Dear Sir; Appreciating the honor of the request made to me in a communication that I have received from the Secretary of your Department, I wish to state that I have several times during the last ten years been called to New York by like invitations from your predecessors, and with results, on each successive occasion, of such a character that I think it best to advise you as follows:—

I do not wish to be called in occasionally to prepare or aid in preparing details of design for works with regard to which I have no continuous or comprehensive responsibility, such as would be indicated by the title of Advisory or Consulting Landscape Architect and by my being paid in the form of an Annual Salary. I should, however, be pleased to be called in at any time for consultation with Mr Vaux in regard to any matter of the works in the design of which we have been associated. I do not wish to give advice in regard to those works without conference with him. My engagements are such that I do not wish to undertake any duties that would not leave me free to visit works with which I have to do at points distant from New York whenever I may think it desirable.

Judging from the experiences to which I have referred it seems to me probable that what I have thus said will make it unnecessary that you should be put to the expense of my visiting New York at this time. I shall assume this and not come to you unless I hear further.

Yours Respectfully.