Whitworth is 'very much pleased and gratified' with the perusal of Tennent's book [The Story of the Guns (London: Longman, Green, 1864)]. 'I found it on my arrival here on tuesday night from Stancliffe [his Derbyshire country house, Stancliffe Hall], and could not go to bed without reading it. My interest and pleasure was great with every page. Your labour has indeed been great, but I feel sure the book will be most highly prized by all who take any interest in the subject.' He is greatly obliged to Tennent 'for so clearly and ably laying before the public my up-hill progress'.
He says that the following morning he is 'going to Southport where we have some experiments going on with a 12 Pr [pounder] and some shrapnell shells & fuzes [sic]'. He has written to 'Capt. Dyer saying that any day between the 1st & 15th Feby that is convenient to the Com[mitt]ee would suit me to commence our trials at Shoeburyness [artillery range].'
Dated at The Firs, Fallowfield, Manchester.