MORRIS

ROOM 16, UNIVER

WASHINGTON
NEW YC
not delivered w

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DEAR SIR,

On February 21, 1892, will occur the seventieth
birthday of Dr. Wolcott Gibbs, Rumford Professor
emeritus at Harvard University.

It has appeared to the undersigned that his pupils,
associates and friends would gladly welcome this oppor-
tunity for expressing by some united effort their gratitude
for his inspiring teachings, their admiration for his
scientific attainments, and their personal affection and
estem.

It has further seemed to us that such action could
take no form more worthy of our honored friend, or more
likely to be a source of satisfaction and pleasure to him,
than the establishment, by private subscription, of some
foundation named for him and devoted to the perpetual
advancement of the science which has been the study of
his life.

We have therefore resolved to invite those persons,
about 150 in number, of whose personal relations with
Dr. Gibbs we are aware, to co-operate with us for this
purpose. A more widely distributed appeal might have
attracted some additional subscriptions, but it would
entail a premature publicity—obviously undesirable—
and would deprive our action of that private character
which alone could make it welcome to the recipient.
Should you feel disposed to participate in this manner in
the celebration of Dr. Gibbs's birthday, we request you to
send the amount of your subscription to Morris Loeb,
Room 16, University Building, Washington Square, New
York, before December 1st. Checks thus sent will be
deposited, and their amounts will be kept as separate
items only until the success of the subscription is assured.

The precise object to which the fund can be devoted
must depend upon the amount collected : a fund for
research requiring a larger capital than, for example, an
important prize or medal, to be awarded at stated intervals.
The terms under which the trust should be administered
will, of course, be left to the decision of Dr. Gibbs
himself.

In order that this matter may not reach the ear of
Dr. Gibbs prematurely, we beg that this letter be treated
as *strictly confidential*.

THOMAS M. DROWN,

*Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Boston, Mass.*

FRANK W. CLARKE,

*U. S. Geological Survey, Washington, D. C.*

CHARLES L. JACKSON,

*Harvard College, Cambridge, Mass.*

CHARLES E. MUNROE,

*U. S. Torpedo Station, Newport, R. I.*

FRANCIS A. GOOCH,

*Yale College, New Haven, Conn.*

LEONARD P. KINNICUTT,

*Worcester Polytechnic Institute,
Worcester, Mass.*

MORRIS LOEB,

16 University Building,
New York.