[Andrew Ure; Scottish chemist etc] Autograph Letter in the Third Person (Dr Ure presents [...]) to Dr.Royle [?John Forbes Royle (1798 – 1858), British botanist and teacher of materia medical] about caoutchouc (rubber).

This letter gives insight into the fervid activity of major scientists to assess the qualities of rubber/caoutchouc. Four pages, 16mo, bifolium, remains of glue on edge (sl. obscuring some words), mainly good. Text: Dr. Ure presents his compliments to Dr Royle, and begs to ask him if he has any recent intelligence cioncerning caoutchouc in addition to what may be found in the Asiatic Society Journal of Calcutta - the numnber of which for February contains Mr Griffith's instructive paper upon the Ficus Elastica of Assam and the mode of obtaining its juice - Dr. Ure would be glad to make some analytical experiments upon the native milky juice could a good specimen of it be found in London - Perhaps Dr Royle is aware that Dr U[re] first showed the absence of oxygen in the concrete caoutchouc of commerce, a result afterwards confirmed br Dr. Faraday - Dr U[re] being in possession of peculiar and very rapid methods of chemical research (not yet published) would like to try them upon the caoutchouc juice. Whatever information Dr. U. can procure he intends to publish in an Appendix to his Dict[ionar]y of Arts &c now issuing monthly from the press - & will acknowledge the favour of any kind contribution.