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Government would find in the files of their predecessors, and to
rely on their reading it and doing something about it. In a way I
knew how busy cabinet ministers are, for I have associated with them
enough for that; but I somehow expected an exception in this case.

Eventually when correspondence failed to get results, I

did go to Ottawa. There were Before my arrival several types of opposition had been expressed. The
speechesof certain members of Parliament showed that tney felt that
it would make Canada and the Empire seemridiculous to try make any effort
to retain on the basis of its supposed value an island well known to
be undesirably cold, and, in consequence, worthless. Other members
seemed to have the feeling that if the Government didnot advance the
money for a relief ship I would find some way of securing it privately.
This may have beenthe chief of the reasons why the Government were so
slow to act. Or it may have been only that they were too busy with
other things. There probably never was anything to the explanation
that has since been advanced - that I had members of the Government
so thoroughly converted to the Arctic as a paradise that they found
my appeal for a relief ship in contradiction with what they believed
to be my views. There is, of course, always a danger that the con-
vert may develop a faith more passionate and bigoted than that of
the missionary.

In the mnegotiations with the government, one of the first
inquiriesof the Minister of the Interior was what financial return
I would expect if the government decided to stand on the its legal
rights with regard to Wrangell Island. After making it clear that
retaining this originally and still British land within the Empire
was more important to me than any money that could be involved, I
went on to say that I hoped the government would return without
interest, or with bank interest, the money my friends and I had