Letter from Thomas Gold to Dr Peter Smith, Editor, The Open Earth, The Open University, Department of Earth Sciences, Walton Hall, Milton Keynes, MK7 6AA, England Thanks him for sending the issue of 'The Open Earth'. He was very glad of the reporting of his methane story which was accurate, concise and informative. Altogether the journal seems excellent, and he would like to subscribe to it. 21 November 1978