1939

I wrote you briefly and hurriedly after seeing pete (in the interest of early strengthening of the Curium Ottoman Bank balance for John's and our credit's sake) but do not think that I gave you particulars of the settlement with Pete. Besides the £24:4:4 due him on the Ottoman Bank as already stated, there was his account for March 10 to June 24 showing a balance due him of £22:11:0, his stipend for July 10 to 31 = $36.52 (his reckoning -- strictly=36.67) and his travelling expenses Piraeus-Athens-Piraeus-New York (those from Cyprus to Piraeus being included in the item"Transport, staff £4:13:4" above). The £22:11:0 we left to be settled with you when you have compared it with your own records. He will be writing you about it, but,as I have them,I give you the items hereof-- Mar 10 Landing Lim. 0: 4:1h Mar 11 Pencils, tracing paper 1:4h Gypsum, for house 1:5 Tins, for dig 1:0 Mar 22 For marble lion 1:10:0 Contrib.to payroll 2: 5:1 Christ,guard arrears 15:0 Apr 1 Contrib.to payroll 3: 0:5h Antoni overtime,2 1/2 hrs 1:0 5 stamps, for receipts :5 Apr 14 Various expenses, list 4:13:1h to17 submitted to GHMcF May 5 Contrib.to payroll 10: 0:0 May 12 Car for LandReg.men 5:0 Contrib.to payroll 3: 0:0 Jun 24 Nails & wood 3:1 £26: 1:3 (4 mos.) The stipend, $36.50, for the time not covered by the pre-payment made by Mr.Jayne and charged to us last autumn, it was of course fair to allow; and, as he will obviously need cash immediately on landing in NY, I paid with $40 AmEx checks, applying the extra $3.50 to the travel expense account. The cost of these checks plus the passage to NY and expenses at Piraeus Aug 3 and Aug 5 was Drs.22120, net. That is at present rates a check (payable of course to Curium Excavations) for sending me a check (payable under #190 or £40:14. I count on your the 190 cr on the Litmassol bank account being strengthened so that the 40:14 can be withdrawn and still leave £90 to meet John's needs. I need not say that what is done should be done quickly. I am sorry that these last letters of mine all call urgently for money and that the sum required is appreciably larger than you and I had anticipated. But I see no help for it. And in fact I should strongly recommend, in view of the condition of the world, that if possible the bank balance in Limassol be increased now by enough to meet running expenses, estimated fairly generously for safety, to at least the end of the calendar year. Then if it happens that you and I - especially you - don't get back to Episkopi this year, we shall not have the Youngs stranded there nor the faithful Christo and Savvi left without income.