In Memoriam 



107 



4. That light-burning, an ideal protective measure in theory, in actual 

 practice does not protect. 



5. That in the use of fire there are such dangers that the use of the 

 method is open to serious question. 



6. That light-burning is admittedly the lesser of two evils, and is 

 based on the fundamental assumption that fire prevention cannot protect 

 the forests. On this assumption the light-burner says : "We will accept 

 the losses due to the method in preference to the larger losses which we 

 believe will occur under the other system." There is nothing to show 

 that this fundamental assumption is the correct one, and there is much 

 to show that forest-fire protection as practiced by the Forest Service in 

 California does in the main deliver consistent and effective protection 

 for the timberlands. 



• IN • MEMORIAM • 



• ROBERT • HOLLISTER • CHAPMAN • 



As we were about to go to press came the sad news that a distin- 

 guished member of the Sierra Club, Major Robert Hollister Chapman, 

 died on Sunday evening, January 11, 1920. Born at New Haven, Con- 

 necticut, July 29, 1868, he was only in his fifty-second year and at the 

 summit of his professional career as a topographic engineer. As a 

 member of the United States Geological Survey he explored and mapped 

 some of the wildest portions of the Southern and Western States, in- 

 cluding a portion of Death Valley and adjacent deserts, and parts of 

 the high Sierra. At the request of the Canadian Government, he joined 

 the Geological Survey of Canada in 1909, introducing American methods 

 into its work. During the war he was assistant to Brigadier-General 

 Bingham in organizing and perfecting the defenses of New York City. 

 He was an enthusiastic mountaineer, holding a long record of ascents, 

 many of them made in the remote, rugged wilderness of British Co- 

 lumbia and Alberta. For a number of years past he has been the sec- 

 retary of the American Alpine Club, an organization in which his 

 knowledge, experience, and enthusiasm will be sadly missed. He was 

 a fellow of the Royal Geographical Society of England and of the 

 American Geographical Society. Among his writings are many bulletins 

 published by the governments of the United States and Canada, as well 

 as scientific and descriptive articles. The loss of a man like Major 

 Chapman, a productive scientist of distinguished ability, a comrade and 

 fellow mountaineer of noble character and high purpose, will be sorely 

 felt in many circles. The editorial staff extends to his widow, Frances 

 Andrews Chapman, heartfelt sympathy. 



