West Park and Kew, 1841-1865. liii 
The continuation of the proceedings is best described in 
the following letter to Mr. Dawson Turner:- — 
1 London, January 24, 1841. 
4 I had received two letters from the Duke of Bedford, 
telling me how actively his brother Lord John was engaged 
in my interest in respect of Kew ; and together with the 
last of them, one from Lord John, or rather from his private 
secretary, Lord E. Howard, written on the fourteenth, sent 
to me in Scotland, requesting that I would see Lord John 
in Downing Street the middle of this last week. I therefore 
felt it my duty to start immediately (from Jersey), and 
there was fortunately a vessel about to sail on Friday 
morning about 8 o’clock in which I embarked. We did not 
reach Southampton till nearly two on Saturday morning 
(yesterday), and the earliest train I could take was eight, 
and then I was obliged to leave my luggage in the Custom 
House, which I am sorry to say has not yet followed me. 
All dirty as I was I called in Downing Street, and had soon 
after an interview with Lord John, who seemed pleased with 
the promptitude with which I had come, and said he thought 
it much better that we should talk than write on this subject 
of Kew. He then again asked my opinion of Lindley’s 
estimate 1 , and for how much less expense the Garden could 
be carried on. I told him, knowing that economy was a great 
point with Lord Duncannon, that if, as I understood, £3,700 
a year was now expended upon the Gardens, irrespective of 
Aiton’s salary, I should feel well satisfied to conduct them 
with that income, feeling that with zeal and energy a great 
deal might be done which money could not buy. He asked 
what accommodation I should require on account of my 
herbarium and library (which he seemed duly to appreciate), 
which with that and my small salary was all the additional 
expense to be incurred. If, then he said, the £3,700 a year 
now paid from the Civil List did include Aiton’s salary, he 
should have no hesitation in asking the House of Commons 
for ,£1,000 a year to cover that, and upon that ground the 
difficulties he thought might be removed. He further told 
me that Lord Duncannon had a serious objection to any 
additional ground being taken from the adjoining parks. 
1 This refers to a communication between Dr. Lindley and the Treasury on 
the subject of the cost of making Kew a botanical establishment worthy of the 
nation. 
