KEMARKS ON DR. PEARSOn'S REVIEW. 125 



April, and May. With reference to the pearl banks, there is 

 every reason to anticipate that Dr. Pearson's experience 

 thereon will result in some modification of his present opinions, 

 and, whatever these opinions may ultimately be, they will 

 then be of greater value. As far as my own work is concerned, 

 I am prepared to let it stand as it is. It was never intended to 

 be complete, and only future years can bring to Ught its value 

 or otherwise. The severe criticisms to which my reports have 

 been subjected have resulted in new ideas and explanations 

 having been advanced in order to explain away the results 

 acquired dm-ing five years. The criticisms have, however, 

 only extended the field of possible explanations, and have left 

 me the more conviaced that the results already obtained first 

 require to be understood before they can' either be extended 

 or supplanted. As in the present Paper I have nothing to 

 add to my published reports, I propose replying under the 

 headings adopted in Dr. Pearson's Paper seriatim. 



Brief Resume of Scientific Work. 

 Dr. Pearson remarks that the results of the work of Captain 

 Kerkham and myself " are naturally of a somewhat meagre 

 nature." At the same time he complains of the scarcity of 

 information as to what took place during the earher part of 

 our work. Further, where we give full and careful accounts 

 of oiu* work, as in the case of currents, the results are not 

 accepted by him, and it is stated that these results are not 

 convincing, and that more work is needed on this important 

 point. The latter part of this remark is gratuitous. We 

 repeatedly made this statement in our own reports. Whether 

 the information referred to is available or not, Dr. Pearson 

 commences his investigation of the questions connected with 

 the pearl banks with a fund of published information which no 

 other worker has ever possessed. Under such circumstances 

 his complaint is hardly logical. Moreover, all information 

 available which he may require can be had for the mere asking. 

 The period regarding which no published reports are obtainable 

 synchronized with a period of barrenness, and the importance 

 of information regarding this period is dwelt on by Dr. Pear- 

 son. The barren years still persist, and the opportunity is 

 thus present for the necessary data being collected now. 



