REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON EXPLORATION IN ALASKA. 



(Accejited April 3, 1891.) 



Washington, D. C, April 3, 1891. 

 To THE Board of Managers of the National Geographic 



Society, 



Washington, D. C. 



Gentlemen : Your Committee, instructed " to consider the ad- 

 visability of further Alaskan exploration by the Society this 

 year and if deemed advisable, to consider and report upon ways 

 and means for accomplishing it," respectfully submit the follow- 

 ing report : 



The general question of desirability has been decided afhrm- 

 atively by the Board of Managers ; it therefore is inferred that 

 the question of advisability may be taken as involved in that of 

 ways and means. 



In outlining a plan of work, concerning which such inquiry is 

 to be made, it has been found necessary, in the lack of formu- 

 lated opinion by the Society, to make assumptions as to what 

 should be its purpose and policy in undertaking exploration. 

 It is assumed tentatively that in order best to further the object 

 for which the Society is organized, namely, " the increase and 

 diffusion of geographic knowledge," the aim in exploration 

 should be not so much to ]3romote the growth of science as to 

 diffuse a general interest in geographic work in its several de- 

 ])artments, and, adhering to the principle of attractiveness, to 

 increase the sum of knowledge by discovery and by the addition 

 of general and elementary facts rather than by detailed investiga- 

 tion, for appreciation of which scientific training must be pre- 

 supposed. It is furthermore believed that the policy of the 

 Society should be to invite cooperation, offering opportunity at 

 the same time for special study in related sciences ; to effect the 

 organization and devise the plan, and itself to take part directly 

 in field work only so far as may be necessary to initiate and 

 promote it. 



Your Committee find that apparently it will be practicable, 



(248) 



