New-York tribune., 1872-09-10
THE HASSLER EXPEDITION.

| The limited States Coast Survey steamer
| Hassler has reached her destination on the "a
cifc coast. and the party of scientific observers
under Prof Agassiz, who, by the courtesy OF
the Government, were allowed to avail them
selves of her facilities, has dispersed. We
print elsewhere the final letter from the expe-
dition. Their success has on the whole been
marked, and in some directions extraordl-
narily great, although owing to circum-
stances beyond their control they did not
accomplish the results proposed before
their departure, in deep-sea dredging and
pbysical researches. The very detentions
which prevented their having time to work
on the ocean. gave them the better opportu-
mites to make collections at the ports in which
they were detained Whatever turned up, 1t
seems to have turned to Agassiz's benefit; for
| he displayed foresight for preparation,
| and a quickness In seizlng opportunities
| which insured success. 1t is nov
| city in the history of science to have
an exploring expedition accompanied and
directed by a man of so thorough training, so
| extensive experience, of so remarkable keen
ness and accuracy in observation, and of such
genius in interpreting observed facts. He is
ness and the wisdom to refrain from speculat-
| ing and simply to confess ignorance when
| the meaning of facts is not apparent. His
observations on the results of the dredging,
! and his report on the geological history of
the southern part of the Continent of South
| America, have already appeared in our col
umns, and will be everywhere recognized as
valuable contributions to knowledge.
| The great success of the expedition, as we
have already intimated. has been in the col
| lection of marine and other animals The gen
| tlemen in Massachusetts, who contributed so
literally toward paying the expenses of the
party, provided a goodly quantity of alcohol,
and it has come in play. About $500 gallons
have been used in packing animals, keeping
| them thus in a soft state ready for dissection
| and study in the Museum of Comparative Zool-
| ogy. This great collection includes, if we take
the dry as well as alcoholic specimens, every kind
of animal in all departments, from man (repre-
sented by ancient Peruvian and other Indian
skulls) downward-beasts, birds reptiles, fishes,
| and invertebrates innumerable. The fish will
| be of especial value. In collecting them Agas-
siz, whose own brightest laurels were won in
investigating that class of animals, has been
assisted by the indefatigable zeal and industry
of DR.. Franz Steindachner of Vienna, whose
high attainments in ichthyology have rem
| dered his aid worth more than any other mans
could possibly have been.
If Agassz's zeal for science can be 'equaled
| by any other passion in him, it must be by
his love to his adopted country, and by his de-
sire to bring our educational institutions to
higher standard; to teach our teachers how to
| stimulate and to guide original inquiry, origi-
nal investigations in natural science. The
Museum of Comparative Zoology which he
organized, and which he has sustained and
brought to its present state of prosperity,
has been a school of natural his
tory, of great efficacy in stimulating
the study of nature throughout the
whole country; its direct and indltect in
fuences can be traced in almost every State
of the Union. The advantages which this in-
stitution might reap from the expedition en-
tered largely into the considerations which
induced him to give this year of labor to col
Letting; and those advantages will be, for the
reasons already stated much greater than he
anticipated. The great number of specimens
preserved in alcohol, which this cruise adds
to those previously gathered, will en-
able Cambridge to offer the best opportunity
in the world to the student who would make
original investigations in comparative zoology;
that is, provided the liberality of the citizens
and Government of Massachusetts, continue
to furnish the means to arrange and preserve
what is collected. The invested funds of the
institution are utterly insufficient, and it is
dependent upon annual gifts and appropria-
tions by the State. These ought TO
be continued and rather increased, while
yet the first curator of the Museum lives to
direct its expansion and arrangement. His
years are like the Sybilline books-every one
that passes increases the value of those that
remain. He ought to have the means placed