Sessional papers online

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"Berlin, the 17th Nov., 1823."

Received Jan. 3d, 1824.



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" 22, Duke Street, St. James's, 1824.
Jan. 7th, 1824.
"Sir,

"In the Greek Committee we have always
adopted the plan of a division of labour, and different
departments, a plan which must appear natural to a
manufacturer of your eminence. Your letter was there-
fore handed over to me, but only four days ago. The
Greek Envoys return their own and their country's hearty
thanks for your offer, which they accept ; but they are
unwilling to choose their hero. This is the first patron-
age they have had in their hands, and they fear the
jealousy which a choice would create. Permit me to
recommend you a dead hero, happily the only great man
who has yet fallen, Marco Botsaris, [h/lccMcuq Bortra^tg)
the most disinterested of all the Greek Captains. I
cannot get a drawing of him, but there is one in Italy,
which I will enquire about. I can send you one of
Canaris. This would, however, offend the Moreote as
much as it would please the Hydriot party in Greece.
Mr. Fricohl, a German, is publishing twenty-four por-
traits of Greeks distinguished in this revolution. Six
are out, and I have them ; but they are on a large scale,
difficult to reduce, and none of them picturesque or clas«
sical heads, which that of Canaris is. The Deputies
have requested me to suggest the emblems (if you want
emblems) and mottos, which I did for the Committee's
seal. AMTNESeAI DEPI DATPHS, from Homer,
would do for Botsaris ; OnOIOS TTFANNOTr AEN
TH0EI, for Byron. It is the first line of a famous
inscription on the sabre of Thonloghiannes (a Greek
hero of the last century), printed in " Chants Populaires
de la Gr^ce Modeme,*' vol. i. The inscription will, I



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1824, hope, become better known, as I am about to publish a
translation of Faceuil in verse, under the title of
" Roman Anthology.** If you take this motto, I should
like to be informed of it, as, with your permission, I
would mention your noble present in a note, with the
hope of its example operating on the great and influential
class to which you belong. Let me recommend for the
motto capitals, they look better, and being more like
our letters will make the medal, perhaps, intelligible
out of Grece, and not pointed at the ends, but thus
— EIS which looks more classical ; capitals have no
accents or spirits. Should you come to London, and
could honour me with by a call, I should be proud to
make the acquaintance of one who sympathizes with me
in this great cause.

** I am. Sir, your obedient servant,

" By the legend round Byron, do you mean name,
birth, death, &c. ? Byron not being a Greek, it might
be in Italian, much spoken in Greece and over all the
Levant.**

The Earl of Winchilsea called upon me with his
Maje8ty*s commands (George IV. )» that I should make
for his Majesty a copper bronzed horse-shoe, about seven
feet in height, with an inscription round it near the inner
extremity of the shoe.

His ROYAL HIGHNESS THE PRINCE REGENT,
JANUARY 7th, 1814.

I had a model made of a horse^shoe upwards of
seven feet in length, and in due proportion and accord-



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A DRAWING RtfRESENTING THE HOWE SHOE OF COPPER BR0N2ED.7 FEET IN HEIGKT,
MANUFACTURED AT THE ESTABLISHMENT QF EDWARD THOMASQN OF BIRMINOMAM,
BY COMMAND OF HIS MAJE5TV OEOHQE THE 4^ TO COMMEMORATE THE DAY WHICH
HIS MAJESTY PASSED THROUOM THE TOWN OF OAKHAM IN JANUARY I8I4-.

THE INSCRIPTION WAS IN EMBOSSED MBTAUUIC BETTERS, RICHLY OILT, ANO TH^ SHOE .
SCREWED UPON A CARVED POLISHED OAK BACK GROUND.

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ing to the best opinion of our veterinary surgeons. It was 1824.
cast in pure copper, and sculptured in the highest style
a thing of the kind would admit of, with the nail holes,
curve, &c., and the inscription was in large letters made
of thick copper, and richly gilt, and with a screw at the
back the whole were screwed through the horse-shoe ; the
horse-shoe was then fastened upon an inch and a half
polished oak panel, about nine feet by six, delivered at
Oakham, and is placed directly over the Crown Court in
the ancient castle at Oakham.

There is a custom by which report says they hold their
charter at Oakham, the capital of the county of Rutland,
that the first time any prince of the blood royal passes
through the town, the bailiff of the manor of the castle
claims a horse-shoe, to be hung up in the hall of the
ancient castle there as a memento. George IV. passed
through the town on the 24th of January, 1814, on his
way to fielvoir Castle, to stand godfather to the Marquis
of Granby, son of the Duke of Rutland. The shoe by
some reason was never petitioned for until 1824.

