| Description | In reply to the Secretary's letter to the President of the Royal Society dated 17 January [1887], Foster is directed by the 'Challenger' Committee to state that the Committee are willing to accept the suggestion of the Lords that the subject under discussion should not be pursued further. He is directed to state that the Committee retain the opinion previously expressed, that it is undesirable they should summon Mr Murray to a formal consultation and make a formal report in March or April which in the essential subject matter, i.e. the estimates for the following year, has already been settled between the Lords and Murray. Should the Lords desire the Committee to consult with Murray in December and prepare a report including estimates for the financial year 1888-1889, the report which should be sent in March 1887 being omitted, the Committee will willingly undertake that duty. Otherwise the Committee do not see any adequate object to be gained by meeting and preparing a report and will consider themselves free from further responsibility in the matter though they remain happy to be consulted on any special question arising out of the publication of the 'Challenger' reports. |