozo [servant]' $18, 'keeping of three beasts' $13.4 and 'shoeing' $1.4, '4 boxes HS12, 13, 14, 15' $7.4 and 'bags, string, hay & packing cloth' $4.6, and 'received in cash' $200 from Don Jose Manuel [?merchant] at del Rio y Atday[?], Morelia [Mexico]

Level

Item

Extent

4 page letter (1 sheet)

Is part of

RHS archive: plant collector papers

Repository

Royal Horticultural Society Lindley Library

Copyright

Royal Horticultural Society

Credit Line

RHS Lindley Collections

Usage terms

Non-commercial use with attribution permitted (CC BY-NC 4.0)