A meeting of the Board of Regents will be held on the 29th for the 
election of a Chancellor. 
I have been working, such time as I can get, on the relation of the 
variation of the sun to the variation of temperature of Washington and other 
stations, and am convinced that there is a very close and immediate relation 
shown there. 
I have decided to appoint Mr. L. B. Aldrich assistant director of 
the Astrophysical Observatory in order that a more continuous and responsible 
oversight may be had on its work than I am able to give it. This appointment 
will take effect May 21. 
Mr. Child has come up with a proposition in relation to obtaining 
support for an expedition, including some amateurs, in the Pacific Ocean, but 
I told him it was immediately concerned with the National Museum and that I 
would be obliged to ask him to take up the matter with you after your return. 
A gentleman named James Arthur died recently leaving by his will 
$75,000 to be used unconditionally for the promotion of studies of the sun, 
except that he specifies that a lecture shall be given yearly with an honorarium 
of $250 on some subject connected with the sun. Otherwise the income of the 
fund is to be used at our discretion. This gentleman asked a question of the 
Institution in 1911, three more in 1918 and 1919, all of which we were able 
to answer to his satisfaction, so it is likely that this courtesy on our part 
induced him to thus favor us. 
With kindest regards, 
Dr. Alexander Wetmore, 
c/o Dr. L. G. de Beaufort, 
Zoologisch Museum, 
Plantage Middenlaan 53, 
Amsterdam Centrum, Holland. 
Very sincerely yours, 
