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The preceding letter was sent to me by Mr. Elliot on the day after it was written. My first step was to ascertain when the minerals were to be sold. Accordingly I saw Mr. Salomon the administrator, and learnt from him that no time had been fixed for that purpose. I represented to him that an annual meeting of the Institute would be held on the evening of the 30[[superscript]]th[[/superscript]]. inst, and requested that the minerals should not be sold before that time; that the institute might have an opportunity of determining in a full meeting whether it would purchase them and at what price. Mr. Salomon readily acceded to my request; and assured me that he was very desirous that the Institute should possess the minerals. A day or two afterward I saw the minerals advertised for sale on the 30[[superscript]]th[[/superscript]]. I immediately had an interview with Mr. Salomon, who informed me that they had been advertised without his orders or knowledge, but that they should not be sold before the meeting of the Institute. At about 11 oclk on the morning of the 30[[superscript]]th[[/superscript]]. I again saw Mr. Salomon, and it was then agreed between us that I should offer the minerals to the Institute, that evening, for $150 (the sum at which they had been appraised) and that if the Institute declined giving that price they should be put up at auction; and that in any sale if the Institute would give as much as any other offerer, the Institute should have the preference. Mr. S's last words to me were [[underline]] an assurance that they should [[double underline]] not [[/double underline]] be sold on that day.[[/underline]]
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