From: Langenberg, Heike

Sent: March 9, 2004 6:34 AM

To: 'Steve McIntyre'

Cc: Ross McKitrick; Ziemelis, Karl

Subject: RE: Your materials complaint regarding MBH98

Dear Dr McIntyre,

Thanks for your note regarding your materials complaint. We are pleased that you consider that important progress has been made on the core materials issues. But unless there are further points regarding the specific materials used in the original Mann et al manuscript (MBH 1998), we must regard the present matter as resolved, and would therefore encourage you to discuss your further points of disagreement with Michael Mann and his coauthors directly.

Regarding your specific questions, we have not scheduled a publication date for the Correction (including the complete data set as Supplementary Information), but it will be published as soon as possible, and we will suggest an acknowledgement of your efforts to the authors.

Please be assured that the Correction will contain no mention of the controversy between yourselves and Mann et al; it will be a plain correction stating the errors in the original Supplementary Information, and their correction. Regarding confidentiality, you should please refrain from publicising the decision prior to publication of the Correction (we are asking the same of Michael Mann and his co-authors). Finally, you will have access to the new Supplementary Information, like other readers, at the time of publication. The authors have assured us that the data sets and methods are revealed completely and accurately, and we are confident that they are as keen as yourself to resolve the matter.

I hope this clarifies our policies for you.

Yours sincerely,

Heike Langenberg

Senior Editor