444 



SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. XXXIII. No. 847 



the staff during the year. It is of interest 

 to note in this connection that researches 

 from the laboratory find ready access for 

 prompt publication through current jour- 

 nals both at home and abroad. Many of 

 these papers have already been published 

 in German as well as in English and ar- 

 rangements have been made during the 

 year to maintain this doubly effective mode 

 of publication. 



Six years ago, M^hen the duties of the 

 presidency were assumed by the writer, he 

 deemed it desirable to visit at the earliest 

 opportunity all individuals pursuing re- 

 searches under the auspices of the institu- 

 tion. It soon developed, however, that a 

 speedy accomplishment of this task would 

 prove quite impracticable, and it became 

 essential to adopt a much more restricted 

 program of activities in this direction. 

 Thus, while nearly all other departmental 

 establishments of the institution have been 

 visited by the president prior to the past 

 year, his first visit to the Tortugas Labora- 

 tory was not made until June, 1910. Hav- 

 ing already entertained very favorable, 

 but somewhat indefinite, opinions concern- 

 ing the wisdom of the choice of this locality 

 for a marine laboratory, it is fitting to 

 state that the extraordinary biological re- 

 sources and the salubrity of the summer, 

 climate of the Tortugas group are so evi- 

 dent as to rouse the enthxisiasm of any 

 interested observer. As pointed out by the 

 director of the laboratory, the isolation 

 even of these islands furnishes important 

 advantages to the investigator. In brief, 

 the favorable impressions gained during 

 the first visit in respect to the locality and 

 in respect to the scientific spirit and possi- 

 bilities of the establishment are only tem- 

 pered by the present incapacity of the 

 institution to give more liberal financial 

 support to this department of work. 



Two emergencies seriously affecting the 



department and calling for prompt action 

 have arisen during the year. One is due 

 partly to the gradual abandonment by the 

 United States navy of the supply depot 

 and wireless station at Tortugas, thus 

 rendering communication between Key 

 West and the laboratory less certain and 

 frequent than hitherto. The curtailment 

 of this source of aid generously extended 

 by the navy to the laboratory during the 

 past six years has forced upon the de- 

 partment the necessity of providing better 

 independent transportation than that af- 

 forded by its best boat, the PJnjsalia. One 

 object, therefore, of the visit above re- 

 ferred to was to consider with the director 

 the best way to meet this urgent need. Ac- 

 cordingly plans and specifications for a 

 70-foot twin-screw boat were prepared dur- 

 ing the summer; and on authorization by 

 the executive committee, at its meeting of 

 October 18, 1910, a contract for the con- 

 struction of this proposed vessel was let 

 October 31, 1910, to the Miami Yacht and 

 Machine Co., of Miami, Fla., with the ex- 

 pectation that the contract will be com- 

 pleted July next. 



The other emergency arises from the 

 damage to the laboratory caused by the 

 hurricane of October 14-18, 1910. The 

 extent of this damage is not definitely 

 known at the present writing, but steps 

 have been taken to get trustworthy details 

 at the earliest practicable date, so that 

 estimates of the expense required to re- 

 store the building may be ready for sub- 

 mission to the board of trustees before their 

 next meeting in December. 



It is gratifying to note that the oppor- 

 tunities afforded for intensive research by 

 the laboratory are so highly appreciated 

 that applications for its privileges are al- 

 ready more numerous than can be granted. 

 Each year since its establishment additions 

 have been made to its equipment and the 



