PEEEACE. 



In March, 1899, I left England, in pursuance of my appointment as Balfour Student 

 of the University of Cambridge, with a commission to explore and investigate the Coral 

 Reefs of the Laccadives, Maldives, and Ceylon. As the south-west monsoon is unsuitable for 

 work from small craft in the Indian Ocean, it was proposed to devote the summer of 1899 

 to a thorough survey of the atoll of Minikoi, the most southern reef of the Laccadives. 

 In regard to subsequent work the Managers of the Balfour Studentship gave me complete 

 latitude to do as might seem fit. 



Subsequent donations of £300 from the Government Grant, administered by the Royal 

 Society, and of £30 from the British Association, decided me to proceed in October to the 

 Maldive Archipelago for an extended winter cruise. The latter was entirely successful in 

 its main results, although the expedition was considerably curtailed and seriously crippled 

 owing to the general rise in prices caused by the war in South Africa. 



I would like here to express the indebtedness of my party to His Excellency Sir 

 E. Noel Walker, K.C.M.G., late Acting-Governor of Ceylon; to the Hon. Mr Taylor, C.M.G., 

 late Acting-Colonial Secretary ; to His Highness Mohammadu Imaduddin, Sultan of the 

 Maldives, and his Viziers ; to the Board of Trade for passages to and fro between Ceylon 

 and Minikoi; to Capt. Channer, R.N., formerly an officer of H.M.S. Challenger, now Super- 

 intendent of Lighthouses in the Ceylon district, for many valuable hints and much local 

 information ; to Sheikh Jeevunjee Noorbhai for his generous help and assistance during the 

 time we were in the Maldives ; to Rear- Admiral Sir W. Wharton, Hydrographer, for advice 

 and loan of scientific instruments ; to Dr David Sharp for taking charge of the insect 

 collections ; to Sir John Murray, K.C.B., Prof Judd and Prof. Agassiz for advice and 

 assistance in many ways; and indeed to all kind friends and contributors for their aid. 



Above all I wish to acknowledge the great obligations of myself and my party to 

 Mr Adam Sedgwick for his great assistance and very active interest in the progress and 

 work of the expedition. 



In the work I was voluntarily assisted by Mr L. A. Borradaile (Selwyn College) and 

 Mr C. Forster Cooper (Trinity College), who have largely contributed to whatever measure 

 of success may have been attained. During five weeks in March and April, 1900, 

 Mr Forster Cooper took charge of the work single-handed at a time when I was in- 

 capacitated by fever. My thanks are also due to Capt. Molony, S.S. Ileafaee, for his help 

 in surveying Suvadiva and Addu atolls ; and further to Mr Geo. Sheldrake, in charge of 

 S.S. Thruuscoe, during our visit stranded on Minikoi, for practical help on many occasions. 



