320 WATER-SUPPLY OF OXFORD. [l884. 



To the Same. OXFORD, tth April 1884. 



MY DEAR M. MAKCOU, I am very much obliged to you for 

 your kind offer to assist in the preparation of the reduction of 

 your map of the world. I shall value such assistance very highly. 

 Owing to the illness of Professor Bartholomew Price 1 of the 

 Clarendon Press, I have not been able yet to put it in hand, 

 but hope to do so shortly. I shall follow as close as possible 

 your grouping, but, with respect to colours, I think it will be 

 better to conform as far as possible with the colours proposed 

 by the International Congress. I also have another work in 

 hand for the Eoyal Society viz., a list of all the underground 

 temperature observations from 1740 to this date, with their 

 systematic arrangement and reduction. I am nearly at the end 

 of it, but it has given me a good deal to do. This is preliminary 

 to a paper on " Volcanic Action," of which I think I sent you a 

 short abstract a year or two ago. I am very glad also to hear 

 that you continue so well occupied, and have on hand a work on 

 the important subject of the Primordial rocks. But, above all, I 

 hope to see another edition of your large map. 



I sincerely trust that the illness in your family, mentioned in 

 your last note, may not be prolonged, and that Mme. Marcou 

 and your son may soon be restored to health. And with our 

 united kind regards, I am sincerely yours, 



JOSEPH PRESTWICH. 



His advice in regard to water - supply had al- 

 ready been acted upon with benefit to Oxford, and 

 the only publication traceable from his pen during this 

 year is a ' Letter on the Water- Supply ' to the Vice- 

 Chancellor, in the form of a pamphlet of twelve pages. 

 In this is pointed out the steps to be taken for a 

 supply safe from contamination, three springs being 

 indicated as the best for drinking purposes, which, 

 with the growing needs of the University, it might be 



1 The Rev. Bartholomew Price, Sedleian Professor of Natural Philo- 

 sophy ; subsequently Master of Pembroke College, Oxford ; born in 1818, 

 died December 29, 1898. 



