stefansson-wrangel-09-13-078-002

Mr.A.J.Taylor.

Sheet 2.

FROZEN IN MUST PURCHASE VESSEL SEVENTHOUSAND FIVEHUNDRED CREW
REFUSED GO WITHOUT ONE YEARS FOOD AND AMMUNITION COST OUTFIT
APPROXIMATELY TWENTYFIVE HUNDRED TENTHOUSAND CREDIT MUST BE
DEPOSITED BANK AUGUST FIRST TAYLOR THINKS SEVENTHOUSAND PROBABLY
SUFFICIENT.”

After receipt of this cable and the several panic cables
following, including your cable of the 30th July communicating
Noice's intention to broadcast worldwide appeal for help, I decided
to advance the entire 10000 dollars required for the outfit, charter
and security in case of the ship being frozen in, and would rely on
collecting this amount afterwards by an appeal in the London "TIMES"
for assistance. Mr. Stefansson's influence secured me the support
of the "Times".

Mr.Stefansson approved of this method of raising money
in a letter dated the 31st July, which reads as follows:-

"Dear Mr. Brewer,

"I approve of your making a public appeal for funds
"to pay for the relief ship to go to Wrangell Island, the
"fund to be called the Wrangell Island Relief Fund.

"I also approve of your advancing the necessary
"money to be cabled to Mr.Taylor at Toronto and to deduct
"sums from the fund to reimburse this loan. No money
"except actual disbursements connected with the relief
"are to be charged to the fund and any surplus over after
"the return of the ship to be divided pro-rata amongst
"the subscribers.

"(Sgd.) V.STEFANSSON."
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I am enclosing with the present letter a copy of my letter
to the "Times", which explains the above position, and at the end of
this letter to the "Times" you will observe a promise which is made
to every subscriber and to the public that "should more than is
required for the relief expedition be subscribed, the balance will
on the return of the ship be distributed pro rata amongst all the
subscribers." In order to fulfil this promise, I must publish
an account in the "Times" of the expenditure on the actual relief,
and I am therefore anxious to obtain a detailed statement of expendi-
ture on the Relief Expedition.