New-York tribune., 1880-06-20
CENTRAL AMERICAN RESEARCH.

THE FRANCO-AMERICAN EXPEDITION.
IT'S PLANS DESCRIBED. BY MR.. ALLEN TH0RNDIKn
RIoK-THE LARGER PORTION OF rHE MONEY
SUPPLIED BY MR. PIERRE LoRILLARD-A sRARCH
FROM rEnUANrEPEC TO DARIEN-ONs SET on
PLASTER CASTS OF BAs-RRLlEEs AND NscRir-
TIoNs TO BE OFFERED TO THE SMITHSONIAN Ilo Z
sTITUTION.
To the Editor Of The TrfbWns
SIR: am requested to announce that ar
rangemen been completed fof an Arcb4oogca1
and Scientific Expedition TO Central America under sne
Joint auspices Of the Governments OF the United Staea
and of France objects Of the expedition now
already en- route, the investigation with some eps
proach to horoughuess and scientific method, OF the
monumental and other remains OF early Civilization ~
the nucleus OF New SpainYueaten, Guatemala ana tns
adjoining provinces Of Mexco-and generally the coiec'
tiOn of such data tend TO throw gn on tnc s"y
problems connected with the mysterious races
OF Anahuac. ~
The execution OF this scheme for many years on,
tertaned by Mr.. Pierre Lorard. OF New-York In whom
1t has the happy fate OF the present expedition 70
fiud munihcent fOsterfather. 1t now upwards OF
year since ON Mr. Lorards generous offer to bear the
whole OF the expenses undertook, at his request 70
organize the mission but proceeding 20 Europe,
became that the French Government w1s equip
ping expedition Of similar character. In order,
therefore, 10 facilitate the attainment OF our common
Objects aud avoid all appearance OF rivalry, coalition
was Effected aud It arranged TO place the present.
expedition under the command OF NJ. Desire CharnAys
who has twice before surveyed the ruins OF Mexico ana
Yucatan and who already known as 40 able writer on
| Central American antiquities.
The expenses OF the expedition, thoroughly equipped
for three years service will be about equally shared
| by the French Government and Mr.. Loriilard, the
former contributing partly in outfits etc., and ME- LOT.
Hard furnishing this larger portion OF the
funds required only just to acknowledge here the
extent to which that genemsns enlightened berauty
contributes to insure the OF tho enterprise In
particular it is Mr. Loriliard that the expedition
planned the present comprehensive scale emprac-
ing as does efficient staff and numerous assistants,
and having the power to increase its strength oy guard
OF hundred men occasion may require In addton
drawings and photographs both OF re-
mains and ethnographca types Mr. Charnay viii Do
able TO gather together mass OF Information whlcn
will be OF great independent value alike to the go
ographer naturalist and anthropoogst. and which
Will form, 1t Is to be hoped, seppngstone to some
thing like certain knowledge OF the origin aud chron'
| ology OF the great Central American
The expedition will have distinctive and and I'M
portant feature. By means OF Mr. Lottcn de Lavaps
process It WILL for the first tme take casts o! all I'm
portant bas-relets and inscriptions, and thus by pre-
serving placing within the easy reach OF students
the precious relics Of Auahuac civilization 1t VIII
do for the antiquities OF Central America what has al
ready been done amply for Egyptian and Assyriau
remains, and perhaps ultimately render possible the :
solution of the linguistic problem. One collection OF
these reproductions will be offered TO the Smithsonian
Institute Washington and atother will hnd resting
place IN the Trocadero of Paris where 1t will receive the
name of Collection Lorilard" In compliment TO the
chief promoter OF the expedition, Of which these coec-
ons WILL be lasting memorial 1t will probably be In
the power Of the British Museum and other representa-
tive institutions acquire duplicates OF these casts, In
| asmuch as they can be multiplied Indefinitely
| In the existing state OF our knowledge the
student OF early American civilization lie encoun-
| tered. almost at the threshold Of his subjects
| by doubt the one hand and dogmatsm
on the other striking popularity OF Central Amer1-
can architecture and ornament Its sided resem-
bance the wellknown styles Of the Old World, snd
especially Of Eastern Asia. According to Mr. Charnsys
who has recently returned from Java, the pyramidal
Teocalis xcan Houses Of God are In character
almost identical with japanese and Cambodan temples
while Mr. FERGUSON who supports this view, goes the
length saying that the resemblance between the Boro
Buddor and the temple OF Tochicalco, between tho
pyramids Of suka and Oaiaca is too startling to be &C
counted for on the ground Of accidental coincf-
dence The Palace the Governor ct Uxmal s adorned
with what have all the appearance OF Greek designs ana
beautiful vases res ard busts, Greek at least In STYLE
have found in Oajaca and other parts the bas-
relefs at Paenque distinctly Assyran IN character
st Izsmal the of the pyramid exhibits certain g.
gaptic figures which recall the Egyptian sphinx and In
vast variety Of forms the artistic spirit OF Chua and
India s clearly traceabe. TO this crowdng together,
and mngng styles Is be ascrbed the great variety
OF theories put forth explain tho genesis OF antique
| American culture Opposed however. to the idea OF
any great exodus thther from the Old World aro the
facts primitive races had no domestic animals,
knew only OF the cereals and were entirely tenor
rant of aphabetc writing we'll rs or the use of iron,
a,thoue oh living IN country abounding with But,
AZ Prescott remarks 1t Is easy TO come to conclusion,
II we Ok our attention exclusively on one phase OF the
subject and while have no bestatiop IN pro-
nouuong the civilization others certainly
d,scarn in It the OF Hebrew, Egyptian, Chinese or
Tartar origin just their attracted By the light
of analogy to this that other quarter There remains
uudoubedy oue and only way out Of all this per-
plexity and that the path Of the explorer The ma
ter,as sll exist from which the tissue OF absolute
| knowledge may be woven, and 80 axly has the work
heen conducted heretofore tnat not even aware
nj the actual extent of these materials Yet by properly
directed investigation the spot IL hoped that It viii
be possible to all the buildings III chronology
cal series to determine their intermedate rciaton anS
such essential points of similarity as may exist between
'T The field Of the present. expedition comprises the
eoer part OF Central America proper or that portion
S Sn hnt p1S 9e that
civilization attained its hialest development ana ei.
is incped to believe that this was the centre rom
s wnlS tSe 1es so@c whose descend
ants he the Mayas OF Ygcatan and the Clutches
of the condition of Guatemala at the time Of
the apoe"red as one city aud bis
not regarded as mere figure OF speech wnen aecoaas
| scattered over the entire surface. go
Working It's way around by oajaca the Expedition Will
investigate the sculptures Of Mount Aban and the rich
remains that region. II will then proceed TO Mta,
Examining aud moulding tie massive ornate structures
Which ere deBcatey reproduced In an excellent ,eres
NJ large published by Mr. Char nay IN 1858,
ana after spending time iD the mountainous and
almost xpiSred districts adjoining he LsauaIntepee
nous seat Of worship will yeld rich store OF inscrip
tons and relefs. Passing into Ylcat"n tle Expe
| dition will break much fresh ground and eventually
nenerate into the almost unknown hlllcouniry OF the
arke Lacadones Great inle st attaches also TO the
sn,ourn of the party the fvrce Muyas, who few
Years ago. themselves masters OF large part 0f
Encaan have It Is alleged reconstructed the old
towns with their forts and temples, and revived many
of fhe custons laws and dOatrOus rites OK their lore
! fnfh