"Odkrycie" vestium/rutenu

The discovery in May 2011 in the archives of the Académie des Sciences - Institut de France in Paris of two letters of June and October 1808 of Professor Jan Śniadecki (1765-1830), vice-chancellor of the Vilna University, enabled to obtain new, interesting facts regarding submitting the discovery of new metal called Vestium by younger brother of vice-chancellor, Professor of chemistry at the University, Jędrzej Śniadecki (1768-1838). The article also contains a transcript and Polish translation of both letters.