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Archive for April, 2016

Progress update, 23 to 29 April 2016

By uczwlse, on 29 April 2016

It’s that time again. Hot off the press, another stats update from Transcribe Bentham. Our volunteers are continuing with their transcripts and we owe them a huge thanks for all their help.

15,849 manuscript pages have now been transcribed or partially-transcribed, which is an increase of 29 on last week’s total. Of these transcripts, 15,030 (94%) have been checked and approved by TB staff.

The more detailed progress chart is as follows:

Box No. of manuscripts worked on No. of manuscripts in box Completion
Box 1 384 795 48%
Box 2 522 753 69%
Box 4 10 694 1%
Box 5 200 290 68%
Box 7 4 169 2%
Box 8 6 284 2%
Box 9 46 266 17%
Box 10 1 459 1%
Box 11 9 480 1%
Box 15 86 814 10%
Box 18 4 193 2%
Box 27 350 350 COMPLETE
Box 29 22 122 18%
Box 30 4 193 2%
Box 31 19 302 6%
Box 34 40 399 10%
Box 35 287 439 65%
Box 36 36 419 8%
Box 37 36 487 7%
Box 38 167 427 39%
Box 39 12 284 4%
Box 41 87 572 15%
Box 42 92 910 10%
Box 44 53 202 26%
Box 50 175 198 88%
Box 51 386 940 41%
Box 57 19 420 4%
Box 62 78 565 13%
Box 63 155 345 44%
Box 70 306 350 87%
Box 71 663 663 COMPLETE
Box 72 614 664 92%
Box 73 151 151 COMPLETE
Box 79 199 199 COMPLETE
Box 87 0 604 0%
Box 95 126 147 85%
Box 96 534 539 99%
Box 97 141 296 47%
Box 98 224 499 44%
Box 100 204 442 46%
Box 106 233 581 40%
Box 107 503 538 93%
Box 110 9 671 1%
Box 115 277 307 90%
Box 116 784 865 90%
Box 117 427 853 50%
Box 118 257 880 29%
Box 119 538 990 54%
Box 120 170 686 24%
Box 121 146 526 27%
Box 122 306 728 42%
Box 123 45 443 10%
Box 124 16 383 4%
Box 139 40 40 COMPLETE
Box 141 86 381 22%
Box 149 46 581 7%
Box 150 972 972 COMPLETE
Box 169 195 728 26%
Add MS 35537 730 744 98%
Add MS 35538 819 858 95%
Add MS 35539 882 948 93%
Add MS 35540 948 1012 93%
Add MS 35541 932 1258 74%
Add MS 35547 31 701 4%
Add MS 35549 3 366 1%
Add MS 35550 2 637 1%
Overall 15,849 35,002 45%

Progress Update, 16 to 22 April 2016

By uczwlse, on 25 April 2016

Another week, another update from Transcribe Bentham. Transcription continues at a good pace and we would like to thank all the volunteers who have transcribed over the past week!

15,820 manuscript pages have now been transcribed or partially-transcribed, which is an increase of 32 on last week’s total. Of these transcripts, 14,981 (94%) have been checked and approved by TB staff.

The more detailed progress chart is as follows:

Box No. of manuscripts worked on No. of manuscripts in box Completion
Box 1 383 795 48%
Box 2 521 753 69%
Box 4 10 694 1%
Box 5 200 290 68%
Box 7 4 169 2%
Box 8 6 284 2%
Box 9 46 266 17%
Box 10 1 459 1%
Box 11 9 480 1%
Box 15 86 814 10%
Box 18 4 193 2%
Box 27 350 350 COMPLETE
Box 29 22 122 18%
Box 30 4 193 2%
Box 31 19 302 6%
Box 34 40 399 10%
Box 35 287 439 65%
Box 36 36 419 8%
Box 37 36 487 7%
Box 38 167 427 39%
Box 39 12 284 4%
Box 41 87 572 15%
Box 42 92 910 10%
Box 44 53 202 26%
Box 50 174 198 87%
Box 51 386 940 41%
Box 57 19 420 4%
Box 62 78 565 13%
Box 63 155 345 44%
Box 70 306 350 87%
Box 71 663 663 COMPLETE
Box 72 614 664 92%
Box 73 151 151 COMPLETE
Box 79 199 199 COMPLETE
Box 87 0 604 0%
Box 95 126 147 85%
Box 96 534 539 99%
Box 97 141 296 47%
Box 98 224 499 44%
Box 100 200 442 45%
Box 106 233 581 40%
Box 107 503 538 93%
Box 110 9 671 1%
Box 115 277 307 90%
Box 116 784 865 90%
Box 117 427 853 50%
Box 118 257 880 29%
Box 119 538 990 54%
Box 120 148 686 21%
Box 121 146 526 27%
Box 122 306 728 42%
Box 123 45 443 10%
Box 124 16 383 4%
Box 139 40 40 COMPLETE
Box 141 86 381 22%
Box 149 46 581 7%
Box 150 972 972 COMPLETE
Box 169 195 728 26%
Add MS 35537 730 744 98%
Add MS 35538 819 858 95%
Add MS 35539 882 948 93%
Add MS 35540 948 1012 93%
Add MS 35541 932 1258 74%
Add MS 35547 31 701 4%
Add MS 35549 3 366 1%
Add MS 35550 2 637 1%
Overall 15,820 35,002 45%

