To the Editor: I have visited most of the National Trust mansions and palaces, and have found the "downstairs" most interesting. R. V. Denenberg's article is well written, but contains a common factual error.

The task of butlers ironing newspaper is not as silly as it sounds. Butlers were not ironing out creases, but were using the hot iron to dry the ink so that the paper could be easily read without the reader's ending up with black hands, a common problem with newspapers, including The New York Times daily. One's "gentleman" could actually then read the newspaper wearing white gloves with no problem.

ALFRED E. PEACOCK New York, N.Y.

Note to readers: According to Ivor Spencer, who runs the Ivor Spencer International School for Butler Administrators and Personal Assistants in England, newspapers are ironed to get the wrinkles out and to dry the ink. He said the reasons were equally important.