These papers illustrate the career of Frederick Smith, covering his days as a student at the Royal Veterinary College (1873-1876), as a veterinary officer for the cavalry in India (1879-1885), as professor at the Army Veterinary School, Aldershot, and then returning to service, rising through the ranks during the Second Anglo-Boer War until joining the War Office during the First World War. Papers relating to this work include official correspondence, case notes, diaries and research data. Smith contributed a great deal of literature to the veterinary profession, with papers regularly published in journals from 1876 until the year of his death. The papers include research notes and data, extracts from other sources, drafts and proofs, and published copies of the articles.
Smith’s research and publications covered a broad scope, but there were particular interests in horse anatomy and physiology; stable hygiene and nutrition; saddlery; the loss of horses in war; and the eye and foot of the horse. Smith was also concerned with veterinary education and the reputation and status of the veterinary profession as a whole, and this is reflected in his correspondence with his peers.
There is very little information regarding Smith’s personal and family life within the collection. Some mention is made in Smith’s autobiography, but these papers are wholly concerned with Smith’s professional life and activities.

We currently have digitised parts of the correspondence series of this collection, they are available below. We will be adding to this periodically so follow us on social media or check this space again to find out what new content has been added. For more information on the Frederick Smith papers please click on the archive catalogue link at the bottom of this page.

5 – Letter to Frederick Smith from Francis Galton, 5 Jan 1898

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42, Rutland Gate, S.W.

Jan 5/98

Dear Capt Smith

Your two memoirs, which I enclose, interest me much.

Wd not the title of the M S be better
“Relation between the Weight of a horse and his weight-carrying power”?

What you determine in the relation to his estimated weight carrying power & these seemed wanting evidence to show that the estimate concurred with fact. As it stands, you show that

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the complex of motives by which experts judge, is on the average in direct ratio to the weight of the horse.

I wd suggest if you wish to submit the paper to the R. Soc to make this clear, and to explain the amount of reliance and of responsibility that is extended to experts.

It would be very interesting to collate the judgements of several experts about the same horse, but that wd be an inquiry by itself.

The following however ought to be done – viz show the mean deviation between the estimated and the calculated values in each

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of your 4 groups. Strictly, the ratios of error/weight shd be compared; possibly error (deviation) wd be near enough.

Another thing, in the greater strictness now exercised about the Proceedings, with the view of reducing the bulk of printed matter. I shd therefore suggest (rather strongly) you omitting down to the 2nd method in p. 4, so starting in medias res.

Please let me hesitate about submitting it to the R. Soc untill[sic] I shall have seen it again.

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The subject is not strictly in my line so it will be necessary anyhow for me to read it in in the first case, privately & subject to the approved of Michael Foster. If he or his referree[sic] it is all right the paper wd then go in regularly, which wd give me great pleasure. I should be always delighted to do any thing of the kind for you, you having done so much for me.

I was intending to write to you either to-day or to-morrow, because my article on “Measurement of Horses & Photography” comes out in “Nature” to-morrow. You shall

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have a copy soon after. It would indeed be a great help to me if I could photograph at the Vet: Hospital. Do not answer till you have seen the article. My drawback is that I have to be very careful about weather. Some recurrence of an old Syrian fever (apparently) has now kept me almost to my bedroom for a week or more & though I am getting right, I am not & shall not be capable

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of standing wet & cold like ordinary persons.

A very intelligent nephew of my late wife, Frank Butler who is staying (living) with me & acts as my secretary, would help effectively.

This is the first long letter I have written since my shiverings &c came on.

Very sincerely yours

Francis Galton

6 – Letter to Frederick Smith from Francis Galton, 7 Jan 1898

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Jan 7/98

42, Rutland Gate. S.W.

Dear Captain Smith

Here is the paper.

Very sincerely yrs

Francis Galton

7 – Letter to Frederick Smith from Francis Galton, 13 Jan 1898

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Jan 12/98

42, Rutland Gate, S.W.

Dear Capt Smith

Thank you very much indeed. I enclose my results.

Is my supposition of 2 errors in measurement (see note at bottom of enclosed) a possibility? If I am right, the results are very fair, except AB which has no business to be ½ inch wrong.

