The San Francisco call., 1896-06-24

Rainer-Grand, where he met the British
and Canadian commissioners, who will &C
company the commission north. DR..
Leonard Stejneger and Frederick A. Lucas
of the National Museum, who are of the
commission, have not yet arrived in the
city, and DR.. Jordon stated tonight that,
on account of their delay, the Albatross,
on which the party will make the trip,
will not leave until next Wednesday morn
ing.
DR.. Jordan tonight talked to a CALL
correspondent concerning the trip. The
British and Canadian Com mssioners re-
fused to be interviewed. No one of the
Am erican Commission knows what in
formation the foreign Commissioners viii
seek or what they will do after they get
there. They are strangers to the Ameri-
cans and go on the Abatross as guests.
They were appointed by their home gov
ernments, but their instructions are not
known. They stated that it would be
difficult for them to reach the desired
northern points, and DR.. Jordan and his
commission was asked to take them along
as his guests. The British Commissioners
are Darcy W. Thompson of the Uni
versity OF Dundee, Scotland, Chairman
of the British Commission. and Mr..
Hamilton of England, who went north by
way of Japan. and who will join the
Albatross party in Bering Sea. james
Macoun is the Canadian Commissioner,
Two japanese Commissioners will join the
party when the Albatross reaches Japan
seas.
''The United States Government" said
DIR. Jordan & is evening, has created this
commission and sends it to the north, in
order that 1T may ascertain everything
concerning the habits, life and history OF
the seals, as well as to learn as near as
possible the number of seals not only op
the American islands, but on all other
islands and in all other waters where seals
can be found. That is what we go north
for, and we will endeavor to the best of
our ability to get at the facts. have been
given instructions and have i'll my pocket
thirteen questions, which the Government
wants answered. l have given, in sub
stance, the object of the trip without
giving out any of the questions or any of
the instructions.
There is every reason why the COM
mission should be successful in its work.
We have the Albatross at our command,
good men to man her, and our accommo-
dations will be all that we can desire.
"a word about the commission: No
two men are more competent to deal with
the scientific aspects of the question than
are DIR. Stejneger and Professor Lucas.
The former, while in Norway, was recog-
nlzed as the most learned student of the
anatomy of birds in the world. Because
OF that he was asked by Professor Baird
to accept position in the National Mu-
scum, where he has been for twelve years
as curator OF reptiles He has contributed
many articles on birds and was in charge
OF one expedition to the seal islands. /
have proof-sheets of his report in my
pocket, which the Government of the
United States looks upon as a model of
its kind. He also had charge of the expe-
dition to Commander Islands, which
looked into all possible relics of the sea
cow, which was once found in the north,
but which has been extinct for half
century.
Professor Lucas is veil known as stu
dent OF anatomy, has written extensively
on birds and is the author of most of the
articles on higher animals in Johnson's
Encyclopedia. Joseph Murray is another
member of the commission. By reason of
his position as Special Treasury Agent on
the seal islands he has become familiar
with the economic aspects of fisheries in
all its details.
Charles II. Murray, the naturalist of
the Albatross, has been a member OF the
United States Fish Commission for twelve
years and has been on the Albatross since
it was turned over by the Naval Depart
ment to the commission. Captain ]. F.
M oser, commander of the Albatross, is a
member OF the commission and is re-
garded as one of the wisest and most ca
pable mem bers of the naval staff, and, as
1t happens, is an old friend of Lieutenant
Austin f. Knight, Mrs. Jordan's eldest
brother. George F. Clark of Stanford will
be secretary of the commission.