January–April 1954

I should be glad of your criticism of my estimate of expenses for the remainder of the year. I have estimated fairly generously, putting down whatever I could think of. Some of the funds I may not get around to using, even. None the less there remains a very respectable estimated balance left over.

If we have that much left (and we may have more), and if I succeed in converting it into dollars for return to America, it would certainly be suitable to use part of it for maintaining Jack in 1954-55. There is no question of that: I couldn't be certain (and probably won't be certain until a late date) of being able to issue in my letter about him was that I couldn't be certain at convert our pounds into dollars so as to provide for him from our funds here. He will need definite assurance of an income for the project soon, so I can plan accordingly. If you can get an assured $2,000 from the Philosophical Society, I think it would be wise to do so. Then, if we get our money out, and you think it suitable, we can give him additional from our own funds.

Between you and me, I should deplore the diversion of any remaining funds into the General Museum funds, as could well happen. I think it would be very nice if we could use some of the remainder for Fitting up the Cypriote basement for study purposes, adequate lighting, furniture, even maybe better ventilation. Perhaps you will think about this.

As to the matter of converting pounds into dollars, of which I am thoroughly conscious, we will have to see. I am going to Nicosia shortly, and I hope before I go that Sir Panyotis can advise me as to whom I should see about it, the controller of currency or whatever. I will plan to discuss our problem with it him. We will certainly have to have special permission to do it officially. I do not at the moment know any American Cyprus Mines people, but it's a good idea and I will pursue it, if necessary.

I will also see what I can do about the payments for travel (RS, JB) in pounds. I have been told by one travel agency here that Americans are expected to pay in dollars. In fact when I gave the Oberlins a check for their passage money in pounds I had to make all sorts of affidavits saying that the pounds represented dollars which had been deposited in the bank here. But perhaps if I see someone higher up I can come to an understanding. In the meantime I have asked Fro to please advance Dick the amount of his passage and stipend in dollars from the restricted funds (we borrowed from these the $2500 with which I started out last June). I outlined to him a method (C, pages 4-5) by which I hoped we could repay this money to the restricted funds in dollars. I will cable if I find that I can pay Dick's passage and on Dick. But that may not be for some time, since I haven't even got the pounds yet. Dick's stipend, $1500., will have to be in dollars in any case.