November 7, 1902.] 



SCIENCE. 



739 



article with a good deal of interest, and I 

 do not at all question your feeling that the 

 discussion of the possibilities of the gift 

 while the organization is yet forming can 

 hardly result in embarrassment, and ought 

 to materially help the trustees. I quite 

 agree with you that there ought to be found 

 a better plan than the permanent shoulder- 

 ing of the burden of a large research estab- 

 lishment, and particularly of one devoted 

 to one department of science if this is to 

 prevent the reaching of a helping hand in 

 other directions, as time brings their needs 

 to light. And I quite agree with you that 

 it would be unfortunate in the long run if 

 the fund, which, though large, is not un- 

 limited, were to be invested in any project 

 which the Government or any of the better 

 equipped existing institutions could under- 

 take, perhaps with the temporary aid that 

 you suggest. To come into the field of any 

 of the Government bureaus that have ample 

 publication funds would, as you well say, 

 result in little if any good, and might ac- 

 tually do harm. 



In a nutshell, while I have not given the 

 matter enough thought to warrant the pub- 

 lication of a suggestion even, I have sup- 

 posed that the opportunity of the Institu- 

 tion lies in the day-to-day and year-to-year 

 use of its funds for the furtherance of the 

 work of any earnest worker in need of aid 

 — whether an individual or an institution. 

 This presupposes the conservation of any 

 sum not needed at any given time, against 

 the day of its real need, with an unusual 

 amount of earnest search for the best place 

 of using it at any given time— for there 

 is no doubt that the most worthy indi- 

 viduals and institutions that could use it 

 are likely to be least forward in applying 

 for aid, either from pride or modesty.* 

 Wm. Trelease. 



* The above letter was not written for publi- 

 cation, and was received before the current dis- 

 cussion had been begun, but is printed with the 

 consent of the writer. 



Pressure of official duties makes it im- 

 possible for me to write at present an 

 article on the Carnegie Institution. You 

 are, however, at liberty to quote me to 

 the effect that it would be inadvisable for 

 the institution to erect either a geophysical 

 laboratory at Washington or to acquire the 

 Marine Laboratory at Wood's Hole. I 

 think that the policy should be followed 

 of promoting geophysical researches along 

 lines not specifically treated by govern- 

 mental institutions. Men of parts and 

 ability should be encouraged by grants, 

 under such restrictions as to continuance 

 from year to year as would produce re- 

 sults. Many permanent officials should be 

 discouraged; it is difficult to get rid of a 

 man when he once holds office, no matter 

 if it is evident to every one that his mental 

 powers and physical energy are waning. 

 I do not believe that there should be any 

 large laboratory built by the institution, 

 believing that more effective work and bet- 

 ter results could be obtained by subsidiz- 

 ing laboratories now in existence. In 

 short, I hold that the activities of the in- 

 stitution should be kept well in hand under 

 the control of the central commission, so 

 that the rapidly shifting phases of re- 

 search may receive timely attention through 

 the abandonment of some lines and the 

 taking up of others. This would make the 

 Carnegie Institution in a way the center 

 of the spirit of scientific investigation of 

 the United States. 



A. W. Greelt. 



SCIENTIFIC BOOKS. 



Animal Activities. A First Boole in Zoology. 

 By ISTathaotel S. French, Ph.D. New 

 York, Longmans, Green & Co. 1902. Pp. 

 xxi + 262, with illustrations. 



Elementary Zoology. By Vernon L. Kel- 

 logg, M.S. New York, Henry Holt & Co. 

 1901. Pp. XV -1-492, with illustrations. 



