Complex sentence: He was one of the few British Professors of Zoology in whose appointment Huxley did "not" have a hand: in fact the procedure was for candidates to "canvass for votes"! (presumably amongst the MAs of the University).
Split into simpler sentences: He was one of the few British Professors of Zoology in whose appointment Huxley did "not" have a hand. The procedure was for candidates to "canvass for votes" (presumably amongst the MAs of the University).