4
on paper the points which we discussed yesterday afternoon.
1 wish to make the
following suggestions, and if I have the consent of the Committee in regard to them. I will
go ahead with the necessary arrangements:-
1. That Mr. Fisher should during the coming season visit Gibraltar, Malta. and Australasia.
2. That, with a view to repairing and improving his equipment, I should have authority for an expenditure of not more than £60, and for photographic and painting materials and travelling cases authority to spend not more than £90; being in all an authority for £150, the whole of which may not be necessary.
3. That, with a view to testing the improved apparatus and making sure of the efficiency of his equipment, Mr. Fisher should be allowed to spend the next six weeks in this country-with the usual allowance for subsistence during which time he would take photographs which could be utilised for the edition of lectures, regarding these islands, which is to be sent shortly to Canada for use there. The Committee will remember that considerable alterations are necessary in order to adapt to Canadian purposes lectures which were originally calculated for tropical use. This set of United Kingdom lectures for use in Canada has become, as you will have gathered from me yesterday, a matter of considerable importance. In consultation with Lord Grey, and with one or two wealthy Montreal people who have lately been in this country, I have worked out a plan for placing the Committee's lectures before the Canadian public in the most favourable manner, although no liability in this respect will fall upon the Committee. You will, no doubt, give to the Committee the further information which I have put before you in regard to what is proposed.
4. With a view to gaining time, I have taken the responsibility, having spoken to you on the subject, of authorising an expenditure of some £48 under the applica- tion for £150, made in this letter. It is essential that the work should go ahead. and I have therefore asked Mr. Fisher to put it in hand at once.
Yours sincerely,
H. J. MACKINDER.
45
must be the selection of subjects and their correlation with the text of the lectures which lifts our work out of competitions in which at certain points we are bound to be beaten.
27529/07
No. 91.
Yours sincerely,
H. J. MACKINDER.
THE VISUAL INSTRUCTION COMMITTEE to MR. H. J. MACKINDER.
[Answered by No. 93.]
DEAR MR. MACKINDER,
Ottershaw, Chertsey, 22 July, 1909. THE Visual Instruction Committee, at the meeting on Friday, the 16th of July, seriously considered the present position of the Princess of Wales's Fund. I was requested, as Chairman, to draw your attention to the fact that more than half the money has already been spent; that the greater part of the Empire still remains to be dealt with by our artist; and that no lectures or slides are yet on sale.
It was anticipated that the Fund would be augmented by the profits on the sale of slides, and you will remember that the 31st of May was the date fixed for the issue of the Indian series.
It is of great importance that we should be able to show some definite results. The Committee gave expression to their dissatisfaction at the delay which has occurred, and requested me to impress upon you that at the present juncture we are entirely dependent on you, and that we look to you to hasten the progress of the work so that there may be no further delay.
shall be glad to receive your reply for the consideration of the Committee at an early date, as I have been requested to summon a meeting as soon as I have heard from you.
Believe me,
&c.,
MEATH.
24337/08
No. 92.
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
61
Reference :-
C.O.885
DEAR MR. MERCER,
2, Tanfield Court, Temple,
London, E.C., 13th July, 1909. In the event of the Committee agreeing to our proposal that Fisher should go next to Gibraltar, Malta, and Australasia, may I suggest that a cablegram should at once be addressed to Sir Charles Lucas asking him to prepare Fisher's way, and, also, that the authorities at Gibraltar and Malta should be refreshed in regard to introductions. A year ago they received letters preparing them for a visit from Fisher, but, as you may remember, the Committee decided to bring him home straight from Cyprus, and Gibraltar and Malta were, for the time, omitted. would suggest that the letters calling their attention to the former correspondence should not be despatched until shortly before Fisher starts. If our other proposals are sanctioned, he will leave early in September, but our Secretary may like to have time to prepare the necessary documents beforehand.
THE VISUAL INSTRUCTION COMMITTEE to SIR THOS. SHAUGHNESSY.*
Downing Street, 23 July, 1909. SIR,
I AM directed by the Earl of Crewe to convey to you his thanks for the facilities and assistance which you kindly afforded to Mr. A. Hugh Fisher, the artist who visited Canada on behalf of the Committee on Visual Instruction.
Lord Crewe desires also to thank Mr. W. T. Robson for the valuable help given to Mr. Fisher on various parts of your lines.
I am, &c.,
W. E. NOALL, (Secretary, Visual Instruction Committee.)
Annexure 2.
19 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO
DEAR MR. MERCER,
Annexure 3.
Yours sincerely,
H. J. MACKINDER.
2, Tanfield Court, Temple,
It is
London, E.C., 13th July, 1909. In accordance with your suggestion, I have mentioned to Mr. Fisher the idea of the biograph. He is under the impression that the expense is very considerable, but he will make enquiries for me, and I will let you know further. My impression is that it is hardly practicable for us to compete in this particular manner. obvious that we must not attempt to do in a second-rate way what music hall companies do, more or less regardless of cost, for more or less sensational ends. The more I work in connection with our scheme, the more I feel what Sir Charles Lucas has indicated to the Committee-that we must rest our credit on the educa- tional character of our work, and that while our slides are thoroughly good, it
27529/07
No. 93.
MR. A. S. CHAMBERLAIN to THE VISUAL INSTRUCTION COMMITTEE. (Received 24 July, 1909.)
MY LORD,
243, St. James's Court,
Buckingham Gate, S. W., 24 July, 1909. I HAVE to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 22nd instant,† delivered this morning. Mr. Mackinder has been very unwell for some months past, and has taken short holidays in the country in the hope of recovering health Last Monday, however, he consulted his doctor, who informed him that he was suffer- I enclose ing from gastritis and ordered him to Marienbad immediately for cure. a copy of the doctor's certificate. Mr. Mackinder left town on Thursday last, after writing to Mr. Mercer explaining that, owing to ill-health this spring, he has not
A similar lettor, but without the second paragraph, was also sent to Messrs. (. M. Hayes,
† No. 91. W. McKenzie, G. P. Graham, and P. Gifkina.
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