204 



Serious as it was, this was not the only complication that arose 

 from this proposed abrupt change of plans. Stuttard had appar- 

 ently not succeeded in obtaining all the items he had hoped free 

 of charge. Notable among these was a deep-freeze unit, to which 

 he referred in almost every letter. According to his letters, he 

 could not leave without it. Owing to the unexpected but obvious 

 concern Stuttard had revealed about finance, I had got interested 

 friends to agree to cover the cost of the deep-freeze unit (the 

 intention being to sell it on their behalf after the expedition), and 

 wrote to Stuttard as follows on the 22nd June 1953: 



Following on our recent correspondence I have taken further 

 action with regard to finance, going to certain friends who are in 

 some ways a reserve I do not easily care to tap. At any rate, the 

 result is that they are prepared to pay for the deep-freeze, on con- 

 dition that at the conclusion of our association it shall either pass to 

 my possession or be disposed of and the amount returned. This 

 should relieve you, especially as you have indicated that the deep- 

 freeze is not a piece of equipment which you will greatly value for 

 your vessel. 



In the letter dated the 2nd July 1953 Stuttard wrote that he 

 was pleased to note that I was accepting the responsibility of the 

 deep-freeze, and as there was a twenty-five per cent, discount I 

 should not experience difficulty in disposing of it at a profit. 



As no cable (see p. 202) had arrived by the 8th July 1953, the 

 date on which Stuttard's letter of the 2nd July was received, I 

 consulted the friends who had offered to sponsor the deep-freeze, 

 and told them of the situation that had suddenly arisen. When 

 they were originally approached about this, I had explained that 

 the vessel would come via the Cape, as that was clearly understood 

 from Stuttard at that time. After full consideration they now stated 

 that they were not prepared to continue this offer under this sud- 

 den drastic change of conditions imposed by Stuttard, and the 

 following cable was sent to Stuttard: 



Sponsors prepared refund cost deep-freeze only on arrival here 

 and in time carry out full operations. Unless come via Cape im- 

 possible co-operate. 



Three days later I received a letter from the Jersey Electrical 

 Co. Ltd., dated 6th July 1953, the concluding paragraph of which 

 was as follows: 



