Description | The Challenger Committee have had Welby's letter of 19 January 1889 under consideration, alongside copies of Dr Murray's correspondence with Welby and Mr Spring Rice, and the report by the Controller of the Stationery Office. Foster summarises the assurances received from Mr Murray in February 1888 that the proposed sum would cover the report expenditure apart from the summary, but notes that since 10 February 1888 the committee have received no reports or statements from Murray.
Foster suggests the tone of Murray's letters and the report by the Controller of the Stationery Office strengthen doubts about the former assurances. The Challenger Committee wish for the facts to be placed before them and so propose to ask Murray to meet immediately upon his return from overseas, after which point they will be able to reply to Welby's letter of 19 January. The committee are anxious for the report to be completed and distributed as intended, but appreciate the difficulty to which the Treasury are put by Murray's letter, and assure them of their efforts to suggest a course of action of which they can approve. |