The measures are very easily made under a watchmakers

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lens. & the multiplications by means of Crelle’s tables is still quicker.

I dont think the obliquity of the side scale has led to notable error, it is perspectively shortened thereby to perhaps 2 or 3 % but I have not properly worked it out. (I ought to make a little table.)

Two or three days ago I had a long & instructive talk with Capt Hayes,

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who spoke much of the extreme fidgetiness of thoroughbreds & still more of well bred Hackneys. He showed me his book (wh: I knew before) & in turning over the leaves, I remarked on a zebra standing quietly in a small enclosure, & asked whether a thoroughbred would tolerate being led into a sort of pen, thus :-

[sketch indicating “wall place for horse to stand]

He quite thought the plan wd do

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and suggested a rope for AB, as amply sufficient, because these fidgetty[sic] horses hate touching anything, and a rope could not hurt them. In this case, 2 knots in the rope would give the scale. What do you think of this? I might possibly get the plan tried at some racing stables – not photographing these, but merely seeing whether the horses wd stand quiet under the conditions.

Very faithfully yours,

Francis Galton

I never answered your question about the whistles. I do not put them very near. If you find any hopeful result with the coarse whistle I sent you, I could lend a much more delicate one, better suited for very high notes.

8 – Letter to Frederick Smith from Francis Galton, 18 Jan 1898

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Dear Capt Smith

Your letter reached me just as I was starting for a Sat-Monday in the country and as I had not taken your photo with me, cd not answer it earlier.

I had quite overlooked the height of brisket above ground, copying only the little table in your letter and forgetting that the height in question was not in the actual table. Now I have measured it it is 28.5 mm, which Xlied with 1.19 (the recriprocal[sic] of 16.8.mm which corresponds to a length of 10” in the belly scale] = 33 inches in round numbers is actually 32”.9).

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This is the value you give.

A friend of mine suggests as an irreducible minimum of trouble & of utility, to have the height at withers always measured and recorded on photos, and to use this as the scale. Of course such conditions must be exacted or would give the intersection of the median plane with the ground; that which I proposed of – (1) hard ground (2) all four hoof tips seen from camera,

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being perhaps as good as any. But how to ensure the verticality of the back of the camera, in the difficulty the eye wd detect gross error but I fear not a moderate and yet a dangerous error. What do you think? The less photo artists are hampered by conditions, the more likely are they to be useful[.] In a “hippometric” laboratory there wd be little difficulty. Supposing the above plan were adopted to start with, I dare say the stud book people could be induced to insert height at withers, as

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a general rule, accepting at first what is communicated & afterwards exacting authentification[sic] of some kind.

Very faithfully yours

Francis Galton

9 – Letter to Frederick Smith from Francis Galton, 26 Jan 1898

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Jan 26/98

42, Rutland Gate. S.W.

Dear Capt Smith

I hope your paper is satisfactorily launched. I spoke to Prof M. Foster about the probability of its arrival.

When you next write, will you kindly tell me a little more about the rope. The question of taughtness is not important, because a mere string or thread by its side, bearing

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two marks A, B, wd suffice for the scale, & cd be easily stretched

[sketch indicating “rope thread”]

tight enough; – but I want more especially to know whether you think a thoroughbred would submit to be led and to stand still between the rope & the wall.

I am busy measuring such photos as I possess, of horses who have been photoed[sic] more than once, in a fairly square position, to see how the results

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agree, taking the height at withers in all cases as 64” (for there is no scale attached to these) and the results are more than reasonably well accordant.

I take measure in these, simply? thee three

[sketch indicating “AC AB DE FG”]

With your 2 scales, along belly & on side, it will be possible not only to repeat and to verify this sort of work, but to do much

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more also. I am ashamed to be troublesome, but only say how grateful I shall be for any that you may send.

Thank you much for the hair I have arranged to have the variously colored[sic] hairs of horses to be analysed at Cambridge.

Some tradesman might drive a paying concern, by selling specimens of hair of famous race horses, neatly mounted between glass. Say three rows of these items in a frame with names below and chief races.

[sketch]

Very faithfully yours

Francis Galton

10 – Letter to Frederick Smith from Francis Galton, 28 Jan 1898

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Jan 28/98

42, Rutland Gate, S.W.

