The two earliest volumes are foolscap, ruled paper, bound in cloth boards, half calf. The contents are handwritten copies of outward correspondence. In the first volume there are also copies of inward letters from 1 Oct. 1842 to 1 May 1844. The next five volumes are quarto, paper boards half calf. The contents are press copies of outward letters, all in MS., except that Vol. 7 includes a section from 5 May 1920 to 11 November 1921 which is typed. The final volume is quarto, cloth boards half calf, and includes press copies of outward confidential letters 1908-1922 sent by Robert Cornish, Secretary. The final letter notifies the new secretary, Captain A.M. Tracy, of his appointment. The books hold a complete run of outward correspondence for the 86 years from 1842 to 1928, less 3 1/2 years (1855 to 1859) which probably represent the contents of one lost book. After 1928 file copies were on carbon paper.