At this period the inhabitants of almost all the
different states or kingdoms in South America com-
plained of the want of silver coin for change. Copper
coin in these hot countries was not only laborious to
carry, but the perspiration of the hands decomposed the
copper, which emitted a very unpleasant smell. The
exchequer in the different States was too low to create a
new coinage of dollars ; and as the people rejected both
copper and paper notes, I was written to to know if any
plan could be devised to issue plated dollars instead of
silver, which would have the appearance of the real
silver dollar, nevertheless with a peculiar mark stamped
upon them that they were issued for the convenience of

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1824 the State, but would be taken back on the seventh year,
and exchanged for real ones.

It was very evident to any manufacturer of coins and
medals that blanks for coins could be cut out of rolled
plated metal — plated on each side, but then the extreme
edge of the piece would be red copper. It struck me,
after much consideration, that in those pieces, &c., cut
out in blanks with red copper, the edges might be
covered with silver of such a thickness as would last
at least seven years without wearing through.

I accomplished it by the following mode : — From
sheets of thin rolled pure silver I cut circles of the
dimensions of the coin — say the dollar ; this circle was
by a lathe neatly turned over; it was then put into the
collar of the dies ; the force of the press was applied ;
the blow brought up the impression of the dollar, and the
concussion fastened the silver to the edge of the dollar,
and at the same time milled the edge. In appearance
there was no telling this from the real dollar. The one
sent me to copy was for the Central State ; the Obverse
was the Tree of Liberty ; the Legend, libre. cresca.
FECUNDO NO. Ni. IOds. 20os. The Reverse, the Rising
Sun emerging from behind the Mountains ; the Legend,

REPUBLICA. DEL. CENTRO DE AMERICA, 1824.

It was impossible at sight to tell these dollars from
the real silver ones ; the specific gravity, however, would
detect them, also the sound of the ring. I obtained his
Majesty's letters patent for the invention ; and I was in
treaty to give seven millions of these for one million of
real. The Governments highly approved of the idea ; but
the people could not put faith in the stability of the re-
spective Governments, so, at last, all the trouble, expense,
and invention, went for nothing.



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This year I made for Mr. Lambton a real copper 1824.
bronzed copy of the Parthenon at Athens, on a mathe-
matical scale, which was highly approved.

" Royal Humane Society's House,

29, Bridge Street, Blackfriars,
J 2th May, 1824.
" Sir,

** I have much pleasure in transmitting to you
the accompanying unanimous resolution of thanks of the
Committee, held the 21st ult.

" I have the honour to be,
''Sir,
" Your most obedient servant^




" Registrar and Secretary.
" E. Thomason, Esq.'*

"Royal Humane Society.

" At a meeting of the Committee held at the Society's
House, 29, Bridge Street, Blackfriars, on Wednesday,
the 21st day of April, 1824, Benj. Hawes, Esq., Trea-
surer, in the chair ; upon the recommendation of the
Select Committee appointed to apply for, and receive
designs for a prize gold medal, to be given by the Society
for the best Essay or Discovery (to be approved by them)
on the Prevention of Shipwreck, and the Preservation of
Shipwrecked Mariners,

" It was unanimously resolved, that Mr. Thomason
be requested to accept the thanks of this Committee for
the trouble he has had in furnishing designs for the



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1824. prize medal, and for the interest which he has taken
in the subject.



^>C^^€>^€jt/




" Chairman.**



Some months since Mr. Tumerelli brought a letter of
introduction to me, and he being a professor in sculpture
I paid him every attention ; he then was desirous, at his
own expense, and for his own studio, to make a model of
my bust ; I declined the honour positively, against his
earnest entreaties, and I assured him it could not pos-
sibly answer his purpose, and at the same time that it wa^i
rather objectionable to my views. I was, therefore, sur-
prised at the receipt of his letter of the 28th of May, the
proposal in which I, of course, declined to act upon.

" Dublin, May 28th, 1824.

" Dear Sir,

" I have had the pleasure to receive your
letter of the 24th instant, and many thanks for your
friendly attention in writing.

" I expect to leave here for England on Sunday even-
ing, and hope to arrive in Birmingham some time on
Tuesday, when it is my intention to devote two days to
the object decided on. You will, therefore, have the
goodness, on receipt of this, to procure about one hun-
dred weight of soft pipe-clay, which may be kept moist
by covering it with wet cloths, also a board twelve
inches square, and one and half thick, with two ledges



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at bottom one inch thick, and one inch from each end, 1824.
with a peg in the centre of the board one inch in diame-
ter, and fifteen inches high. The clay and board being
ready, I shall not have occasion to lose an hour in com-
mencing what will gratify me very much in accomplish-
ing before I leave Birmingham.

