54 TRANSACTIONS LIVERPOOL BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 
about it. If I consult my own feelings I would much rather 
have nothing to do with it. My wife suggests there may be — 
some question of duty. Perhaps? I had not heard you had 
taken on the General Secretaryship.”’ ; 
In a letter from Boston, U.S.A., he writes on 20th March, 
1911 :— | 
*: On ‘Saturday I received your letter of the 
3rd March. By same post had letters from Geikie and Bonney. 
Had I been at home I would of course have seen you before 
sending any reply, but I am not likely to be in England before 
June. 
““. . . To-morrow I deliver the Agassiz address at 
Harvard. I came over for that address, but have been let in 
for the Lowell lectures (eight) and addresses here [Boston], 
Princeton, New York and Washington. We go to Washington 
next month | 
“ During the last two days I’ve had frequent deliberations 
with my wife and daughter, who are with me, and the only 
way out seemed tobe to decline the nomimation. For some 
time past I have been planning a cruise as far as the Pacific 
during 1912 and 1913, and I have made a good many business 
and domestic arrangements with that object in view. It must 
take place in these years or not at all, and if my health be good 
I cannot well withdraw. | 
“T know your enthusiastic nature and your too favourable - 
opinion of my poor labours. I know you like to do me honour. 
For these reasons I very much regret the nature of the cables 
I have just sent off to you, Bonney and Geikie. I am anxious 
to do anything to assist the progress of Oceanography, but I 
fear my Presidentship of the British Association would not do 
much in that direction. However, itis very good and nice of 
you to say you think it would. I find many enthusiastic young 
workers here, and I believe there will likely be a ship fitted 
out for a deep sea expedition in 1912. They wish to consult 
