4 T. P. ANDERSON STUART. 



When I was in Europe three years ago, I was consulted as to 

 the possibility of Sydney being the starting point for a expedition 

 to one of the South Sea Atolls, and having for its object the 

 realisation of Darwin's idea of boring and bringing up a core. The 

 Chairman of the Committee is Prof. Bonney, f.r.s., and the 

 Secretary Prof. Sollas, f.r.s., and the members of the Committee* 

 include the most distinguished British Geologists and others inter- 

 ested in the work and two of the sons of Darwin. As the matter 

 seemed to me to hardly come within the range of physiology, I 

 proposed to pass it on to somebody else, but it was urged that as 

 my share of the work would be entirely administrative, I deter- 

 mined to take it in hand myself and now I am glad that I did so, 

 for it has given me great satisfaction to help in bringing the 

 project to its present favourable outlook. 



On my return to Sydney I sent out a circular to such as I 

 thought might help me, giving the salient points of the scheme, 

 and requesting information. In answer to this I received some 

 replies, and thus, with the copious information derived by my 

 personal enquiries amongst missionaries, sailors, and traders in 

 Sydney, I was able to send a very satisfactory report to the Com- 

 mittee. The greatest material help was given by the enlightened 

 action of the Minister of Mines and Agriculture, the Hon. T. M. 

 Slattery, who under suitable conditions, so that the Colony shall 

 be put to no direct expense and so that its property will be duly 

 protected, has granted the use of a diamond drill in charge of one 

 of the department's officers, who will be paid by the Committee. 



The suitability of numerous islands has been carefully considered 

 by the Committee and my latest advices tell me that now the 

 choice is narrowed down to Funafuti in the Ellice Group or to 



* Sir Archibald Geikie, f.r.s., Professors A. H. Green, f.r.s., J. W. Judd, 

 f.r.s., C. Lapworth, f.r.s., A. C. Haddon, Boyd Dawkins, f.r.s., G. H. 

 Darwin, f.r.s., Anderson Stuart, Captain Wharton, f.r.s., (Hydrographer. 

 to Admiralty), Drs. H. Hicks, f.r.s., J. Murray, H. B. Guppy, Messrs. 

 F. Darwin, f.r.s., H. O. Forbes, G. C. Bowne, S. Hickson, A. E. Binnie, 

 J. D. Gregory, P. Fawcett. 



