The manuscript is comprised of letters, drafts of letters and draft publishing proposals. The papers relate mostly to the business relationship between Edward Arnold and John Murray, publishers, but they also indicate the personal relations between the publishers. The correspondence is mostly between Edward Arnold and John Murray IV, but includes letters written on behalf of Arnold by A.L. Mumm. A significant part of the correspondence relates to the establishment, in 1887, of the periodical "Murray`s Magazine".

The papers are arranged chronologically.

1886: folios 1-39;

1887: folios 40-49;

1888: folios 50-67;

1889: folios 68-85;

1890: folios 86-96;

1891: folios 97-105;

1894: folios 106-107;

1897: folio 108;

1898: folios 109-114;

1899: folios 115-116

1901: folios 117-118;

1916: folios 119-120.