ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON GEOPHYSICS 27 



Until recently the natural sciences and physical sciences have 

 been handled as if almost independent of each other. The ground 

 between has been largely neglected. The occupancy of this ground 

 is certain to lead to important results. The order of results to be 

 expected is illustrated by the great advances which have recently 

 come from occupying the middle ground between astronomy and 

 physics, and between physics and chemistry. For a long time 

 astronomy and physics were pursued as independent sciences. The 

 recent great discoveries of astro-physics have shown the advantages 

 of their combination. Chemistry and physics for a long time were 

 pursued as independent sciences. The rapid rise of physical chem- 

 istry has shown how wonderfully fruitful is the gTound between 

 the two. 



No individual, university or State has attempted to study in a 

 comprehensive way the great territory between geology, phj^sics 

 and chemistry. Nor, so far as we know, does an individual, uni- 

 versity, or State contemplate the attempt. This great, almost un- 

 touched territory, can only be occupied by geophysical laboratories 

 properly equipped and manned. 



Your committees have therefore given prolonged consideration 

 to the following propositions : 



(i) That a central laboratory of geophysics be established at 

 Washington ; 



(2) That from this central laboratory the co-operation be sought 

 of all independent laboratories engaged in geophj^sical studies, with- 

 out reference to country ; 



(3) That, where necessary, branch laboratories be constructed in 

 various parts of the world. 



The thought has thus been to provide for geophysical work other- 

 wise neglected, and to bring all the work done on this line by the 

 Carnegie Institution under a unified and harmonious system. 



(oi) The need for laboratories of geophysics. Relative to the need 

 to be supplied, we beg to reiterate that there are nowhere laborato- 

 ries that are at all commensurate with the problems to be under- 

 taken, nor is there any reasonable expectation that any established 

 institution will undertake the great task of founding and maintain- 

 ing such laboratories. This arises from the exceptional nature of 

 investigations applicable to so great and so complex a body as the 

 earth. The problems of gecphj'sics and geochemistry involve the 

 applications of pure physics and pure chemistry from the minutest 

 parts of the earth to the mass of the earth as a whole, and even to 