Progress update, 9 to 15 April 2016

By uczwlse, on 18 April 2016

Hello everyone and welcome to the latest update from Transcribe Bentham. We are thankful to all the volunteers who are contributing at the moment and would like to let everyone know how transcription has been progressing.

15,788 manuscript pages have now been transcribed or partially-transcribed, which is an increase of 31 on last week’s total. Of these transcripts, 14,944 (94%) have been checked and approved by TB staff.

The more detailed progress chart is as follows:

Box No. of manuscripts worked on No. of manuscripts in box Completion
Box 1 383 795 48%
Box 2 512 753 67%
Box 4 10 694 1%
Box 5 200 290 68%
Box 7 4 169 2%
Box 8 6 284 2%
Box 9 46 266 17%
Box 10 1 459 1%
Box 11 9 480 1%
Box 15 80 814 9%
Box 18 4 193 2%
Box 27 350 350 COMPLETE
Box 29 22 122 18%
Box 30 4 193 2%
Box 31 19 302 6%
Box 34 40 399 10%
Box 35 287 439 65%
Box 36 36 419 8%
Box 37 36 487 7%
Box 38 167 427 39%
Box 39 12 284 4%
Box 41 87 572 15%
Box 42 92 910 10%
Box 44 53 202 26%
Box 50 172 198 86%
Box 51 386 940 41%
Box 57 19 420 4%
Box 62 78 565 13%
Box 63 155 345 44%
Box 70 306 350 87%
Box 71 663 663 COMPLETE
Box 72 614 664 92%
Box 73 151 151 COMPLETE
Box 79 199 199 COMPLETE
Box 87 0 604 0%
Box 95 126 147 85%
Box 96 534 539 99%
Box 97 141 296 47%
Box 98 224 499 44%
Box 100 196 442 44%
Box 106 233 581 40%
Box 107 503 538 93%
Box 110 9 671 1%
Box 115 277 307 90%
Box 116 784 865 90%
Box 117 427 853 50%
Box 118 257 880 29%
Box 119 537 990 54%
Box 120 142 686 20%
Box 121 146 526 27%
Box 122 306 728 42%
Box 123 43 443 9%
Box 124 16 383 4%
Box 139 40 40 COMPLETE
Box 141 86 381 22%
Box 149 46 581 7%
Box 150 972 972 COMPLETE
Box 169 195 728 26%
Add MS 35537 730 744 98%
Add MS 35538 819 858 95%
Add MS 35539 882 948 93%
Add MS 35540 948 1012 93%
Add MS 35541 930 1258 73%
Add MS 35547 31 701 4%
Add MS 35549 3 366 1%
Add MS 35550 2 637 1%
Overall 15,788 35,002 45%

Progress Update, 2 to 8 April 2016

By uczwlse, on 8 April 2016

Friday has rolled round again and we’re here to tally up this week’s stats on Transcribe Bentham. The volunteers are still pushing ahead with their transcripts and we owe them many thanks.

15,757 manuscript pages have now been transcribed or partially-transcribed, which is an increase of 44 on last week’s total. Of these transcripts, 14,887 (94%) have been checked and approved by TB staff.

The more detailed progress chart is as follows:

