The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1906-12-27
OCEANOGRAPHY
INSTITUTION FOR
PACIFIC OCEAN
William AIanson Bryan's Plan for
Scientific Research in These Waters
Endorsed byWeILKnown Scholars.

A projected Pacific scientific institu-
with headquarters in Honolulu. ad-
vocated by William Alanson Bryan
formerly with the Bishop Museum, and
now on his way east to enlist support
for the scheme, was laid before the
Social Science Club recently. 1T was
an extended report on suggestion
made by Mr.. Bryan last summer In
New York before scientific institu-
ton. The matter was then given con-
siderable impetus through letters which
MIR. Bryan received from prominent
scientific men all over the country.
Among those commencing the scheme
were w. H. Holmes, Chief of Bureau
of American Ethnology, Smithonian In
stitution; Chas. D. Walcott, Director,
United States Geological Survey; Sir
John Murray, Director the Challenger
Exploring Expedition Around the
World, ETC.; 4. Rathbun, Assistant
Secretary in charge of National Mu-
scum, Washington; Nicholas Murray
Butler, President Columbia University;
Charles r. Bishop, one of the founders
OF the Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum;
Barton Everman, Assistant in Charge
Scientific Inquiry Bureau of u. S. Fish
cries; c. Hart Merriam, Chief of the
U. S. Biological Survey; H. w. Hen
shaw, Administrative Assistant of the
T.. s. Biological Survey.
AS preface to the proposed Pacific
institution, Mr.. Bryan gives the his
tory of the four years scientific cruise
of the British man-of-war Challenger,
and tei4s of the science of ~oeeano-
graphy. A trifie over century ago
the Challenger left Sheerness, England,
on its wonderful journey of discovery
around the world. Although something
less than four years were expended IN
exploration and observation in idly
dropping a plumb line into the water,
so unthinking men said, it took nearly
five times as long to put the data OBJ
tanned in comprehensive order. This
voyage is one of the greatest monu-
ments TO English science. 1t was con-
Quoted in the main under Sir John
Murray.
Mr.. Bryan says it is not to be sup
posed that the Challenger completed
the work of deep sea exploration Since
then other epoch-making expeditions
have been carried out. This science OF
the ocean has become so important
that the Prince of Monaco IS now its
chief patron and benefactor. The
Prince has recently organized the IN
stitute of Oceanography in Paris and
will endow it with a fund of Sl,0OO,ooo.
The institute will be broadly interna-
tionaI in its scope with the leading
oceanogra piers of all countries in its
scientific council. Its business will be
to furnish the facilities for the prose-
cution of oceanographic research, to
assist investigations. to conduct eX-
plorations and to publish results In
line with this is the Carnegie Institute
at Washington, D. G. This was launch
ed with a 800 900 endowment.
Mr.. Bryan in treating of the advan-
tages Honolulu offers for the establish-
ment of a college for the study OF
ethnology and biology, states that the
islands possess extraordinary ana
unique natural and strategic advan-
tages for such Investigations, such as
can. in time, develop great twen-
tieth century international institution
of discovery and research for this part
of the werld an institution that VIII
not only be of inestimable value ana
credit to these islands. but power Ior
good in the WOrlQ, one iHdl "ooAN
mean more to the development OF TINS
ocean than would the mere duplication
here of any one of the greatest Amer
ican educational institutions of today
Mr. BRYAN states that the idea or ex-
YIoriny the Pacific Ocean is not a new
one For years it has been the dear
est dream of ethnologists. botanlsts
and biologists The chief object or the
present plan, he says. is to estapiish
i'm Honolulu .scientific INSTITUTION
which would have as it's chief OBJECT
tbe promotion of an ethnographical ana
biological survey of the Pacific lslanos
and their shores and in so doing 10
encourage in a general way, investlSa-
,ion research and discovery in the
neean at large He says he submitted
the plan in writing to the gentlemen
above mentioned, who commended the
project.
If the exploration of the Pacinc IS
lands is to be undertaken during the
present generation and the Hawaiian
Islands made TO reap the chief Dement'S,
he islands must provide many of the
facilities necessary in the carrying on
If the research work Mr.. Bryan be-
ieyes there are men in the community
Who vii, take an interest in the project {
scientific men of all countries, says
ar. BRYAN, admit that the Pac1hc S
ocean. with its cloud of islands, hum
dreds of which have not been landed C
m by a scientific man. presents the