HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS 



THE PRINCE CONSORT 



Having on several occasions expressed his desire to countenance 

 and encourage everything calculated to improve our manufac- 

 ture, and being a most successful competitor for prizes offered 

 by the Royal Agricultural Society of England, and the patron 

 of those who introduced improved machines to aid the opera- 

 tions of British farmers in the cultivation of the soil ; and, aware 

 as I am, that the Prince's Belgian countrymen are celebrated 

 for their productions of Flax, and that they are very justly 

 termed superior to any other nation in their management of the 

 Flax crops, and the after preparation of the fibre, I was induced 

 to believe I might take the liberty of presenting a copy of my 

 work on the cultivation of Flax, spinning and weaving, to His 

 Royal Highness, and having sent one forward to Buckingham 

 Palace, I had the honour of receiving the following letter from 

 Colonel C. B. Phipps, the Prince's Private Secretary : — 



"Windsor Castl.e, February 4th, 1847. 



" Sir, — I have received the commands of His Royal Highness 

 the Prince Albert, to acknowledge the receipt of your letter, 

 and also of your work upon the cultivation of Flax (which His 

 Royal Highness has been pleased to accept), and for both of 

 which I am commanded to return you the Prince's thanks. 



" Permit, me at the same time, to give you my best thanks for 

 the copy of your work, which you kindly forwarded to me. 

 " I have the honour to be, Sir, 



" Your obedient and humble servant, 



"0. B. PHIPPS. 



" J. Hill Dickson. Esq." 



