From Jan 1971-Jan 1972, Basil Greenhill, Director National Maritime Museum, writes 3 letters to Finlay regarding a commission for a sundial. In April 1972, Finlay writes 2 letters to Michael Harvey dealing with aspects of this sundial. Harvey responds in May 1972 with concerns about images on the cube shape making up the sundial particularly leaving the top blank - "as if whatever should be there had been pinched" and placing the poem on the dial which might interrupt the flow of the poem. Finlay replies to Harvey about his concern about the blank top of the sundial by pointing out that this may be a matter of scale; he feels that the blank top will not compromise the work in an 8" or 10" version but agrees that the sundial will do best at the top. He also accepts Harvey's suggestions for words at the top of the panels but rejects Harvey's idea for using Arabic rather than Roman numerals. Finlay notes the pun on the image of a fleet of ships (fleet=swift, fleet=of hours). In July 1972, Finlay sends the print "Illustrious" to Greenhill as a gift to the museum, mentions a collaboration with Richard England on a book, and describes working drawings of the sundial. He also encloses photographs of other sundials made with Harvey as samples of the work. Mr. Waters, Keeper of Museum replies to Finlay letter in Aug 1972 expressing reservations about the sundial's shape (wanted polyhedral rather than cube) and its proposed siting, points which Finlay acknowledges in an August letter. In Sep 1972, Waters makes suggestions about technical aspects of sundials to Finlay that are subsequently accepted by Finlay, rejects the idea of Finlay doing a 17th century sundial design and wants Finlay to postpone a visit to the more appropriate site for the sundial currently under construction. Finlay in Feb 1973 requests that Greenhill make a decision as to accepting or rejecting the sundial. Greenhill answers with a sympathetic response and attributes construction work for the delay. The Archive ends in March 1973. -- Source of annotation: Marvin or Ruth Sackner.