Copy letter from Michael Foster, to Sir Francis Leopold McClintock, Fellow of the Royal Society Is sorry to learn that Sir Clements [Markham] objects to the proposal that the Antarctic Committee should meet again, he being absent. The reply from Her Majesty's Government puts them in a difficult position since they are now in a able to begin to form some ideas of what the [expedition] plans can be. The Sub-Committees having met, they can make a statement of what each proposes should be attempted, and from these the General Committee ought to be able to formulate some general scheme. It will not look well at the congress if they say that they are to have an expedition, but don't know what they are going to attempt. Foster has written to this affect to Sir Clements and hopes he will see the advisability of the Committee meeting. Discusses a problem concerning appointing Admiral Sir W Wharton to the Committee, and asks if Wharton might be placed on the Ship Sub-Committee. 13 July 1899