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The Royal Society: Science in the Making

Unpublished letter, regarding 'A curious fact' from Peter Smyth to the President of the Royal Society

Reference number: AP/10/40

Date: 24 September 1833

Description

Letter received by the Royal Society as a result of a statement, titled 'A Curious Fact' (see AP/10 for description). Smyth first quotes the problem as he read it in the Dublin Morning Register, then provides his solution involving the atmospheric pressure on the top card acting as a resisting power.

Subject: Physics

Written by Smyth at 92 Dame Street, Dublin [Ireland] and addressed to the President of the Royal Society [Augustus Frederick, Duke of Sussex] in London.

Reference number
AP/10/40
Earliest possible date
24 September 1833
Physical description
Ink on paper
Page extent
4 pages
Format
Manuscript

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Citation

Unpublished letter, regarding 'A curious fact' from Peter Smyth to the President of the Royal Society, 24 September 1833, AP/10/40, The Royal Society Archives, London, https://makingscience.royalsociety.org/items/ap_10_40/unpublished-letter-regarding-a-curious-fact-from-peter-smyth-to-the-president-of-the-royal-society, accessed on 09 December 2025

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https://makingscience.royalsociety.org/items/ap_10_40/unpublished-letter-regarding-a-curious-fact-from-peter-smyth-to-the-president-of-the-royal-society

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  • Archived Papers

    The 'Archived Papers' collection is comprised of original manuscript scientific papers and letters submitted to the Royal Society which remained unpublished or were abstracted in the journal 'Proceedings of the Royal Society' published from 1830 onwards.

    Dates: 1768 - 1989

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