ROYAL GARDENS KEW [1 word illeg.] 1878
Sir
Referring to your letter of 6th inst. 1955/78 I am directed by the P. & C. of R.S. to inform you that Mr Hart has not as they are assured[?], taken any part either in the arrangement of the collections of Natural History brought home by the Arctic Polar Expedition or in the preparation of the Report on the same, & that they therefore do not consider regard that he him as entitled to any pecuniary or other consideration on the part of the Lord Commis[sioners] of HM Treasury in respect thereof.
The P. & C. think that Capt[ain] Feilden's [1 word crossed out, illeg.] claims to further consideration from their Lordships part are [1 word crossed out, illeg.] on the following grounds unquestionable.
1 The results collections of the labour of the two naturalists Capt[ain] F. & Mr Hart could not be [1 word crossed out, illeg.] satisfactorily dealt with apart; the consequence of which was that, Mr Hart having absented himself, Capt Feilden was obliged either to deal with whole collection or to abandon the render a most imperfect Capt[ain] Feilden was obliged to report upon both thus adding greatly both to this his responsibilities & his labors & the & the time he [1 word illeg.] over the works
2 Further It appears that [1 word crossed out, illeg.] extensive Natural History collections were formed by other officers of the expedition, & which were not only

regarded retained by them on the paying off of the ships as their private property, but some of them were in part subsequently published [5 words crossed out, illeg.] in scientific periodicals, without consent with the Naturalists; It was obviously important that those as appertaining to the expedition also should be officially reported upon. & this Capt Feilden set himself to do; & has satisfied as far as it was possible, accomplished. & Capt[ain] Feilden is [1 word crossed out, illeg.] deserving of credit for having used every exertion in procuring access to them & in embodying an account of them in his Report.
It now remains only for their Lordships to issue instructions & Capt Feilden respecting the final disposal of the collections which are at present officially in Capt[ain] his Fs custody though temporarily deposited lodged at in the various national institutions, & we the P & C would support that the [1 word illeg.] followed in previous occasions be now [3 words illeg.] Capt[ain] Feilden be instructed --
1. To deposit the To make over the Geological and Mineralogical collections to the Trustees of the British Museum under the conditions that the duplicates be distributed by the Trustees to such other public scientific institutions museum & private individuals as they may deem expedient as they see fit as they see fit, [3 words crossed out, illeg.] & to such private

private individuals as may have assisted in the naming & description & of specimens.
2 That the I To make over the Botanical collections to the Director of the Royal Gardens Kew with the condition that as complete a set as possible of the duplicates be sent to the Trustees of the British Museum & the in like manner with the Zoological[?] 3 That the Geological Palaeontological collection, the chief value of which depends upon its being kept broke up kept entire & by itself, should be offered to the Trustees of the British Museum under the condition & if declined by them, that it should be offered to the Museum of the Geological Society. 3 That the Palaeontological collection should be offered to the British Museum under the condition that the its specimens should be kept by itself together as an illustration of the Geology of [4 words crossed out, illeg.] the Polar regions & that if ref declined by them, that it be offered to the Mus P & C of the Geological Society for deposit preservation under the like conditions in the Museum of that Society.