" With respectful compliments to Mrs. Thomason, I
remain, dear Sir,

" Your very obedient servant,

" Paris, le 22d Juillet, 18?4.
" Monsieur,

" J*ai €\it6 de vous voir pendant votre
sejour a Paris parcequ'on m'avait dit que vous vouliez me
faire un proems, et comme je ne les aime pas j'ai voulu
m*en 6pargner les d^sagremens j d'autant mieux que vos
reclamations ne sont pas justes, je vous ai envoye un
contrat que vous avez sign6, et que j'ai encore pour faire
avec vous, une entreprise de m^dailles. Vous avez
pretendu, quoique les termes en fussent tr^s eclair, que
nous nous ^tions mal compris, et que vous ne vouliez pas
y donner de la suite, et la dessus vous 6tablissez un
compte qui a singuli^rement varie, car d'abord il ne
s*en port6 qu'^ six livres sts. pour faire de port de
lettres, et de transport des coins ; vous avez fait retirer des
poin9ons de ces creux ; vous avez fait graver des revers j
frapper des m^daiUes, et finalement vous me demandez
a present 36 guin^es. Je vous repondrai, que je ne
vous avais pas demande tout cela, et que puisque nous
n'etions pas d^accord il ne fallait pas m'engager k des
depenses. Je vous avais envoye, par Mr. Beranger, un



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266

.1824. poin9oii du Due de Wellington et un de Napoleon pour
faire une m^daille, vous n'y avez pas manqu^. J'ai
une de ces m^dailles en ma posseesion, et vous ne m'en
avez dit un mot Vous conviendrez. Monsieur, que cela
donne peu de confiance ; a present il faut mettre toutes
ces plaintes de cot^, et prendre un parti. Je vous pro-
pose de vous remettre une multiplication de toutes les
m^dailles qui formeront ma collection des grands hommes
de toutes les nations aux conditions suivantes. Savoir —

" Art 1. — Je foumirai d'ici, au premier Janvier pro-
chain, en cinq livraisons, un coin et son revers, des cent
sujets de m6dailles qui sont d^ja gravies, et il me donnera

en payement m6dailles qu'il s'engage a me faire

rendre en bon 6tat a Calais.

" Art 2. — Apr^s que ce nombre de m^dailles auront
€t€ livr6es, Mr. Thomason deviendra propri^taire des
dits coins, et en disposera comme chose lui appartenant,
en promettant, cependant, de ne pas expedier sur le con-
tinent des medailles ni multiplications des dits coins.

" Art 3.— Je remettrai a Mr. Thomason, aux memes
conditions, une copie des coins de toutes les medailles
que je ferai graver, et qui feront partie de cette col-
lection.

" Art. 4. — Je remettrai les coins a Paris au corres-
pondant de Mr. Thomason.

" Art. 5. — ^Les medailles que Mr. Thomason doit me
livrer en payement de mes coins, seront livrees comme il
en dit k Particle premiere*— dans trois mois k compter du
jour de la remise que j'aurai faite des dits coins.

"Si ces conditions vous conviennent. Monsieur,
chargez Mr. de Walmar de terminer cette affaire, mais
je vous prie de lui donner vos ordres bien precis,
pour qu'il n*y aie plus de mal entendu.



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267

" Je n*ai pas parle de la quantite de medailles que 1824.
vous aurez k me foamier pour chaque carr^ j je vous
on avait demand^ mille pour ma premiere convention.
Je consentirai k faire une reduction mais qui ne pourra
pas etre bien grande, sachant tr^s bien k combien les
m^ailles doivent vous revenir de fabrication.

" Je vous prie de m*envoyer, par le retour de Mr. de
Walmar, les m6dailles qui ont 616 frapp^es du six pre-
miers coins que je vous ai envoy ^s, il y a d^j^ long
temps. S'il a 6i6 frapp^ en Angleterre une m^daille du
Docteur Jenner, inventeur de la vaccine, ayez la bonte
de me Penvoyen

" Je vous prie de me rdpondre par Mr. de Walmar ;
en attendant de vos nouvelles je vous prie de me croire,
" Votre tr^s humble,

" Et tr^s obeissant serviteur.




" Rue Haute Ville, No. I7."



