The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1907-12-14
MONUMENTAL
SCIENTIFIC WORK
Continued from Page one.)

be natural species, but have facilitated
The migration of the human race it
self The configuration of the ocean
beds must be accurately determined
and a knowledge acquired of the in
habitants not only of his great deep
but of the island Httorals and of the
coral reefs.
A searching geological survey of the
Islands must also be compiled. together
with a knowledge of the climatology
of the entire region. The indigenous
mammals birds. reptiles and insects
must also be carefully collected and al
Iotted their classification in his realm
of natural species. Il
LANDMARKS GONE.
unfortunately for the modern search
er after truth, many of the landmarks
which would have assisted the present
work have for ever disappeared. So
MANY adverse influences have been at
work since the arrival of the white
man in the Pacific that innumerable
native species of the fauna and fora
have passed away. In the Hawaiian
Islands, ornithology, entomology, conch-
ology, botany, in fact every de-
nartment Of natural history furnishes
abundant testimony of the speedy ex-
termination of peculiar forms NOR
has the effect upon the original human
inhabitants themselves been less marx
ed. Upon the Polynesians, the mod
ifications which have been brought
about are SUCH that few reliable data
7 upon the condition of the original STOCK
or of its primitive customs, are now
obtainable from the inhabitants CT any
of the greet group or ISLANDS "AueA
these PIE now occupy.
The influence of modern civilization
unon less freauented parts of the Pa
lie orc fortunately less marked, and
from the region peopled by the Micro
nesian. Papuan and other less known
RACES of mankind, much is to be learn
cd In the western Pacific many IS
lands are still to be found upon Wnlch
10 scientific worker has set foot, anu
in these hidden corners of the WORT III
New Guinea and the Solomon lslanus'
are no doubt still preserved many pfiil-
tive survivals which must neeos
sufice for helping to solve the ques-
lions now to be investigated
MUST BE DONE AT ONCE.
Tho absolute necessity of undertake
7,o +be work at once is shown by the
silent havoc which is relentlessly oe
strovine so many native forms anu
primitive customs. Unless the lhNes-
+ie,a+ion he prosecuted energetlcaIy
now. in very few years the atteiL ~
Iii, he too late Ten years in the
condition of primitive man In the
ci6c viii bring about lncalcuidoAe
changes and the same length Oh tllne
will obliterate, for ever, lnnuIuerao l l,
nnrecorded geological and potaIical
-snecimens. The scientific preserNdtioH
of these records must be mace NO"
or for ever abandoned, and upon the
nresent generation will be the re-
proach of neglecting the great oppor-
1unftv which is still before IT.
HONOLULU THE PLACE.
situated in mid-Pacific, Honolulu
affords the best the only posslple
center from which this great worn
osn be conducted. Thoroughly moo
ern CITY. equipped with every facliilS
for the conduct of this great enter
-nrise. the opportunity before TINS CITY
Is unique. and if made proper use %
lin GIVE her an enviable reputation
in the annals of scientihc history ne
Toundation of the Pacific Scientific In
etit,,tSon nroves that the responsible
Itv of Honolulu is appreciated by It's
citizens and that the effort is now tC
he made to undertake the work Whlch
has been so long neglected
PLAN OF THE WORK.
With headquarters at Honolulu, par
Ties of trained scientific workers VII
be dispatched on speclaliy-equippe0
steamer 10 the various island groups
At convenient centers suostauons VII
he established through which commu-
,,ioo+ior with the home office will bt
maintained. Each expedition will con
-sist of properly-trained experts who
will carefully record from each groul
everything of scientific interest =
careful and elaborate series of an
-thropometric measurements and othel
data viii be tabulated: the technoi
-ogy. arts. manufactures, medicines
laws and religion of the inhabltantS
will he studied together with theli
language. mythology, legend and gen
a.,1 history. Nor will the humber
denartments of natural history be ne
elected Long series of the anlmals
birds. reptiles. insects and ootamca
snecimens will be preserved Ih'
coral reefs, the ocean currents, tht
costal marine fauna and flora will al
be investigated together with the ge'
4ologv and cIimatology of the whole
region.
FIFTEEN-YEAR JOB.
The great work of exploration VIII
it is anticipated, be completed II
about fifteen years. AS soon as it car
be made available for publication, ex
haustive accounts upon the ethnolosy
anthropology and zoology of eacf
group viii be published. The resul
of these subjects viii probably I'LL no
much less than one hundred quartz
volumes The most important WORE
of the printing of the results OF th'
expedition will be deferred until tnF
final work of exploration mas peer
achieved and all the data relatlns
thereto reduced to order me chle
and monumental work of pubhcauoI
will then be undertaken. ohoer 'i'
assistance of the foremost scientists
of America and Europe the results Of
the whole expedition will be examined
ica tinrn Of this