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PACIFIC EXPLORATION: J. F. HAYFORD 
definitely; they will be past before we have had time — two, three, or 
four years — for the deliberate development of our plans. It is there- 
fore with no idea of immediate action that the dreams of certain spare 
hours and days in the last two years have here been written down in 
brief outline; nor is it with the least intention or expectation on my part 
of sharing in the work of exploration, if the dreams are realized, that the 
outline is here presented. The work must be done by men of middle age 
or less, and they must be selected and directed by whomsoever brings the 
dreams into execution. If some antipodal Croesus rise to the occasion, 
the plan is his and welcome; but I believe that, if the plan is carried out 
at all, it vv^ill be by Americans, to whom the scientific conquest of the 
Pacific may make strong appeal. Even after the war is over, European 
munificence, if any of it survive, will be heavily burdened with home 
duties : and while the war lasts, even American capital may be so largely 
invested in commercial enterprises that little of it will be diverted to 
science: but when peace comes it is by no means beyond the limit of 
possibilities that our plan may arouse the interest of an American 
patron; for America's outlook upon the Pacific is large. Hence, in 
scientific as well as in national affairs, preparedness may well be our 
motto; and the first step in preparedness is — not a precipitate plunge into 
uncorrelated action — but the careful consideration of a comprehensive 
plan. 
All that can be accomplished today is, to summarize a few of the 
broad problems that have been opened but not closed in the greatest 
of the world's oceans; and this wdll be done by the following speakers, 
who have generously responded to my appeal. Each one will touch 
briefly on certain topics — ^merely a few of many — yet representative, 
each one of all. I shall at some later time ask again if the whole subject, 
of which a few parts now are to be set before us, is not worthy of further 
consideration by the Academy, in the hope — not a vain hope, I believe — 
that the preparation of a well developed plan of investigation may be 
the prelude to a grand undertaking and a superb accomplishment. 
THE IMPORTANCE OF GRAVITY OBSERVATIONS AT SEA 
ON THE PACIFIC 
By John F. Hayford 
COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING. NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY 
Read before the Academy. April 17, 1916. Received. May 24, 1916 
The time is ripe for decided advances in our knowledge of geodesy 
and geology to be made by a study of observed values of gravity. Ob- 
servations for this purpose are needed at sea, especially — rather than 
