May I digress here to aay a few words about your 18 ft. launch? 
Judging frcm the type of craft that you are offering us it is 
probably a very trim little craft. Could not a rougher, more work- type 
launch be substituted, for this cruise at least?— Scasething that would 
be a little Kore serviceable for collecting and small dredging than a 
more dressy boat? 
The insect man has fewwuits and little gear, I would think. The 
botanist, however, would need between lit and l8 cubic feet of space 
for 3 to it fiber telescone cases. Measuring about 18 by 12 by 36 inohes 
The wooden tank chests, referred to above, run a little more than 5 
cubic feet apiece (av. aDOut iOO lbs. each). They measure ?h by 20 
by 19-1/2 inciaes high and space for 3 or it of these would be needed. 
Wiat to do witn this gear mig-.t 5e a problem in rim of the adnoisition 
in your circular that luggage should be kept to a ainlKu®. Could not 
the sofa cushions in the upper conpanionway be removed and the chests 
or fiber cases be stored on the wooden benches? If there is deck space 
enough the woocien cheats, for greeter part, st least, could be placed 
on blocks and lashed on deck, i^e have canvas covers for purposes of 
shedding water. 
I want to eicpnssiv.e U-at we are all ana do not expect 
to give 3 rD«r vessel any really rough treateont. t’e know a fine ship 
when we see one and so if you feel it would net be out of place for 
us to uee your vessel as a base of operationa or rather as the head- 
quarters of our oneratiCTis, we should be sbie to definitely sign up 
with you for the neriod indicated as soon as we hoar frert you. 
Mow, as regards itinerary, in very sketchy fashion; Mr. Bredin, 
in general would prefer to call at islands seldoiu visited or, at least, 
off the usual tourist track. As he indicated, he would ll*t€ to spend 
at least a week in the ^nerican and British 7irgii. Inlands, starting 
at St. Th«»as, as there is a strong possibility that we may wish to 
take a guest ,from St. Thamaa to Tortola and back for just a brief 
look-see (one day round trip?). 
After that, what about Anguilla, St. Martin, St, Barts, Sai'buda, 
and the great Reef on the north side of 3t. Croix, Saba, Statia, St, 
Fitts, and Nevis, Antigua, more or less? "M^re is tliat old native 
whale fishery carried on? Most of the scientific party are interested 
in several days in Guadeloupe and sucii hours ashore as there may be 
time for on the way to Barbados. Somewhere up the line is that phos- 
phate rock that is being mined. Is it possible to stop there for a 
few hours I 
If you can give me some idea of Pjow much time we may have in port 
at how many islands within the time limit set it >K)uld be helpful. I 
do know that we would like to have 2 to 3 days in a place, at least, 
except in the small Islands idler# there is no safe overnight anchorage 
