Correspondence between Schaeffer and Megaw on the 1954 seasonClaude Frédéric-Armand Schaeffer and Arthur Hubert Stanley Megaw

arrangement would have the advantage that you would continue to benefit this year from the administrative and other assistance we give to your mission under the original agreement, and defer for another year the time when, under the second agreement, your mission has to start paying half the cost of guarding the site (total cost now £14.7.4½ per month). The extension of the life of the joint Expedition to the end of this year would also probably assist me in securing the additional funds required this year to enable Dikaios to round off his work in our North Area. I should be glad to have your views. I can assure you that there is no intention on our part to extend or unnecessarily prolong our work at Enkomi, but we do feel obliged to do whatever is necessary to produce an adequate account of the areas we have excavated. After this coming campaign I feel sure that such further visits as Dikaios may have to pay to the site will be of the character indicated in para.7 of our second agreement.

Your work on the west wall raises the long-term question whether we ought to buy in the strip of land between the track, which forms the limit of our previous purchases, and the line of the wall. You will appreciate that in future the rents of all areas which we are afected by your excavations and remain in private hands will be payable by the French Mission. On the other hand I feel sure the Government will as before meet half the cost of any acquisitions which you agree to share. But it is perhaps early now to deal with this particular matter pending full clarification of the line of the wall on this side. On the other hand we are now in a position to go ahead with the purchase of the two outstanding plots in the area east of the track and within the walls. These are as follows:

I consider these claims acceptable and if you agree to meet half the cost, I will secure the balance from the Government and complete the transaction.

With kind regards to you and Madame Schaeffer from my wife and myself, Yours sincerely A H S Megaw … continues