September 19, 1902.] 



SCIENCE. 



461 



and it is probable that both methods will 

 be adopted. The trustees will doubtless 

 follow the principle laid down for the 

 Smithsonian Institution by Henry and will 

 not undertake anything that can be done 

 equally well by other agencies. They wiU 

 cooperate with existing institutions and 

 promote new and independent centers 

 of research, rather than establish any 

 institution that might rival those al- 

 ready in existence, or undertake the 

 control of the agencies that they may 

 assist. Thus the Smithsonian Institution 

 performed a service of immense value in 

 inaugurating investigations in meteorology 

 and fish culture and then letting these 

 develop into the Weather Bureau and the 

 Fish Commission. It has done work of 

 eqiial importance in fostering the National 

 Museum, the Bureau of American Ethnol- 

 ogy and the Zoological Park, but in my 

 opinion the time has now come when these 

 institutions should be released from their 

 leading strings. 



It appears to me that neither of the two 

 plans which I have heard especially dis- 

 cussed for the Carnegie Institution is ad- 

 visable — namely, the erection of a geo- 

 physical laboratory at Washington and the 

 acquirement of the Marine Biological Lab- 

 oratory at Woods Hole. I should suppose 

 that a geophysical laboratory at Washing- 

 ton would do work that might be under- 

 taken by the Coast and Geodetic Survey 

 and the Geological Survey, and would 

 prevent the government from doing such 

 work. It would seem to be better for the 

 Carnegie Institution to employ a commis- 

 sion to outline the geophysical researches 

 most needed, and then to promote them by 

 providing equipment and making it possi- 

 ble for those most competent to undertake 

 the work, always looking forward to the 

 time when it can be handed over to the 

 government. Even the great income of 

 the institution, if divided among the 



sciences, is limited when compared with 

 the $1,000,000 appropriated by the govern- 

 ment for the Geological Survey. 



The acquirement of the Marine Biolog- 

 ical Laboratory at Woods Hole is, it seems, 

 being seriously considered by the execu- 

 tive committee of the institution, and this 

 plan, may therefore with advantage be 

 discussed in some detail. It appears that 

 the corporation has voted to transfer the 

 laboratory to the Carnegie Institution. It 

 was stated at the meeting of the corporation 

 that the executive committee would recom- 

 mend to the trustees the acceptance of the 

 laboratory, the erection of buildings and 

 an annual allowance of $20,000. It was 

 the preference of nearly all the members 

 of the corporation that the laboratory 

 should be assisted by the Carnegie Insti- 

 tution without being made a branch of it ; 

 but the alternative was placed before them 

 of giving away the laboratory or losing the 

 large support of the Carnegie Institution 

 and perhaps witnessing the establishment 

 of a rival laboratory. 



Now the Woods Hole laboratory has been 

 dear to many biologists of the country 

 exactly on account of its independent posi- 

 tion and democratic organization. It is 

 the only institution of national importance 

 that is controlled by scientific men. There 

 is a corporation composed chiefly of those 

 who have carried on research in the labora- 

 tory, and this corporation elects trustees 

 who represent different universities. The 

 results have been what might have been 

 anticipated from this democratic organiza- 

 tion; there have, on the one hand, been 

 financial troubles, and, on the other hand, 

 there have been great enthusiasm, loyal 

 devotion and much self-sacrifice. It seems 

 that this is a ease where the Carnegie Insti- 

 tution might relieve the financial difficul- 

 ties withoiit suppressing the public spirit 

 and service of those who now conduct the 

 laboratory. If the institution should offer 



