HYDROGRAPHICAL INVESTIGATIONS 221 



conclusions founded on the study of samples may 

 be wrong ones, and no one will deny that, the 

 greater the number of observations, the more 

 valuable the conclusions. In any well-considered 

 scheme of fisheries or oceanographical research, 

 this source of error is taken into account. The 

 history of the science of the zoological distribu- 

 tion of animals on the surface of the earth (which 

 science is based on the study of " samples ") 

 abounds with instances of errors of this kind ; 

 but the conclusions have, nevertheless, a very 

 real value, because the errors were discovered 

 and checked. There is no doubt that those who 

 formulated and are carrying out the scheme of 

 international investigations in connection with 

 the sea-fisheries have considered this source of 

 error, and are taking steps to minimise it. The 

 more exploring vessels, voyages, and samples there 

 are, and the longer the period of investigation, 

 the more reliable will be the results. Even 

 with much more limited resources than the 

 international organisation possesses, very valuable 

 results have been attained. If there were more 

 vessels and a larger staff employed, it is, of course, 

 certain that the ultimate results would be better. 

 But there are limits to the generosity of govern- 

 ments supporting schemes of scientific investiga- 

 tion, and in the present case these were reached. 



