May 13, 1941

CONFIDENTIAL

Dr. James B. Conant

National Defense Research Committee

1530 P Street NW.

Washington, D.C.

Dear Dr. Conant:

We are sending today fifteen copies of our formal report entitled "The Development and Construction of a Simple, Rugged, Light-weight Instrument for Measuring and Indicating the Partial Pressure of Oxygen in a Mixture of Gases" and in addition the mimeograph stencils and negatives of photographs. I have burned the carbon paper, faulty mimeograph sheets, and original manuscript of the report. I trust that you will find the report satisfactory.

Our work on the apparatus continues to give satisfactory results. The only feature of it which has disappointed me somewhat is that our progress has been somewhat slower than I had expected.

I have been glad to learn from the newspapers that you have returned safely from your visit abroad. My wife and I were very happy to have seen Mrs. Conant when we were in Cambridge.

Sincerely yours,

Linus Pauling

LP:jr

May 13, 1941

CONFIDENTIAL

Air Mail

Dr. T.K. Sherwood

Technical Aide to Division B

National Defense Research Committee

1530 P Street NW

Washington, D.C.

Dear Dr. Sherwood:

I have not yet received the papers regarding the extension of our contract period. The description of the extension given in your letter of April 20 does not correspond to our needs as discussed in Dr. Lewis' office. I thought that we would receive the sum of $1,000 for Dr. Wood's salary for six months, this being the same rate as that at which he has been paid, plus $500 for overhead plus $1,500 for materials and supplies, covering the six months' period beginning April 7, 1941 rather than a ten months' period as mentioned in your letter. I trust that this can be arranged.

There is another point which I should mention. Because of the labor involved in the work, especially the handling of quartz fibers and construction of the dumbbell assembly, we found it desirable to have another man assist with this, and hired Mr. Mason on a part-time basis. Is it proper for us to pay him out of the budgeted item of $1,500 for materials and supplies and if not what arrangement should be made. Also a large proportion of the extra expense of the work consists in the manufacture of parts of the instrument in the

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nstrument Shop. We have been charging for this at the regular rate from the materials and supplies budget. Is this satisfactory, and if not what arrangement should be made about shop work.

Sincerely yours,

Linus Pauling

LP:jr