Thomas Jefferson Papers

V. Secretary of State to James Hutchinson, 25 March 1791

V. Secretary of State to James Hutchinson

[Philadelphia,] March 25th. 1791

Th: Jefferson presents his compliments to Dr. [Hutchinson]1 and sends him the result of the five Experiments which have been made on the sea water.

Tr (DLC); in clerk’s hand. Although not recorded in SJL, this was obviously a circular report addressed to Hutchinson, Rittenhouse, and Wistar. Enclosure: Tabular statement of the experiments conducted on 14, 21, 22, 24, and 25 Mch. 1791, showing amounts of sea water used, distilled water derived, and fuel consumed, as well as duration of each experiment. Since the figures given and the descriptions of the methods employed are identical with those set forth in TJ’s affidavit of 26 Mch. 1791, this document is not presented here (MS in clerk’s hand, DLC; at head of text: “Experiments on Sea Water taken up March 1791. Miles out of the Capes of Delaware, at Flood tide”).

1Blank in MS (another indication that this was intended as a circular) and name in brackets supplied.

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