The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1899-11-29
THE CORAL REEFS
Important Work of a
Stanford Man.
Natural SeaWaiIs That Make GOOD
Harb RS Steady Growing
Sons % C.mers.

STANFORD UNIVERSITY, Nov. Il.
After seven mon his absence Wee
President John Casper Branner of
Sanford University returned today
from an important scientific expedition
TO Brazil, made at the instance of Pro-
feS5or Alexander AgaSsiZ Of Harvard
University. He left here, accompanied
by several Stanford sLud.5nus, early last
May, and comes back laden win yaIu-
abe specimens and data. The studon,s
who accompanied hlm returned some
weeks ago.
On the northeastern coast Of Brazil,
and extending from Natal sou Inward a
distance OF over 1900 miles to Rio
Jane.lo, are renarka Die formations OF
coral and sandstone reefs running
parallel 20 the coast line and distant
from H. a few feet TO five or SIX mi e5.
II was these reefs that DR.. Branner and
the party under HIN Went to examine,
with the idea Of gathering data which
would GEAR up some of the disputed
points. about the reef formation aad
the geological history Of The coast. It
is known TO scientists that coast lines
in different parts of the world as in
New Jersey and COUNT res on the
northwestern coast OF Europe, for in
soanCe, are r.Sng or sinking, and this
knowledge is OF great va.ue to geo-o-
giGts in problems connected with their
science.
Whether or not such movements are
now taking or have taken pace in Bra
I'll has been discussed for some time,
and no effort has heretofore been made
to gea complete data Cn the subject. A
study Of the reef formations showed
significant fossils and the work Of sea-
urchins and other animal forms sew
eral Ieet above hlgh-WateI marx, watch
is conclusive evidence thai the coast
has risen. Dr.. Branner found that it
had gone up from four to twenty feet.
The formation of the coral and sand
stone reefs is closely connected with
this problem. A half century ago a
theory was advanced by the elder
Agassiz that the corals were growShs
from land which had undergone de-
preston. Murray, another noted
scientist on c:rct1nnavigat:ng the
globe on the famous Challenger expe-
dition came to the cen ,rary cOnc,u-
sion that the coral had grown up from
points OF land near the surface OF the
water. These conflicting views are
closely related to the geological histo-
ry Of tle cOas,- and have been tho
roughly considered n DR.. Branner's
inyeSti cations. There has also been a
DISPUTE as 20 which Of the reefs are
coral and which are sandstone, and the
results of the expeditions researches
are at least able to dispr0ye the ground
taken heretofore by geological author
titles that The coral reefs prsdOm,na G
numerically.
The reefs are considered wonderful
formations by all wmo know Of them.
They are practically giganti" some
walls which rise a little above the
water at high tide. They are in some
places several hundred feet wide. and
behind them are the best Of h3rb0r5
for the smaller craft. Dr.. Br3nner got
many pictures of Them and these W. II
be embodied in his report to Professor
Agassiz. A great many specimens
have also been brought and types of
chem w.ll be sent to Professor Ag2ss-z
the balance remaining here.
In addition 10 the 1900 miles Of coast
line examined nearly 1000 miles were
travelled in the interior, Of which 200
were traversed on foot. Professor
Branner lived in Brazil for many years,
and in returning TO that country was
able to make a comparative study o.
economic and social conditions. He
round many advances. He saw a num-
her OF former Stanford students who
are located at Sac Paulo.
When DR.. Branner arrived in the
country the question of American ex
pansi0n vas AZ its height, and the sus-
picious Brazilians naturally thought he
and mis- party, since they were to ex-
anime the coast, were looking for
places, 10 land United States troops,
which would in due time seize Brazil
for their country. The United States
steamer Wilmington was at the same
time exploring and mapping some OF
the rivers, and this gave cause for ad-
ditional alarm. However, DR.. Branner
had been provided by the Brazilian
Minister at Washington wiz h let'er to
the governments OF several of the
states. and when once they learned the
true character Of the exped 't:on the
Government did all IN it's power to aid.