Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-02-13
THE SECRETS OF LIFE.
Object of Biological Laboratories at
Tortugas and on Long Island.

Object of Biological Laboratories at
Tortugas and on Long Island.
From the Boston Transcript
Fresh interest in the Carnegie Institution
is awakened by the selection under it's au-
spices and with it's support of two locat lions
for biological labora tories to accommodate
those branches of its service that deal with
the beginnings, the development and the
mutations of life itself These laboratories
are to be established at Cold Springs Harbor,
on Long Island, and at Dry TortugaS. The
former will be the more important, or at
least will begin it's work on larger scale
and with better auxiliary equipment than
the other, 1naSmuch as it will be in close
proximity to the Brooklyn Institute and to
the hatchery of the New York state fish
commission, and during the two busy sum-
mer months when investigation is most ac
tive their facilities will be placed at it's dis
posal Along the upper end of the harbor a
sandspit runs nearly the whole distance,
forming an almost inclosed basin which is
very rich in marine life, while the channel
between it and the outer harbOr exhibits
rank growth of algae among which mol
lusks and echinoderms are abundant.
There was some prospect at time
that the laboratory established at Woods
Hole, at which excellent work has been
done for some years, would be incorporated
in the general system of the institution, but
the selection of Cold Spring harbor was
made upon the advice of Prof. Charles B.
Davenport of Harvard and Chicago univer-
sites, who will be the directing head of the
new labora tory, and whose achievement in
the past justifes the highest expectation
of the new line of investigation in which he
is to engage. Researches into tropical ma
rfne life have not been carried so far in
higher attitudes, and rich discovery, it is
believed, awaits the work at Dry Tortugas.
which will be under the direction of Prof.
Alfred G. Mayer, formerly of Harvard and
now president of the geological department
of the Brooklyn Institute of Arts and Sci
enceS.
Science seems to be adventuring into
broader realms of mystery than ever be-
fore. 1t is holder and more persistent than
at any previous time in the worlds history.
1t is building not for today, but for all
time The structure which it proposes to
rear is boundleSS and its fearlessneSS and
faith are in striking contrast to the timidity
with which not so many years ago it APP
preached problems which now seem SIM
pie If not almost contemplate. Could Prof.
Darwin return and witness the emancipa-
ton of mind wrought by his doctrine of
evolution he would have no reason to re-
proach himself for contributing nothing to
the worlds progress. 1t is nothing less
than the secret of life that it is proposed
to probe at these laboratories. How. does
1t start; upon what conditions does it de-
pend in the scale Of ascent or DESCENT AS
Prof. Blackford of the fish and game COM
mission says of it: Neither Prof Daven-
port nor any one else expects to live to see
the work undertaken more than just be-
gun 1t is laid out on lines comprehend
ing the causes Of maintenance and develop
ment that will require course of observa-
ton possibly centuries"
These men declare that the Cold Spring
branch will be the greatest experimental
laboratory in the world They are not pre-
dieting results for it is knowledge and not
a demonstration of the depths of the know
able, already sounded, at which they are
aiming. They will live in world of new
and inspiring lessons. and what 1t teaches
them they will lay before that broader if
not deeper world In which most of us
dwell.