Dear Prof. Whittemore,

July 4, 32

10, Kings Avenue, Bromley, Kent.

I was more than pleased to get your letter of the 12th June which arrived yesterday. Though properly addressed it evidently went to America for it bears Lenathan sea post 18th June went back to Turkey & came on to me. It bears no London marks & is a mystery. I was afraid that you had not received the Covel batch. If you have the notes I have sent you about St Sophia would you return them to me. I think perhaps I could write an article on what travellers in the past have seen. Your work is wonderful and I am sure that no church I have seen impresses one more than St Sophia. What it will be when all the mosaics are revealed I can hardly imagine. I find I have missed a note of Covels & cannot now find it. He speaks of the silver [mot barré] mosaic dome at the Emperors entrance which he says is the most beautiful thing he ever saw – I am now only writing from memory.

Y[ou]rs sincerely Arthur Baker

I hope you will go to Trebizond & be sure to go to the monastery of Surmela. There are no mosaics that I know of - but its situation and surroundings and structure are worth the journey.