The Edinburgh chair was considered to be the leading mathematics chair for a Scot to hold, and certainly the Englishman Babbage was not seriously considered although he was supported by Ivory . Wallace was supported by Leslie, the previous occupant of the chair, while Haldane had been successful in obtaining the St Andrews chair on political grounds in preference to considerably more talented mathematicians (including Wallace and Ivory) and hoped to repeat the same success again.
Ang Edinburgh upuan ay itinuturing na ang nangungunang matematika upuan para sa isang Eskoses sa hold, at tiyak ang Ingles Babbage ay hindi itinuturing na malalang bagama't siya ay sinusuportahan sa pamamagitan ng Ivory. Wallace ay suportado ng Leslie, ang mga nakaraang nakatira ng silya, habang Haldane had been matagumpay sa pagkuha ng ang St Andrews chair sa paligid pampulitika sa kagustuhan na mas matalino mathematicians masyado (kasama na ang Wallace at Ivory) at inaasam upang ulitin ang parehong tagumpay muli.