334 



SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. XXX. No. 767 



Tufts College; Professor Theodore W. Eich- 

 ards, of Harvard University; Professors H. P. 

 Talbot and A. A. Noyes, of the Massachusetts 

 Institute of Technology; Professor Wilder D. 

 Bancroft, of Cornell University; Dr. Willis E. 

 Whitney, president of the American Chem- 

 ical Society, and M. Debierne, of Paris. 



THE NORTH POLE 

 Eeaders of Science will have been greatly 

 interested in the full reports published in the 

 daily papers in regard to Dr. Frederic A. 

 Cook's adventurous expedition. It is not nec- 

 essary to repeat here the descriptions that 

 have been published, and there is not at hand 

 an account of scientific results. The interest 

 is indeed dramatic and human rather than 

 scientific. A performance such as reaching 

 the North Pole or flying across the British 

 Channel would be rather a result made pos- 

 sible by scientific progress than an important 

 contribution to the advancement of science. 

 But courage and resourcefulness make a deep 

 effect on human nature ; scientific men may 

 well be pleased to note the exhibition of such 

 traits on the outskirts of their field. 



Prom a scientific man of the highest rank, 

 who has especial competence to form an opin- 

 ion on the subject, the editor has received the 

 suggestion that men of standing and repre- 

 sentative position be invited to sign the letter 

 that is subjoined. The editor would be pleased 

 to receive from scientific men their opinion 

 as to the desirability of such action, but sug- 

 gests that it would probably be best for the 

 leading geographical societies of the country 

 to unite in appointing a joint committee to 

 report on the subject. The proposed letter 

 reads: 



The statements published in the press rela- 

 tive to the claim of Dr. P. A. Cook that he 

 reached the North Pole on April 21, 1908, have 

 been of such a nature as to awaken, in many 

 minds, skepticism as to the validity of the 

 claim. If it be valid, it is highly important to 

 remove these suspicions as promptly and com- 

 pletely as possible. If it be invalid, it is not 

 less important that American men of science 

 withhold their acceptance of a questionable 



claim. In view of the fact that the observa- 

 tions and photographs which would be taken 

 by a competent person properly equipped, in 

 the course of a trip to the North Pole, should 

 bear ample evidence of its actuality, we ask 

 you to publish in Science the following re- 

 quests : 



1. That Dr. P. A. Cook publish as promptly 

 as practicable a full statement of the essen- 

 tial facts with all such data as will bear evi- 

 dence of the validity of his claim. 



2. That, if in your judgment, after confer- 

 ence with men of judicial attitude accessible 

 to you, this statement shall not of itself clear 

 away all reasonable grounds of suspicion, you, 

 as editor of Science, select a committee of 

 seven persons of critical knowledge in the 

 matters involved and request them to make a 

 critical examination of the data and give the 

 scientific public the benefit of their best judg- 

 ment. 



3. That, meanwhile, all American scientific 

 societies withhold all action relative to the 

 matter, to the end that if the attainment of 

 the North Pole is properly authenticated there 

 may be united action in doing the fullest 

 honor due to Dr. Cook, and that if the claim 

 is not authenticated there be equal unanimity 

 in withholding honor that has not been duly 

 earned. 



As the present issue of Science is going to 

 press, the news is announced of the successful 

 termination of Commander Peary's expedition 

 to the North Pole. 



SCIENTIFIC NOTES AND NEWS 

 Mr. Philip Fox, hitherto instructor in as- 

 trophysics at the Yerkes Observatory, Uni- 

 versity of Chicago, assumed the duties of 

 professor of astronomy in the Northwestern 

 University and director of the Dearborn Ob- 

 servatory, Evanston, Illinois, on September 1. 

 He is succeeded at the Yerkes Observatory by 

 Dr. Frederick Slocum, for several years as- 

 sistant professor of astronomy at Brown Uni- 

 versity, who has just returned from a year in 

 Europe, principally spent at the Koyal Astro- 

 physical Observatory at Potsdam. 



