1949

American School, Athens, Greece.

June 13, 1949Dear Mrs. Robbins:

Enclosed is an account of the expenses incurred by Edwards and myself on our trip to Turkey and Cyprus. There is no hurry about its being paid; in fact I would have no use for the money here, where I would have to cash it in drachmas, and would rather have it settled on my return to America in September. I have various supporting documents such as hotel bills etc. which I can bring with me when I come if you want them; let me know if you do, otherwise I will destroy them in due course.

I send the account now, not because I want it settled, but because I would like to know roughly how much there is left in the Turkish exploration fund. I suppose that the traveller's checks, which were sent long ago by the Consulate in Nikosia have arrived; I verified the amount at the consulate as $2510. From this should be deducted the cost of my trip to America last January, the cost of our trip to Turkey now, and any sums expended by Joe Last from the Curium excavation account for funeral expenses and the landing and storage of the jeep in Cyprus. Also to be deducted will be the cost of shipping the jeep from Cyprus to Izmir, which George McFadden will pay for, hoping to be reimbursed; it should come to between L 25 and 30, or $ 100 and $ 125. In addition, could you make available to the American Consulate in Smyrna, about $ 50 or 75, practically by return mail, to cover the cost there of unloading and storing the jeep when it arrives? Also remember that the Curium fund owes, or owed if it has been properly corrected already, $ 115 to the Turkish Exploration fund: this was money paid out by Pete Daniel in October 1948 for the transport of deC. Fales from Athens to Cyprus, from Turkish funds.

I would like to know the balance of the Turkish Exploration Fund because I assume that it will be applicable to the purchase of equipment for the Turkish dig next year.

Now, that eternal (or infernal) jeep. When Joe Last got through using it last February it went to live in the garage of the consulate in Nikosia. When it was thrown out of there it went to live in a shed in the yard of the Cyprus Museum. No storage charges. Where its papers live we could not be absolutely certain. In the end we decided that the Consul, who was away, had hidden them somewhere where the vice Consul could not find them. In my case, the triptique will be necessary in Cyprus for the export of the jeep; and it may be needed in Turkey for the importation at Izmir. The papers, when available on the return of the consul, will be used to export the jeep, then sent to the American consulate in Izmir in case they are needed for bringing it into Turkey. This can be done by one of three methods: by bringing it in on the Triptique; if that fails, perhaps the Consulate will be willing to give a guarantee acceptable to the customs authorities that the jeep will be stored and not sold in Turkey; and, failing either or both of the above, it will simply have to be left in storage in the Customs at Izmir until it can be cleared together with the other supplies and equipment for the dig, when we send them. I don't think we can do anything about redeeming the triptique until we hear from Smyrna what has happened. In the meantime, aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa don't hesitate to write me if there is any more information needed. Typewriter wribbon gone flooooey so I will stop - (I really am sober) - [handwritten: signature]