670 



SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. XXVII. No. 695 



ical observations, marine expeditions of the 

 past have been merely extensive collecting' 

 trips. Only few and imimportant studies of 

 living forms are possible upon a ship at sea, 

 and practically all of the animals and plants 

 collected are thrown immediately into pre- 

 servative fluids in order that their more or 

 less distorted remains may be sent ashore for 

 distribution among specialists of research. In 

 anthropology, geography, geology and kindred 

 sciences the results are hardly more satisfac- 

 toi-y, for it is only rarely that a vessel can 

 remain in any one port long enough to enable 

 her scientific staff to do more than make a 

 mere reconnaissance. 



Yet modern science is being advanced by 

 intensive and accurate, not by extensive and 

 cursory, observations. As time goes on the 

 superficial in science commands less and less 

 of our respect; and yet after an expenditure 

 of millions by all civilized nations upon a 

 score of marine expeditions we find that these 

 projects have achieved practically nothing in 

 the advancement of physiology, embryology, 

 cytology, ecology; or in any studies requiring 

 that plants or animals be maintained alive for 

 any considerable time, or that use be made of 

 the complex processes of experimentation in 

 vogue in the modem laboratory. 



My own experience, which results from 

 having been upon many marine expeditions 

 in all of the great oceans, forces me to con- 

 clude that not more than one fifth as much 

 work can be accomplished on ship-board as is 

 possible even in a moderately well-equipped 

 land station. Eeally good days at sea are 

 rare, and too often occur when the vessel must 

 either lie idle, hasten toward some distant 

 port, or be otherwise prevented from carrying 

 out scientific studies. Even if one be not 

 affected by sea-sickness, the constant rolling 

 of the ship, shaking due to engines, and un- 

 certain fluctuations of light in the laboratory 

 are most discouraging to accurate work. 



In future let us establish temporary land 

 stations for the scientiflc staff and use the 

 ship to supply such laboratories with their 

 equipment and with material for study as it 

 travels from station to station in accordance 

 with the requirements of its work. 



Only a few years ago such a plan would 

 have been impracticable, but within the past 

 five years the naphtha engine has been so far 

 perfected to marine use, and so many sailors 

 have become trained to its management, that 

 it now gives us an opportunity to provide each 

 temporary land station with a fast-moving 

 collecting boat always ready for immediate 

 service and capable of exploring every detail 

 of coast or ocean current within a radius of 

 many miles. 



Moreover, the modern perfecting of easily 

 transported portable houses which can readily 

 be erected on barren shores, and the great 

 variety one may now obtain of preserved 

 foods, render it possible to house and supply 

 investigators in temporary stations in regions 

 which only a few years ago were practically 

 inaccessible. 



The marine expeditions of the future 

 should, I think, aim to establish well-equipped 

 but temporary shore stations at salient points, 

 landing investigators here and there and 

 leaving them with servants, food, lodging, 

 apparatus and naphtha launches to avail 

 themselves of all the varied advantages af- 

 forded by a land laboratory. In this manner 

 a larger number of investigators than is at 

 present possible could be carried on the ex- 

 pedition; for most of them would make use 

 of the vessel merely for transportation from 

 station to station, and for necessary supplies. 

 A small staff permanently resident upon the 

 steamer itself would suffice for the prosecution 

 of such deep-sea studies as must needs be ac- 

 complished while at sea. 



There is sufficient room upon any sea-going 

 vessel for the transportation of several port- 

 able houses, half a dozen or more naphtha 

 launches, and for collectors, engineers, sailors 

 and cooks required for the service of the vari- 

 ous shore stations. 



Such a plan would not interfere with the 

 constant use of the ocean-going vessel itself, 

 which could readily carry out her proper sci- 

 entific work while traveling from station to 

 station, either to remove parties of investiga- 

 tors to other sites or to provide them with 

 specimens or supplies. 



We see, then, that this plan has the double 



