[ James Ritchie, Professor of Natural History at the University of Edinburgh. ] Autograph Letter Signed to the Secretary, Royal Society of Arts, proposing a lecture on 'Methods of Controlling Mussels & other Marine growths in Sea-pipes'.

2pp., 4to. In good condition, lightly aged. With oval date stamp of the Royal Society of Arts. He wonders whether 'some Fellows' might be interested to 'hear an account of "Methods of Controlling mussels & other Marine growths in Sea-Pipes"'. He explains: 'The blocking of pipes by mussel growth has occurred at many parts of the coast, but the problem of devising a means of keeping the mussels in check had not been seriously tackled until I investigated the matter in connection with the new Electric Power Station of Edinburgh Corporation on the Firth of Forth at Portobello'. He explains the kind of lecture he has in mind. He will describe his 'own experiments & the method of control which resulted therefrom, & which is now in use at the large power station above mentioned'. He concludes: 'The results of these experiments have not yet been published, so that the matter should be quite fresh.'