Correspondences dated 1949-1950 regarding Mount Sinai manuscript project commencement

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Cairo 27 August, 1949. i**4^ Dr. Ax. lullr Evans. Librarian of Bongreos, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. Dear Dr. Evans, » I returned to Cairo a few days ago after completeing a very successful 6,OCX) miles tour around Southern Arabia and have successfully completed extensive arrangements with the Governor of Aden and His Highness the Sultan of Muscat and Oman regarding future American Scientific Exploration in their respective fy±jK±3.-QkLUp- I found your cable and a letter from Professor Kraeling awaiting me in Cairo. I was extremely confused in that Professor Kraeling's letter was extremely enthusiastic and encouraging whereas your cable was just the opposite. I understood your position completely and realising that it might be several days before your full instructions arrived by letter I went ahead to see if there was anything further which I could accomplish regarding the Mount Sinai project, I went to Alexandria to call on Sadek Bey Gohar, Rector of Farouk Uni­versity. The Rector is an old friend of mine having been associated with my pre­vious African Expedition and having previously contributed LE. 3,000 to help our work throughout Africa. The Rector said that he had turned over all of my prob­lems aith regard to the Monastery to Professor Atiya who is Vice-Dean of Faculty of Arts, Farouk University. I then had a long series of conferences with Professor Atiya. It seems that during my absence in Arabia Professor Atiya had called on the Archbishop of Sinai on our behalf armed with a copy of the Archbishop's letter to yo which I had sent to the Rector of Farouk University. Professor Atiya told me that he had been able to receive assurance from the Archbishop that full permission would be granted us to photograph the manuscript collec­tions in their entirety, however it would be essential that financial conside­ration would be given to the Monastery. Two days later Professor Atiya and I called on the. Archbishop of Sinai in Cairo. At this meeting there were several other Fathers from the Monastery present, all of whom took part in the discussion. One of them spoke fair English and Professor Atiya carried on full discussions with the Arfihbishop in French ; I was able to follow most of the conversation myself. The enclosed letter to you from Professor Atiya is self explanatory. I have also enclosed a letter from the Archbishop of Sinai. The Archbishopts letter contains several points which need clarification. Professor Atiya explained in detail to the Archbishop that a contrib­ution of LE. 10,000 would be absolutely impossible, however that a contribution of $10,000 might somehow be possible. Professor Atiya further told the Arch­bishop that if he was insisting on LE. 10,000 we might as well drop the project immediately. The Archbishop who is really a very wonderful person assured Professor Atiya under no circumstances did he want the project dropped. The Archbishop understands from Professor Atiya that the only possible sum is under consideration is $10,000. Personally, in the light of all we have &ad to go through over here, I do not fee] that the Archbishop's request is entirely un­reasonable. With regard to the Archbishop's request for copies of all the photographs, I am afraid this is merely an afterthought on the part of the Archbishop, he never suggested such a thing to me and Professor Atiya and I am certain that this requirement can be done away with completely as there is absol­utely no reason why x the Monaster should want photographs when they already possess the originals. Full credit should be given to Professor Atiya for all of these new arrangements as the Professor has given himself unsparingly for the last several days in his efforts to help the contemplated projects. Professor Atiya assures me that if you decide to go ahead with the project that he will personally spend most of his time at the Monastery helping with the work and that he will finish