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those in charge of the Comores Archipelago. The Governor, M. P. 

 Coudert, did everything in his power to make our all too short stay 

 on Pamanzi Island as pleasant as possible, and both he and his 

 officials, realising the significance of this great discovery, gave us 

 every assistance. 



As a scientist I know that you will rejoice that this has occurred, 

 and it will naturally be of added interest to you that the discovery 

 has been made in waters under the charge of your Government. 



I may inform you officially that although the knowledge of this 

 has come via our leaflets and constant propaganda, I have requested 

 Captain E. E. Hunt that the next Coelacanth he might get in French 

 territorial waters should be handed over to the French Authorities. 

 Even though the present specimen is considerably more damaged 

 than I had hoped, and a complete fresh specimen is essential for 

 the full study which is contemplated, I shall be happy to know 

 that you get into your possession the next, and I trust complete, 

 specimen. 



Will you kindly accept, my dear Sir, once again my sincere thanks 

 for the co-operation of the French Authorities and a renewed 

 expression of my belief that all of us who are scientists in Africa 

 must work together for science. 



I received from Millet in Paris a cordial reply, dated the 19th 

 February 1953, in v^^hich he expressed the hope that we might 

 work together, and that he would later outline steps to that end. 

 He also stated that the resentment which had been aroused in 

 France had resulted in a decree prohibiting the export of scientific 

 material of value, including Coelacanths, save with the authority 

 of competent local scientific organisations. 



To this letter the following reply was sent to Millot on the 23rd 

 February 1953: 



. . . the reactions and objections in France . . . were surely made in 

 the absence of knowledge of the true facts of the case. Only today 

 have I had a letter from another source quoting some of the events 

 you mention. For that reason I am enclosing a statement which I 

 shall be pleased if you will kindly hand to the proper authorities, 

 and to the press if you judge it correct to do that.* 



At the moment I am engaged in the preliminaries of arranging an 

 expedition to the Comores and Madagascar. This involves very 

 much work and a fairly large vessel (150 tons) which has to be 



* I have not yet received comment from any source on this memorandum. 



