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way to other Board members who argued that our job on the Board is to establish what we
call a Cometary Network. The argument is that a major concentration on the building of
hardware would deflect us too much from our main purpose.'
'The picture is coming into focus, Chairman. I wish we could have been brought into it at an
earlier stage. So that rumours might not. . . if you see what I mean,' Hoddinott remarked,
changing his stance a little more.
'Forestalling rumour is surely a counsel of perfection, Mr Hoddinott, especially where
Whitehall is concerned. I would rather have thought we were pushing ahead at quite a rate
of knots,' Isaac Newton smiled benignly, feeling he was getting the patter off reasonably
well.
'What order of management fee has the Halley Board in mind to offer?' Hoddinott
continued.
'Well, as you know, Mr Hoddinott, management fees on special one- off jobs come in at
about twenty-five percent. But this is a permanent job, so Council will have to come in below
fifteen percent to be reasonably competitive. Personally, I'd say about ten percent would be
right, in view of the repetitive nature and magnitude of what is involved. But I expect we shall
fight about the exact number.'
Hoddinott looked around the table for signals from his colleagues, but since there were none
he went on:
'It would be helpful if you could fill us in on the actual amounts. I mean on an annualised
basis.'
'You mean how much might flow to this Council?'
'Yes. Just as a sighting shot, Chairman.'
'Let's say one hundred million pounds.'
'Annually?'
'Yes, annually.'
There was now a long silence around the table, broken eventually by the Station Head of the
Council's Astronomy Division who burst out:
'But that means an awful lot of telescopes.'
'Yes, it means a lot of telescopes,' agreed Isaac Newton.
'But what can you do with them?'
'If you could give me a thousand today, they would all be operating full-time in the Cometary
Network before the end of the year,' Isaac Newton answered calmly.
'Economically, it's going to be an enormous item,' Hoddinott said in a voice which implied
that for the first time he was beginning to grasp the true magnitude of the business.
'We've had a Treasury report done on the economic aspects, by Sir Harry Julian. I don't see
any reason why the report shouldn't circulate among senior staff of the Council, on a
confidential basis. So I won't discuss it now, beyond saying that the conclusion reached is
that the economic effects will be strongly positive. The report is rather long.'
'Sir Harry is a member of the Halley Board I believe?' Henderson observed.
'Yes, indeed,' answered Isaac Newton, his lips twitching as he recalled Julian's attempt at a
brief description of his report, accompanied by much twirling of Chestertonian pince-nez.
'But how will the operating cost of all these telescopes be funded, and where are they to go
and who is to get them?' the Station Head of the Council's Astronomy Establishment asked
in a voice that was made shrill either by anger or puzzlement - it was impossible to say
which.
'The short answer to that question,' Isaac Newton said evenly, forbearing to remark that the
question was not one for CERC at all, 'is that universities and perhaps polytechnics
competent and willing to operate within the Cometary Network will get the telescopes, and
will receive grants earmarked for the purpose. But I see no reason why the establishments
of this Council shouldn't also be involved to the extent that it suits Council's policies for them
to be so.'
'When is it proposed to start?' asked Henderson.
'As soon as Council decides if it wishes to act as project manager.'
'I see one major snag,' said Hoddinott, shifting his stance still more. 'It hardly needs the
wisdom of Solomon to see that the Treasury may wish to reduce our vote in compensation
for the fee we receive as Project Manager. I'm only too afraid we may not be allowed to
keep very much of it.'
Isaac Newton nodded.
'I take your point, Mr Hoddinott, and if this were a one-off job there might well be some such
danger. But I can hardly see the Treasury skimming off Council's management fee year after
year.'
'Why not?'
'Because spin-offs from the programme are inevitable. They will become important both
economically and scientifically.'
'You mean, Chairman, that Council's fee should be used in developing the spin-offs?' the
Head of the Engineering Division asked.
"That would be my intention, subject to Council approval,' agreed
"
"
I
Isaac Newton.
'And the Project Halley Board itself?'
'Spin-offs aren't the business of the Halley Board, unless they affect the Cometary Network
itself. Spin-offs are the business of industry and of this Council. You'll find it all set out in Sir
Harry Julian's report. And now shall we pass on to the matters of particular consequence to
Dr Falconer?'
Twenty-four hours later, the young man with the ginger beard brought a draft of the proposed
minutes of the meeting to Isaac Newton's office. After reading the papers through quickly,
Isaac Newton said:
'I have a few points of correction. Why don't you leave these minutes with me for an hour or
two. John Brownrigg, wasn't it?'
'That's right, Professor Newton,' the young man smiled.
'I notice you've left out the whole first part of the meeting. I mean the part where we were all a
bit at sixes and sevens.'
'Well, nobody wants that to go on record. I mean, it didn't come to anything.'
'I suppose not. How long have you been with CERC?'
'Since I left university, nearly three years.' [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]