Thursday midnight                                                                                       95 Sloane Street.

                                                                                                                                 S.W

My dear Percy

I have talked today both to Lord Roberts and to Lord Haldane. They both give the same advice, namely that the person to go to with a scheme is General Henderson, who is keenly interested in the whole matter. By good luck I met Richard Pope Hennessy at Windsor [?] and he told me that there is an official research body and that what is needed is connecting link between it and the Royal Flying Corps – an educational link. This is, I think the line along which you must work. You must have a cut and dried scheme, approved by Henderson and Seeley [?] before you can appeal with any success for funds. If there were such a scheme Lord Haldane and Lord Roberts would give it their support. Lord H. says that the person to get hold of is Lord Northcliffe, to whom aeronautics makes a strong appeal. He would possibly give you financial help. But before you go to him you ought to talk the matter out with General Henderson – I should think that Richard P.H. could put you onto him.

Lord Roberts asked me to let him know what Lord H. said and I am accordingly writing to him. I am leaving London on Saturday and I cannot therefore do any more. Don’t decide on names or purposes till you have consulted the authorities. If you can get General Henderson’s advice and Ld Northcliffe’s help, you might, with the sympathy of Lords H. and R., to pull the thing through. 

Yours affectionately,

Gertrude Bell