Page "Richard Christopher Carrington" Paragraph 9

Possibly as an insurance policy with which to mitigate any subsequent criticism, Adams wisely had gone on record early in the selection process ( 15 February 1861 ), as supporting the idea, in principle, that the directorship be made an independent position, rather than continuing to be attached to a professorship which might cause time and energy conflicts due to heavy academic duties, as had seemed to be the case previously.

However, in this same early letter, Adams also clearly stipulated his objection to giving the position to a " mere " observer (" mere " was the only underlined word in his letter ).

In all likelihood this must be interpreted as a reference to Carrington himself, who had achieved only the 36th position as a " wrangler ," in his graduating class at Cambridge.

The field of potential candidates for the Directorship was extremely small.

And Adams, of course, had been senior wrangler in his own examination year.

Fortunately, for those wishing to better understand this interesting historical episode, there also exists in the Adams papers a draft of a much later, unsent — and in light of the outcome, unnecessary — letter.

In this 27 April 1861, draft-letter Adams clearly addressed his attitude toward potential open competition with Carrington within the Syndicate process.

Adams wrote ," As I now find that I cannot be appointed to the directorship without entering into what would at any rate have the aspect of a contest for the office, I beg to be allowed to withdraw my name and to no longer be considered a candidate ..."