197 



to the South African Council for Scientific and Industrial Re- 

 search, and from them was received a recommendation to accept 

 what appeared a generous offer. The Council also generously 

 voted a thousand pounds towards the expedition, and I set about 

 raising funds from the public. Thanks mainly to handsome 

 contributions from a group of Johannesburg business magnates, 

 this was rapidly achieved. 



After having taken what seemed satisfactory precautions, I 

 wrote on the 7th March 1953 to accept this offer of Stuttard, and 

 it was settled that the sole direction of the scientific work should 

 be in my hands. It was my intention at that time to manage by 

 some means to make a short visit to Jersey, to meet Stuttard and 

 his crew and to inspect the vessel, but this proved impossible, as 

 there was too much that always needed my personal attention. 



Arrangements for any such expedition as was now visualised 

 to hunt further Coelacanths involved negotiations in widely 

 different fields. First there was the critical matter of a vessel, now 

 apparently solved by Stuttard's offer of La Contenta. There were 

 all the special equipment and stores necessary for our work and 

 maintenance. Thirdly, there was the matter of participation by 

 other scientists and contribution by other institutions. Since at 

 least part of our work would be in French waters, it would be 

 necessary to seek permission and possibly some type of co-opera- 

 tion from the French. 



Of all these, transport was the most troublesome, and once that 

 was settled it seemed at least possible that no matter how many 

 other obstacles might arise, they could probably be overcome. 

 Even if the French were not co-operative, there were other parts 

 not far off where we might have as good a chance of finding 

 Coelacanths, and there are many things one can get done on the 

 spot that volumes of correspondence will not even loosen. So 

 transport was undoubtedly number one. 



Museums and other institutions in various parts of the world 

 had been asking if I intended to go to seek more Coelacanths, and 

 some were eager to have at least some part in any such 

 venture. Some were anxious to have Coelacanths. The press 

 published a statement by a member of the staff of the British 

 Museum that they were prepared to support an expedition for 

 this purpose if I got it going. Although Stuttard was apparently 