.^




presents bis compliments to Mr. Thomason and is greatly
obliged by his sending a sketch of the statue of the King,
the attitude and execution of which (as far as Sir William
can judge by a drawing), are in great beauty and per-
fection.

Carlton House, 24th July, 1824.



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268

1824. Carlton House, 5th August, 1824-

"Sir,

" The Prince de Schonbourgh wishes to see
your manufactory, and will feel much obliged if you will
conduct him through all the curious manufactories of
Birmingham. I can only add that any attention you will
show his Highness will bo greatly valued by his Majesty.
" I am, dear Sir,

" Yours very truly.




"k^Ug^J-^-^-^



In January this year, Mr. WiUiam Doveton, of St.
Helena, the President of Council, came with a letter
of recommendation to me from the house of Bruce, De
Ponthieu, Basset, Crawford, and Co. Although Mr.
Doveton was then fifty-five years of age, it was the first
time he had left the island, never having seen any large
town before he arrived in England. He only stayed in
London three days, as he was desirous to place, without
delay, his consumptive daughter at Leamington Spa,
Warwick ; hence his immediate visit to Birmingham with
some other branches of his family, and whilst we were
sitting at luncheon one morning, a heavy snow fell, when
Mr. Doveton and his family, with much astonishment,
said it was the first time that they had ever witnessed a
snow shower. I was delighted with his historical know-
ledge, and gentlemanly manners. The manufactories, and
gigantic steam engines, &c., &c., in Birmingham, quite
astounded him. On attending him to the establishments,
I placed him always in my open carriage that he might



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269

see the town ; he, however, became nervous at every 1824.
carriage which passed us in the street, being alarmed
lest the carriages would upset each other, for they
had not any roads for carriages at St Helena. He was
full of anecdote about Bonaparte, to whom he lent one
of his houses until a better could be got ready. On his
return from Birmingham to London, he visited the King
at Windsor, who, on meeting him in the gallery, com-
manded the officer or warden to give him his sword,
when his Majesty knighted him.

During the greater part of this year, I was engaged in
casting and putting together a metallic fountain, for the
Earl of Shrewsbury. It was an iron Chinese (fountain)
Pagoda, of six stories in height, eight sided or octa-
gonal, the screen all of beautiful cast iron open work ;
a staircase wound around the pillar which went up the
centre, and which enabled persons to land out upon the
floors, and under the graceful awnings of each story.
The screens in each octagon part were of elegant metallic
network ; the centre tube was six inches in diameter,
and carried up the water which was to run above the
neck of the whale about six feet in a column, but falling
on all sides around, and from roof to roof, which roofs
were of copper gilt with bells. The outside of the
pagoda was to have been painted " k la Chinois.'* It was
to bo placed in the centre of a pool in the extensive and
unique flower gardens at Alton Towers, and the fountain
was to have been fed by streams from the adjacent hills,
the right of which streams his Lordship was in treaty for.
His Lordship was deceived in the quantity of water
reported to him, and although two stories were finished
of this extraordinary iron moulding, it was abandoned,
af^er much expense had been gone into, to the regret ot



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270

1824. hig Lordship and many of the nobility, who looked
forward to its completion and singularly novel eflfect.
The height of the whole, including the mouth of the
whale, was seventy-two feet, and the expense about
£4,000.



" Carlton House, 17th Jan., 1825.
" Dear Sir,

" I this morning received your beautiful
bronze medal of Walter Scott, to whom I had the honour
of an introduction a few years back. And I therefore
feel warranted in saying that the representation is
perfect.

" As a work of art, I consider it far surpassing all
your former efforts of this class ; and I very sincerely
congratulate you upon this fresh display of taste and
talent.

" I remain dear Sir,
" Your very sincere and faithful servant.




" I have delivered into Sir William Knighton's hands
the packet addressed to him.
" E. Thomason, Esq.**



" Carlton Palace, January 19, 1825.
"Sir,

"I am honoured with the commands of the
King, to convey to you his Majesty's gracious approbation
of the medal struck in honour of Sir Walter Scott.



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271

<^ I am further commanded to express to you his 1825.
Majesty's deep sense of your dutiful attention.
" I have the honour to be,
« Sir,
" Your faithful servant,



^^:*??sf&^



"E. Thomason, Esq/'

" Downing Street, March 2, 1825.
"Sir,

" Mr. Robinson has been too much occupied
for the few last days to have the pleasure of seeing you ;
but if you wiU be so good as to call here to-morrow or
the next day at twelve, you will find him at liberty.
** Your obedient servant.




" Stockhohn, 14th April, 1825.

