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May 15, 1941

Mr. J. E. Graf
Associate Director
U. S. National Museum

Dear Mr. Graf:

I have been assembling estimates for the proposed Galapagos Islands laboratory and its equipment. You will see from my reports that I recommend that the base laboratory be set up on the south shore of South Seymour Island, toward its western end on the so-called South Channel Basin, and that, adjacent to it, should be erected the necessary outbuildings to house whatever laboratory staff and boat crew may be assigned to the establishment, the light and power plant, including water and fuel pumps and perhaps compressors and vacuum pump, evaporator, and carpenter and machine shop. Also, near by would have to be erected several storage tanks: diesel oil, gasoline, and fresh water, and salt water tank if aquaria are to be maintained. Such a salt water storage tank needs to be had in reserve in case circulating pumps fail. It is my opinion that such shore station buildings should be portable, on the order of the Hodgson type of house, because it may be found necessary at some future date to move the buildings to another site.

Although the site selected is on a landlocked, quiet body of water, and landing upon the rocky shore is easily accomplished, some sort of dock should be planned upon for convenience in landing heavy articles and mooring small boats.

The distances between the several islands are often great:

[[4 column table]]
[headings underlined]]
    | Miles (Approx.) | Hours (at 9 knots) |
South Channel Basin laboratory site to Freshwater Bay, Chatham Island, and return | 124 | 14 | ^[[100]]
South Channel Basin around Albemarle Island and return | 300 | 34 | ^[[350]]
Tower Island and return | 112 | 12 | ^[[100]]
Culpepper Island and return | 320 | 36 | ^[[350]]
Black Beach Road, Charles Island, and return | 100 | 12 | ^[[100]]
Academy Bay and return | 90 | 10 | ^[[100]]
James Bay, James Island, and return | 90 | 10 | [[underlined]] ^[[100]] [[/underlined]]
   |   |   | ^[[1,200]]