| Description | Written from the Department of Natural Philosophy, The University, Drummond Street, Edinburgh
' The situation of Furth is getting more and more critical. His stipend was finished on February 15th but he got no information about its renewal until a few days later, and he was in suspense all the time. Then he got half a month's stipend and the information that the definite decision will follow soon. It came yesterday. The stipend has been prolonged for 3 months, but reduced from £250 per year to £200. I am very doubtful what shall happen after these 3 months. They have apparently no money and it is very difficult for Furth to work efficiently when his future is so uncertain. I have written to Ladenburg (Princeton) and Oldenberg (Harvard) as I know that they take interest in such cases. But I should be grateful if could talk to Lindemann asbout Furth. Tell him that he is a very clever and versatile physicist, experimental and theoretical at the same time. There should be some way of using his faculties for the advantage of this country. And if you know any other possibility please let me know.
We are all well. My daughter Irene is here with her baby, a nice, friendly, fat little boy. My work is going on satisfactorily. "Reciprocity" has made some progress, and so did my theory of melting. One of my pupils, an Irish girl, has succeeded to develop the exact formulae for free energy, pressure, etc of the crystal, and I hope to get verifiable results soon. Furth is helping me in these things.
The war situation is disquieting becaues it is so quiet. Do you think something will happen?
I shall be in London on March 11, to deliver a lecture to the Math. - Phys. Society of the Royal College of Science. On the way I intend to visit my daughter Erith in Liverpool.
Remember me to your wife. Kind regards. ' |