276 CARNEGIE INSTITUTION OF WASHINGTON. 



three sections : ( i) the crossing of the Ch'in-ling Mountains on foot, 

 (2) the trip by boat down the Han river from Shih-chuan hsien to 

 Hsing-an fu, and (3) the passing of the mountains between the Han 

 and the Yangtse. The work was greatly delayed by continuous 

 rains and high water during the first three weeks of April, but the 

 party arrived at Wuslian, on the Yangtse River, on June 6 and 

 closed its field operations at Ichang, the head of steamboat naviga- 

 tion, on June 8. At Shanghai the party disbanded on June 20, the 

 Chinese interpreter and servants, who had rendered loyal service 

 during nine months, returning to Tientsin, while the three Ameri- 

 can members took passage for the United States. 



The success of the expedition is in large measure due to the assist- 

 ance which it received on all hands from those who, privately or 

 officially, were in a position to promote its objects. The ministers 

 at Washington, of China, Great Britain, France, Germany, and 

 Russia, and the American ministers abroad, at the respective capitals 

 of these nations, gave the expedition their cordial indorsement. 

 Mr. E. H. Conger, the American minister at Peking, rendered special 

 service in introducing the purpose of the Carnegie Institution to the 

 Imperial government, and in securing for the members of the expe- 

 dition that official recognition which was essential to safety in the 

 prosecution of surveys in the interior of China. Their excellencies, 

 YuanShih Kai, viceroy of Chihli ; Chou Fu, governor of Shantung ; 

 Chang Tsen Yang, governor of Shansi ; and Sheng Fan, governor 

 of Shensi, exhibited an intelligent and broad-minded appreciation of 

 the purpose to advance knowledge, and substantial aid was rendered 

 by many magistrates with whom the scientists came in contact. 

 Pleasant relations were consistently maintained with the many 

 Chinese who gathered from every village to watch the strange opera- 

 tions of surveying, and it is gratifying to record that at no time was 

 there any dispute or difficulty with the natives. 



I wish here particularly to express my appreciation of the service 

 rendered science by my associates, Mr. Blackwelder and Mr. Sargent, 

 through their unflagging zeal and earnest scientific purpose ; their 

 cordial cooperation at every step of the expedition and their self- 

 restraint in dealing with the natural, but sometimes trying, curiosity 

 of the natives contributed vitally to our success. 



Through the courtesy of the U. S. Geological Survey, a plane- 

 table, a telescopic alidade, a large camera, and accessory instruments 

 were supplied without cost. A theodolite, the need of which was 

 not appreciated in the initial plans, was loaned by Col. A. W. S. 

 Wingate, of the British intelHgence office at Tientsin. 



