t 
- 2 - 
The Arabian Gil Company will, of course, pay all travel and. subsistence, 
but I want to be sure that they understand what this means because if a rn»r? 
is sent there he should have facilities for reaching various shore areas, which 
means truck or auto transportation, and stream areas as well. He must have 
facilities for shore fishing and deep-sea fishing and assistance that may be 
required. 
I take it that our contribution besides Erdman's salary would be formalin, 
nets, cube, and a small sum to purchase such market fish as may be needed to 
round out his collections. 
We would expect them to furnish oil drums and cans for the preservation of 
specimens and be sure these are transported back to this country. This should 
be an easy matter, considering their fleets of tankers. We would also want 
the privilege of selecting any specimens from collections made by Gurley. 
Schultz thinks he has about enough cube left over from Bikini since he 
started that expedition with kOO pounds and ended up with 750 pounds, though Miller 
has taken quite a bit and he will have to make a survey. 
Schultz does not have a camera and that question would also enter into 
the cosh«f the Smithsonian. 
If we participate in this expedition, I would want it understood that 
there was a definite time limit and that it might be cut shorter if there were 
no facilities for Erdman to make collections or if conditions arose which 
might make it unsafe for him to work there. 
Schultz says that he can ill afford to spare Erdman but that he feels that 
this is an opportunity we can hardly afford to turn down. Cooperation extended 
by these companies is generally on a very high level and from his knowledge of 
Gurley, who will really determine what opportunities We have, he feels that all 
possible facilities will be available. 
I asked Schultz about Erdman’s personality and whether he will be able 
to get along, and he says he has no doubt on that and feels certain that Erdman 
and Gurley would make an excellent team. 
In view of Gurley’s low salary, it would probably be necessary to give him 
a small allotment from Smithsonian funds to enable him to purchase such collect¬ 
ing clothes as he may need as he could ill afford to pay for them himself. 
I quizzed Dr. Schultz rather hard on this whoi£matter from all the angles 
I could think of, and I must admist that he made a very good case for it. If 
representatives of the Arabian Oil Company come across with the proper coopera¬ 
tion, I would certainly recommend the trip. I am going to be very frank with 
these men and tell them that our means, both as to funds and as to men, are 
quite limited and that we cannot afford to participate in any expeditions of 
this type unless we know that they will furnish us an adequate return for our 
efforts. 
A fast reply is urgently requested. A copy of this is also being sent 
to Parita, in case you should not get this at Balboa. 
S 
JEG:mmh 
