68 * CARNEGIE INSTITUTION 



The other subject which I suggest is a study of the actual motion 

 in geological faults. My brother Horace has recently begun obser- 

 vations at a well-known fault in Dorsetshire. He has a very deli- 

 cate level clamped to the rocks on the two sides of the fault and has 

 begun his readings. Nothing has as yet been published,* as he has 

 met with many preliminary troubles, but^I think that the results 

 should be of interest even if they are purely negative. I am sure 

 that he would be willing to put his experience at your disposal. 



To initiate a geophysical observatory even the humbler lines that 

 I advocate for a beginning will undoubtedly prove a very arduous 

 undertaking. If the work is entrusted to you I am sure that your 

 great geological experience, and all the thought which j'ou have 

 devoted to geophysics will prove invaluable. 



I look forward with the greatest interest to future developments 

 and earnestly hope that the project will meet with the approval of 

 the trustees. 



May I ask you to show this to Mr. Walcott, who has just written 

 to me in the same sense as you. 



I remain yours very sincerely, 



G. H. Darwin. 



G. F. Becker. 



P. S. — After writing the above I thought I had better consult 

 Milne. He writes: " Very much geophysical work may be done 

 in a laboratory, but it must not be overlooked that there is very 

 much that can be done outside the same. Many of the hitherto 

 suggested investigations, as for example, those relating to high 

 temperature phenomena, might be carried out at existing laborato- 

 ries, provided they had the means and the men." 



[Dr. W. Nernst to Mr. Walcott, A7igust 26, ipo2.'] 



[Translation.] 



GoTTINGEN, Au£-USt 26, ip02. 



To THE Secretary of the Carnegie Institution, 



Washington, D. C. 

 Dear Sir : I was unable to give an immediate answer to your 

 esteemed letter of May 5 of this year, because, owing to pressure of 



* See p 119, B. A. Rept., 1900. 