"Sir,

" I have the pleasure to acknowledge the re-
ceipt of the beautiful medals of Canova and Walter Scott,
that you have had the kindness to send to me, through
my friend, your worthy and estimable Minister at this
Court

" General Bloomfield delivered them to me an hour
agoj and immediately on their arrival ; and I beg you to
believe that no present could have been more welcome,
and from every consideration. 1st. The halo that sur-
rounds the fame and name of the illustrious subjects.



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272

1625. 2d. The beautiful execution of the pieces. 3d. The
kindness that dictated this classic souvenir.

** I pray of you, Sir, to receive my sincere thanks for
this mark of your kind recollection ; and I especially
entreat you to retain and to cherish the friendly feelings
and recollections that prompted you to pay me so accept-
able a compliment. You may rest assured that I shall
never be in England without availing myself of the op-
portunity of renewing our personal acquaintance, if I be
within what is called ' striking distance.'

<< I am about to make one little remark, which may
show great ignorance in medallic lore ; but I am sure
you will pardon whatever is well meant I think that
ajter a name, an inscription, a motto, or any phrase,
there should be a period marked, ex. gr. instead of

Truths severe in fedry fiction dressed

It would be more perfect to write.

Truths severe in fairy fiction dressed.

So instead of

Walter Scott

I would say,

Walter Scott.

And also on the reverses, and after the numbers, I
would always place a (•) This would make the grammar
more perfect, and give a more Jinished air to the work.
But this is mere punctual perfection^ and you maj/ think
my extreme punctilio an impertinent return for the
honour and compliment you have paid me ; if so, I beg
your pardon.

But I ask you, in a work of the arts, if anything,- the
very minutsst point, should be overlooked or omitted ?
You are too weU known for the genius that presides over
your great establishment, and the grace that abounds in



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273

your works, to make me fear your taking this suggestion 1825.
ill from a person who remembers you with the highest
respect and satisfaction.

** I am, Sir, very truly yours.




" N.B. The above noted circumstance is a very com-
mon error in medals, and impairs their finish, as it cer-
tainly does their grammatical propriety, as far as punc-
tuation is necessary to it.

"P.S. Pray remember me to Mr. and Mrs. Van
Wart.

'' To Mr. Thomason, &c. &c/'

•* Leeds, 10th May, 1825.
" Gentlemen,

" In the month of February, 1824, I had
the pleasure of inspecting part of your works, and among
other things I observed a statue of his present Majesty
in bronze.

We are at present in this town entering into a sub-
scription for the purpose of erecting a pedestrian statue
of the King to be placed in the Market Place, and I
shall be much obliged if you will inform me of the
probable cost of one, the size equal to give proper efiect
at the top of a street 100 feet wide, and about one- third
of a mile long. Waiting your reply,
"lam. Sir,

" Your most obedient servant.



Jimv4Deui/^



" Messrs. Edw. Thomason 5c Co."

T



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274

1825. " London, 10th June, 1825.

"Dear Sir,

" His Excellency Count Golowkin left this

place, together with Prince Racbdyil, for a tour through

England, beginning with Oxford, and my servant was

too late to deliver him the enclosed letter, which contains

also a letter of recommendation from me to you. Will

you have the kindness to send, immediately on receipt

of this, to two or three of the first inns at your place,

with a view to have the enclosed letter delivered to the

Count on his arrival. It is my duty to recommend both

these personages to your particular attention, being both

noblemen of the first rank in Russia.

" In haste, I remain, dear Sir,

"Yours, &c..




" Russian Vice-Consul.



" Birmingham, 30th June, 1825.
" My dear Sir,

" I regret that my being on the wing,
proceeding rapidly to Ireland, prevents my having the
pleasure of shaking hands with you. I beg your accept-
ance of a set of Laborde*8 Views in dear, delightful, but
ill-fated Spain; the scenes are yery accurately deli-
neated, and the style of the letter-press is good.
" Excuse haste, and believe me, my dear Sir,

" Very truly yours.




*' Mr. Thomason."



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275

"London, the 4th August, 1825. 1825.
" Sir,

" I must apologize for having neglected so long

a most pleasing duty, namely, that of returning you my

most cordial thanks for your very polite attention to

Prince Radzivil and Count Golowkin, during their short

stay at your place. Both these gentlemen did request

me, before they left London, to assure you that they

were fully sensible of your marked attention to them,

and begged of me to express to you their grateful

acknowledgement for the same.

" The present will be delivered to you by his High-
ness Prince Rasomowsky, who is travelling with the
Princess and her sister. Permit me to recommend them
to your usual politeness, and to request that you will be