1850 APPOINTMENT TO THE ' FISGUARD ' 87 



your memoir on the structure of the Medusae, com- 

 municated to the Koyal Society, was singled out for 

 publication in the Philosophical Transactions. It would 

 be a very great loss to science if the mass of new matter 

 and fresh observation which you have accumulated were 

 not to be worked out and fully published, as well as an 

 injustice to the merits of the expedition in which you 

 have served. 



The latter offered to write to the Admiralty on 

 his behalf, giving the weight of his name to the 

 suggestion that the work to be done would take at 

 least twelve months, and that therefore his appoint- 

 ment to the Fisguard should not be limited to any 

 less period. "They might be disposed," wrote 

 Huxley to him, "to cut anything I request down 

 on principle." Moreover, Owen, Forbes, Bell, and 

 Sharpey, all members of the Committee of Recom- 

 mendation of the Royal Society, had expressed them- 

 selves so favourably to his views, that in his appli- 

 cation he was able to relieve the economic scruples 

 of the Admiralty by telling them that he had a 

 means of publishing his papers through the Royal 

 Society. 



The result of his application, thus backed, was 

 that he obtained his appointment on November 29. 

 It was for six months, subject to extension if he 

 were able to report satisfactory progress with his 

 work. 



A long letter to his sister, now settled in 

 Tennessee, gives a good idea of his aims and hopes 

 at this time. 



