Item 33 - Letter from John Herschel

Slough - Lord Melbourne told JH that the South Polar Expedition will not meet with any opposition on his part. He would be ready to receive a formal application on the 11th or 12th of November - 'but added that there must be a Cabinet Council meeting upon it'. If they agree and the expedition sails next spring will it give enough 'time to order, procure, distribute and get into activity the Gaussian or other instruments'? Since they have to be totally prepared on views such as this - could WW and [George] Peacock draw up a programme of the whole thing. JH will do the same after which they should all 'meet in town compare notes and consult with [Francis] Beaufort and [John] Ross as to the nautical outline of the thing to be recommended'.