Dear Captn Smith

Heartiest congratulations about the honorable[sic] medal.

Sincere thanks for what you send. I am just now in bed with bronchial catarrh, but hope to be up & at work again in 2 days. Then I will write further.

Very faithfully yrs

Francis Galton

11 – Letter to Frederick Smith from Francis Galton, 12 Feb 1898

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Feb 12/98

42, Rutland Gate, S.W.

Dear Capt Smith

At last I am so far convalescent as to begin work, gently, again, & the first things taken in hand were yr 3 last horses. I have crossed worked them in various ways and the results are quite satisfactory except that the optical axis of the camera was far turn horizontal in A and somewhat wrong in C. I send copies of parts of the work for you keep. I do not want them back.

The distances KL in the one & MN in the other [sketch indicating a horse section]
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are not suitable to this method of measuring.

The arrangement of horse C, with a knotted cord lengthways between his legs, is excellent. Clearly in a place prepared for an hippometric laboratory an equivalent to this could be drawn on a concrete floor & a concrete back ground could be given, & the camera be set on a place, adjusted once for all. The necessary lineations[sic] to verify the correctness of position of the camera, cd I think be easily arranged in a very inconspicuous

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way. Your dotted squares, ¼ inch in side, are amply large enough to be seen & connecting lines of 1/8th in width wd be quite sufficient. A little experience would be needed to reach the utmost of simplicity & suitability. The suspended sealer would then be superfluous.

It will give me great pleasure to read your ? memoir, wd you care you send it me in M S. An objection to the argument strikes me as possible, & consequently might with advantage be anticipated. Viz: that the experts’ judgement of draught power is largely depends on their estimate of the horses weight. Consequently what you

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chiefly measure may be, in the last analysis, little or more then the accuracy of the experts in appraising weight. I feel sure this way of expressing it does some injustice to your theory. still it is partly true, and if you cd show what is the real weight to be attached to the objection it might be well.

I hope to be fit to leave England in the little more than a week, for a three months stay in S France and Sicily.

With sincere thanks for all your trouble on my behalf & the help you have given me

Very faithfully yours

Francis Galton

12 – Letter to Frederick Smith from Francis Galton, 15 Feb 1898

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Feb 15/98

42, Rutland Gate, S.W.

Dear Capt Smith

I have gone through your paper and enclose some notes thereon, also some very rough work of my own open it, just to see how far its results correspond with yr results mine, unrevised & mainly by eye are

Draught Carrying power of a horse of 1000 lbs in weight, is 177lbs. For every 7 lbs in excess of, or less than 1000, add or subtract 1 lb of draught carrying power. Probable error of this estimate 3/2 lbs.

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Please consider my notes on p. 1 & 5

Your addendum is a great improvement, I think

As a general upshot I am not sufficiently competent in the subject to submit the memoir to the R. Soc especially as it strikes me as not quite suitable for that particular society. But do not let my ignorant views affect your fuller

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knowledge & sounder judgement

Very faithfully yours with renewed thanks for all you have so kindly done for me

Very faithfully yours

Francis Galton

P.S

I hope to go abroad next week, for a long stay in S France & in Sicily.

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A insert “Direct investigation having been found inpracticable[sic] the method … was … [“]

B insert “estimated”

C ? as to the weight of the animal (that seems to be the only judgement tested)

D This seems to be a pelitio? principle.

E p5 How is the “probable error” got here?

I make the mean error to be about 6 lbs

13 – Postcard to Frederick Smith from Francis Galton, 16 Feb 1898

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The following phrase in my letter was slack & inexact:-

“I make the mean error to be about 6 lbs” It should have been “I make the mean of all the differences in the two column to be about 6lbs.”

From one point of view of the problem the distinction is important: i.e. if pairs of entries in the 2 columns be considered as independent estimates of the same unknown facts.

F. Galton

14 – Postcard to Frederick Smith from Francis Galton, 17 Feb 1898

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It wd perhaps be better if you explained the way at wh: you arrived at the Prob: Error, in a note to the paper.

My work was purposely devoted to the first batch & and was little more than exploratory so to speak.

Thanks again for your kind offer to help. I have a batch of photos now in hand made by a friend under somewhat different conditions. I leave England on Tuesday I hope

Francis Galton