Description

Mr Eliot, Meteorological Reporter to the Government of India, to whom King wrote about a meteorological appointment for Hooker's son, did not reply to King's letter until today. Eliot had been absent in Burma and only received the letter yesterday on his return to Calcutta [Kolkata]. Eliot says there is no immediate prospect of any vacancy. King encloses part of Eliot's letter [not attached] which Hooker might feel is worthwhile acting upon. King hopes all the orchids he sent Hooker by post reached safely, also the Thalamifloral orders described in part one of the MATERIALS FOR A MALAYAN FLORA, of which King sent Hooker a copy. Part two, up to the Ternstroemiaceae, is ready for the printer. King has finished the Malvaceae and is just beginning the Sterculiaceae. Sir Edward Buck is elaborating some scheme according to which all the scientific appointments in India are to be arranged in a single cadre. King has not seen the scheme formulated in print but does not think it is likely to work. King thinks it is rather rash to formulate a scheme like this without taking the officers concerned into confidence. All the men King has met who would be affected by it feel this very much; King hopes the scheme will not receive Hooker's support at home. Buck's scheme will probably, as a first step, deprive King of Prain and, after having struggled so long to get an efficient man for the herbarium, King thinks this is it a great hardship. King discusses Prain's service dependent pay and describes how Buck has interfered in the matter with the Government of Bengal. Prain is taking his pay reduction quietly and making no grievance, but he cannot be expected to accept so heavy a loss as Rs 150 per month as a married man, for very long. King does not think this is the way to help botany in India. Pages 1 and 4 of 8.