December 12* ll*62 
Dr. ssalde L. Schmitt 
o/o I. S. aoodall 
U.3. .-yatarotic Hesearoh Program 
Box 12 huvy 20 
o/o Fleet P.O. 
San Francisco, California 
Dear Dr* Sehml tt s 
Thank you for keeping us so ■well posted on your aoti -cities. Your enforced 
layover in Christchurch must be frustrating when you think that you could hare 
had Christmas at hem® and could have still been aboard the Edisto when she sailed, 
but your description of the town and its people toads to minimise cur sympathy 
for you* there roust be far worse spots to be incarcerated for a few weeks. 
Your remarks about the Chilton collection are disturbing. I don't suppose 
that the authorities of the Canterbury Museum would look kindly on the idea of 
transferring that material to the Dominion Museum in Wellington. In the long 
run, it might be nc safer there. The information gleaned from John I&ldwyn when 
he was here would lead one to believe that there ©an be little real progress in 
Hew Zealand until its population tiros of watching their best people surrender 
to the lure of better jobs elsewhere. Protective socialism probably succeeds 
bast in a nation with little ambition, Please don't antagonise your friends there 
by mentioning my rexarzs* 
Mr, fed&k in I my' s office tells me that they have no other camera available 
now. He checked with Mrs. Byrd about the possibility of purchasing one for you, 
and she told him that it might be possible to get one if its use on subsequent 
expeditions could b© amply justified* I have hesitated to t ell him to pursue the 
matter further without knowing exact specifications of the instrument required. 
If you still feel that the equipment that you now navy on loan is inadequate and 
if you can send me specifications of what you would like, there might still bo 
time to get a camera to you before you sail, provided it is available here in 
Washington. 
You may derive some satisfaction from knowing that we had our first bad 
traffic tie-up of the year 1-st night. An inch or two of snow during the day 
and consequent icy streets produced the kind of situation that you know so well. 
It took t&& four hours to get hose, and public transportation was even worse j 
Harry Ladd stood on a bus for six hours. Linda skidded into another oar and 
smashed a fonder on her new car, so she is now fully aware of the h&sards of 
slippery roads. 
You will also be interested to know that the integration of th® Cosmos Club 
was announced in this morning's paper* I don't remember th© gentleman* s name, 
but he is a professor of history who taught at Howard *»nd is now at SAwklyn 
College. 
All the best. 
Sincerely, 
FAChace :cas 
Fenner A. Chace, Jr. 
