1879.11.30 English

This i s most likely the writing ball that RMH describes in this to his brother from late 1879. Unfortunately he doesn't tell who it was that built this writing ball. Photo: Sverre Avnskog.

C O P E N H A G E N   NOVEMBER 30, 1879

 

 

 

 

                                   MY DEAR B R O T H E R  !

 

 

WHAT YOU SEE HERE IS TYPING FROM A BRAND NEW WRITING BALL[1], THAT ONLY HAS THE BALL PIECE AND THE PIVOTING IN COMMON WITH THE MACHINES CURRENTLY BEING MADE BY MY MECHANICAL CRAFTSMAN. THIS WRITING BALL IS NOW TWO AND A HALF INCHES[2] LOWER THAN THE PREVIOUS MODEL AND ONLY TWO INCHES WIDER. BUT IT MANAGES TO WRITE ON FOLIO SHEETS[3].

 

 

- THIS SAMPLE IS NOW THE SECOND ONE OF THIS CONSTRUCTION, IT IS SO SUCCESSFUL THAT WE WILL NOW USE IT AS A PRODUCTION MODEL.

 

 

THE ENGRAVER HAS MADE THE LETTERS TOO SMALL, THERE IS ALWAYS SOMETHING THAT COMES OFF LESS WELL. OUR FRIEND RITZAU[4] IS AS HAPPY AS I AM ABOUT THE PROMISING RESULT BROUGHT ABOUT BY THIS MODEL. WE BENEFIT A LOT FROM THE EXPERIENCES OF THE MANY OTHER MACHINES, BY NOW ALREADY SPREAD AROUND THE WORLD. THE MECHANIC IS NOW VERY SKILLED AND HIS WORK IS EXCELLENT.

 

 

[5]  I  AM  HAVING QUITE   SOME  SUCCESS  WITH  MY  PROPOSAL   CONCERNING   THE   ESTABLISHMENT OF A NEW INSTITUTE FOR THE DEAF-MUTE IN JUTLAND. THE MINISTER TAKES A CONSIDERABLE INTEREST IN IT,AND IT HAS BEEN UNDER DISCUSSION IN THE FINANCE COMMITTEE, WHEREI HAD TO ATTEND IN ORDER TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL DETAILS AND EXPLANATIONS. IT WON CLEAR APPROBATION; EVERYTHING INDICATES THAT IT WILL BE APPROVED WITH FLYING COLOURS.

 

YESTERDAY I GAVE A SMALL DINNER ON THE OCCASION OF THE VISIT OF MY OLD FRIEND FROM JONSTRUP, C.S. MADSEN, DEAN OF THE CATHEDRAL OF AARHUS. AMONG OTHER THINGS WE HAD STEWED SELLERY FROM RINGSTED. WE COULD EASILY AGREE THAT NONE OF US HAD EVER ANYTHING AS DELICIOUS AND WONDERFUL.

 

 

 

I HAVN’T YET PRACTISED ENOUGH USING THIS MACHINE, HENCE THE MANY IRREGULARITIES OF THIS LETTER. BUT YOU CAN PROBABLY SEE THAT IT HAS A VERY GOOD PERFORMANCE IN RELATION TO PAPER SIZE AS WELL SPACING BETWEEN LINES AND LETTERS.

 

 

ALL THE MEASLES PATIENTS ARE DOING WELL, NONE ARE BED-RIDDEN, BUT THEY NEED TO BE KEPT INDOORS YET FOR SOME TIME. SWEET LITTLE JOHANNE HAS SO FAR NOT CAUGHT THE MEASLES. – THE REST OF US ARE WELL. NEXT MONDAY I AM AGAIN TO GIVE A LECTURE AT THE CLERICAL CONVENT HERE; - THIS TIME I HAVE TOO LITTLE TIME FOR A THOROUGH AND ADEQUATE PREPARATION.

 

 

IT WOULD BE A GREAT JOY FOR ME ND FOR ALL OF US IF YOU AND DEAR SWEET MOTHER COULD VISIT US FOR CHRISTMAS OR AROUND THAT TIME, WHAT DO YOU THINK?

 

 

I HOPE TO BE ABLE TO MAKE A SHORT TRIP TO RINGSTED BEFORE CHRISTMAS.

 

 

WARMEST GREETINGS TO BOTH OF YOU FROM ALL OF US.

 

 

 

                                               YOUR DEEPLY DEVOTED BROTHER

 

 

                                                          

 

                                                           R. MALLING HANSEN

 

 

(Added by hand in the margin: Thank you so much for your letter and for the recipe)

 

 

 

 

[1] SA: This is a very exciting letter, and it is a pity that RMH does not mention the name of the mechanic who has developed this new model of the writing ball, capable of typing on large sheets of paper. We are also told that this model is lower and wider than the old one, and the only writing ball we know that corresponds to this information, is the low model owned by Danish Museum of Science & Technology in Elsinore.

[2] JMC: The Danish inch is called “tomme” and is equal to 26,1 mm, whereas the British inch is 25,4 mm. In other words, this new model of the writing ball is 65,25 mm lower

[3] JMC: Folio in this context designates the paper size of a book or manuscript and is commonly defined in Britain as having a height of at least 15 inches (in Denmark folio is defined as being at least 35 cms in height)

[4] CB: RMH’s good friend Erik Ritzau (who is in the painting we got from Anne Ritzau and in which the four friends are playing cards) – he was the one that had established the news agency of Ritzau around 1866 (when the telegraph had been introduced) – was not only a close friend but also – was not only a close friend but also a business partner and  distributor of the writing ball. I have had the pleasure of writing a chapter in the book about the history of the news agency Ritzau – that is, a chapter about RMH – but otherwise present day Ritzau’s Agency has shown no interest both in the writing ball and in the friendship between Ritzau and RMH – in spite of inumerous approaches from my side...

[5] CB: The following section has been typed with dubble line spacing but also with more space between the letters than other sections. RMH comments on this a bit further on.

SA: RMHs proposal was a success and let to the establishing of a new institute for deaf-mutes in Fredericia in 1881. This was another step forward to work out a totally new organisation of the teaching of the deaf-mutes, and RMH was the leading force behind the development! RMHs last contribution in this matter, was as the chairman of a public committee in 1889 and 1890, wich lead to the establishment of yet another institution, this time in Nyborg. The institutions cooperated to a large degree, and all new students spent the first months of their education in Fredericia, establishing the level of their cognitive- and hearing abilities, and according to their skills, they were then sent to the institution, which method of teaching best suited their levels. In this way RMH succeeded in the realisation of his visions for the teaching of the deaf-mutes before his death in 1890.


Det originale brevet.