Apbil 24, 1908] 



SCIENCE 



671 



advantage that it enables the expedition to 

 carry many more investigators than if all 

 were to remain constantly on board, as of old; 

 and it also greatly vridens the scope and in- 

 creases the efficiency of their individual re- 

 searches. 



There are many problems, yet awaiting solu- 

 tion, which previous marine expeditions have 

 either been obliged to neglect or have studied 

 in a superficial and unsatisfactory manner. 

 Such are: 



1. The determination of the depth of the 

 " red clay " which covers the floor of the deep- 

 est parts of the open oceans. Since the oceans 

 ceased to boil this deposit has been gathering 

 upon the floor of the deep sea, and a deter- 

 mination of its depth would enable us to form 

 an approximate estimate of the age of the 

 oceans themselves. 



2. The character of and influences affecting 

 ocean currents, especially at considerable 

 depths. 



3. The embryology of numerous creatures 

 of the open ocean and of the deep water, such 

 as Nautilus, the trachylina medusae, etc. 



4. A more accurate and intensive study of 

 the nature and origin of coral atolls. 



5. A more accurate study of the phenomena 

 of oceanic volcanic islands. 



6. A comparative study of the distribution 

 of life over the great oceans; both near the 

 surface, and at the bottom, over the open sea 

 and in the neighborhood of coasts. 



7. An intensive study of the arts, , legends 

 and habits of the native races of relatively 

 inaccessible regions. 



8. A more accurate study of meteorological 

 conditions, leading to a more perfect under- 

 standing of the nature of the trade winds, 

 tropical hurricanes, etc. 



The nature and scope of the problems must, 

 however, be determined by the capacities and 

 training of those constituting the scientific 

 staff of such an expedition. With a wisely 

 selected corps of able, energetic students more 

 might be accomplished upon an expedition 

 planned in accordance with this which we 

 have here crudely outlined, than has resulted 

 from even the most expensively equipped 

 marine expeditions of recent years, all of 



which have adhered to the old plan of at- 

 tempting to constitute of the vessel a floating 

 and traveling laboratory. 



Alfred Goldsborough Mayer 



THE MARYLAND GEOLOaWAL SURVEY 

 The Maryland legislature, which adjourned 

 a few days ago, provided $1,000,000 for the 

 work of the State Geological Survey during 

 the coming biennial period — $50,000 for the 

 geological investigations, topographic survey- 

 ing, and maintenance of the testing labora- 

 tory; $150,000 for the continuation of the 

 construction of the Baltimore-Washington 

 road, and $800,000 for the work under the 

 State Aid Highway Law, one half of the latter 

 to come from the state treasury and one half 

 from the county treasuries. Under the State 

 Aid Law the roads must be built in accordance 

 with the plans and specifications and under 

 the supervision of the engineers of the Geolog- 

 ical Survey. 



The Mayland legislature also passed a bill 

 providing for a bond issue of $5,000,000 for 

 the construction of a main artery system of 

 state highways 1,000 miles in length during 

 the next five years, $1,000,000 to be available 

 each year. A long and bitter fight developed 

 over the administration of this new fund, the 

 senate desiring it placed in the hands of the 

 State Geological Survey and the house wish- 

 ing a new commission. Just as the legislative 

 session was closing a compromise was efiected 

 by which a new commission of six members 

 was provided for, three to come from the Geo- 

 logical Survey. The understanding reached 

 was that Governor Crothers, President Ira 

 Eemsen, of the Johns Hopkins University, 

 and Dr. Wm. Bullock Clark, director of the 

 State Geological Survey, should be selected to 

 represent the survey. It was also agreed that 

 after this new commission had designated the 

 1,000-mile system the roads should be turned 

 over to the Geological Survey for construction. 

 The leading newspapers of the state, including 

 all of the daily papers of Baltimore, strongly 

 advocated the placing of the work under the 

 Geological Survey, where it would be effect- 

 ively managed and free from political influ- 



