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free permission. Not a single one of them has ever had cause to 

 regret this in any way whatsoever, and I am confident that at any 

 time in all the Territories where we have worked we shall continue 

 to be able to enjoy these special concessions. 



In the matter of the Coelacanth I wish to emphasise to you that 

 we are not coming on this venture with any sense of competing with 

 you and your nation. Not at all, we are coming because I feel that 

 no effort must be spared to find further specimens. We shall be 

 only too honoured to be able to collaborate with you to the fullest 

 extent. I have probably more experience of getting fishes under 

 East African Tropical conditions than any other living scientist, 

 and it would be foolish not to use that for this great hunt. We can 

 indeed offer to share any methods or materials that we may have 

 with you on the fullest basis of co-operation. 



At the moment it does not appear likely that we shall be able to 

 commence operations until the end of August at the earliest. That 

 should enable you to work for some time before we come, and I 

 shall all the time hope to hear that you have caught a Coelacanth. 

 As you possibly know, we have decided that the specimen here is 

 not to be dissected further until other specimens become available. 

 It would, in any case, be desirable to keep this intact unless we get 

 another specimen of the same type. 



I do hope your Government will see its way clear to getting 

 Captain Cousteau to assist in the Coelacanth hunt, as that deep 

 diving will almost certainly be a most useful method of hunting. 

 It would be a very great achievement if one of your countrymen 

 could report on live Coelacanths in the sea, and the whole world 

 would certainly take the greatest interest in anything he could tell 

 of their habits. From what I have read of the method, in those clear 

 waters it would appear to hold out one of the greatest hopes in our 

 search, and I shall be greatly obliged if you would kindly send me 

 your comments and report on this.* We ourselves use goggles and 

 diving, but have of course nothing comparable with the magnificent 

 equipment developed by your countrymen. 



I appreciate your difficulties fully, but know that together we 

 shall be able to overcome them all. The important thing is that we 

 must secure more specimens for science. It does not matter to me 

 who gets them, except that it would give me the greatest satisfaction 

 for your country to have a complete and perfect specimen, whether 

 by your own expedition or any other. I am hoping daily to hear 

 that you have already found one. 



• No reply was received on this point. But see p. 223. (Nairobi meeting). 