Box No. of manuscripts worked on No. of manuscripts in box Completion
Box 1 383 795 48%
Box 2 488 753 64%
Box 4 10 694 1%
Box 5 200 290 68%
Box 7 4 169 2%
Box 8 6 284 2%
Box 9 46 266 17%
Box 10 1 459 1%
Box 11 9 480 1%
Box 15 80 814 9%
Box 18 4 193 2%
Box 27 350 350 COMPLETE
Box 29 22 122 18%
Box 30 4 193 2%
Box 31 19 302 6%
Box 34 40 399 10%
Box 35 287 439 65%
Box 36 36 419 8%
Box 37 36 487 7%
Box 38 167 427 39%
Box 39 12 284 4%
Box 41 87 572 15%
Box 42 92 910 10%
Box 44 53 202 26%
Box 50 172 198 86%
Box 51 386 940 41%
Box 57 19 420 4%
Box 62 78 565 13%
Box 63 155 345 44%
Box 70 306 350 87%
Box 71 663 663 COMPLETE
Box 72 614 664 92%
Box 73 151 151 COMPLETE
Box 79 199 199 COMPLETE
Box 87 0 604 0%
Box 95 126 147 85%
Box 96 534 539 99%
Box 97 141 296 47%
Box 98 224 499 44%
Box 100 196 442 44%
Box 106 233 581 40%
Box 107 503 538 93%
Box 110 9 671 1%
Box 115 277 307 90%
Box 116 784 865 90%
Box 117 427 853 50%
Box 118 257 880 29%
Box 119 537 990 54%
Box 120 139 686 20%
Box 121 146 526 27%
Box 122 306 728 42%
Box 123 43 443 9%
Box 124 16 383 4%
Box 139 40 40 COMPLETE
Box 141 86 381 22%
Box 149 46 581 7%
Box 150 972 972 COMPLETE
Box 169 195 728 26%
Add MS 35537 730 744 98%
Add MS 35538 819 858 95%
Add MS 35539 882 948 93%
Add MS 35540 948 1012 93%
Add MS 35541 926 1258 73%
Add MS 35547 31 701 4%
Add MS 35549 3 366 1%
Add MS 35550 2 637 1%
Overall 15,757 35,002 45%

Progress Update from Dr Michael Quinn

By uczwlse, on 4 April 2016

Below is an update from Dr Michael Quinn. He explains how volunteer transcripts are helping in the editing of Bentham’s writings on preventive police and asks for assistance in transcribing Bentham’s ‘Annuity Notes’.

Some feedback on the Police Volume, and an appeal for help with the ‘Annuity Notes’.

I wanted to report back to the volunteers of Transcribe Bentham on the fruits of their efforts in equipping the Project with high quality transcripts of Bentham’s preventive police writings, and I am very happy to report that the texts of several works have been established, and that the back of the textual editorial work on the preventive police volume has been broken. The texts of Bentham’s preliminary draft of the ‘Thames and Marine Police Bill’, of ‘A Bill for the establishment of a Board of Police’; and of ‘Notes to the Police Bill: Containing Reasons, Precedents, and other Elucidations’ have been established. My colleague Dr Oliver Harris has made good progress with research for, and drafting of, notes for these texts. In addition, editorial work continues on ‘Introductory Observations on the Police Bill’ (for which Bentham seems to have drafted plural beginnings, but which he made limited progress in completing), and on fragments containing ‘Elucidations relative to the Thames Police Bill’, and others relating respectively to Coin Police, and to the Disposal of old Admiralty Stores.

I hope to complete the textual editing in the new few months, and to be in a position to pass the volume to the General Editor for review by the end of the year, with a view to submission to the press at the end of 2017, in conjunction with making the text available online via the Bentham Project website. The volume has not disappointed in providing new insights into the development of Bentham’s thinking on a wide range of issues, and I will be presenting some of these at the International Society for Utilitarian Studies conference at the Catholic University of Lille this July. Many thanks to everyone who worked on the transcription of materials for this volume: your efforts will be acknowledged in the Preface.

I also wanted to take this opportunity also to ask once more for your assistance. The fourth volume of Bentham’s writings on Political Economy will contain his plan for an interest-bearing currency, which he called ‘Annuity Notes’. After two years of developing the plan, and of attempting (with very limited success) to persuade the government to adopt it, Bentham abandoned the idea when he concluded that the inflationary consequences of the plan made it untenable. There are some 1,800 manuscripts associated with the Annuity Note Plan, almost all of which are contained in boxes 1, 2 & 3 of the UCL collection. To date, with your help, we have managed to produce transcripts of some 1,100 of these, which means that 700 remain untranscribed or incomplete. Any help with the remaining untranscribed folios would be much appreciated:

  • Box 1 & Box 2 are currently available on the TB website, where I see that 685 folios sit patiently awaiting transformation from semi-legible scrawl to readable text, by the investment of the time, effort and skill of our volunteers.

It would be disingenuous of me to pretend that every single folio of this material is chock-full of thrills. However, it would be true to say that Bentham’s treatment of the issue ranges more widely than might be expected in such a text, since he is interested, for instance, in the consequences of the adoption of his proposal on constitutional stability. He thinks that William and Mary did a very wise thing in borrowing money from the public, and thus giving many people a significant interest in the stability and permanence of their rule. Bentham hopes that by making interest-bearing currency available to the poor, the government might not only facilitate habits of frugality on their part, but, like William and Mary, cement loyalty to the regime in the face of revolutionary demands imported from France. Please help us complete the transcription for this volume.

Many thanks, and happy (and productive) transcribing!

Michael