New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1908-12-06
PRESIDENT ON HIS TRIP
OFFICIAL SETTLEMENT or
PLANS.
Personnel Of african Hunting Party
and What 1t Erpects TO
accomplish.

Washington, Dec. 5.-President Roosevelt to-
day in a statement prepared by Secretary Wal
colt of the Smithsonian Institution, made his
first official announcement regarding the hunt
ing trip to Africa which he will start within
two weeks after he retires from office. The
pedition is to be QUILTED by the Smithsonian
Institution, the President defraying his own ex-
penses, and will gather natural history mate
rails for the new National Museum. In the
party which is officially announced for the first
time, will be, besides the President and his son
Kermit, Major Edgar A. Mearns, Edmund Hell
Ter. ]. Alden Loring and r. ]. Cunnghame.
No fears need be entertained for the Presi-
dents safety, the statement declares, because
every member of his party is an excellent rifle
shot Mombasa will be reached in April next
year but no detailed itinerary beyond that place
has been made except the general route to Lake
Victoria Nyanza and then down the Nile TO
Khartoum, where, it is expected, the party Will
arrive about April, 1910. making Mr. Roose-
veIts stay on African soil about one year.
IN March 1909" the official statement says.
Mr.. Theodore Roosevelt will head scientlhc
expedition to Africe outfitted by the smith
sonian institution and starting from New York
City. This expedition will gather natural MS
tory materials for the government collections
to he deposited by the Smithsonian Institution
in the new United States National Museum at
Washington.
"Resides the President and his son, Kermit
Roosevelt the personnel Of the party, on leaving
New York will consist of three representatives.
of the Smithsonian Observation-Disclosures Edgar A.
Mearns medical corps, L. S. A. (ret1red); MT
Edmund Heller and Mr.. ]. Alden Lorlng. On
arriving in Africa the party will be enlarged by
the addition of Mr.. r. ]. Cuninghame, who is
now in Africa preparing the Presidents OUTFIT.
He will have charge of a number of native
who wit ID
formed into small caravan.
Mr.. Roosevelt and his son will kill the big
game the skins and skeletons of which Will be
prepared and shipped to the United States BY
other members Of the party. Mr.. Kermit Roose-
Welt is to be the official photographer OF the ex-
pedition.
THE national collections are very deficient in
natural history materials from the Dark Cont
nent, and an effort will be made by the expedi
tion to gather general collections In zoology and
botany to supply some Of its deficiencies; but
the main effort will be to collect the large and
vanishing Africa animals.
M. r. J. Cuninghame. who is now engaged
in assembling the materials for Mr.. Roosevelts
use. has been employed to act guide and
manager of the caravan. Mr. Cuninghame is
also en experienced collector of natural history
specimens. having made collections for the Brit
ish Museum in Norway and Africa. He is an
hunting parties In Africa and who was chief
hunter for the Field Columbian Museum.
Mr. Edmund Heller a graduate Of Stanford
University. class of '01, is thoroughly trained
naturalist whose special work will be the prep
ara tion and preservation of specimens Of large
animals. NJ. Heller is about thirty years
old His former experience. when associated
with Mr. d. G. Eliot and Mr.. Ackley. Of the
Field Columbian Museum, in collecting big game
animals in the same portions Of Africa which
Mr. Roosevelt Will visit, will be valuable asset
to the expedition 8Ir. Heller has had large eX-
perience in animal collecting in Alaska, British
columbia the United States. Mexico, Central
America and South America. In the year 698 he
made a collecting trip of eleven months TO the
Galapagos Islands, starting from San Francisco.
He is a born and enthusiastic collector. as wei
as . well equipped naturalist He is also the
author Of scientific papers on mammals bros
1.ertfieS and fishes. At present he is assistant
curator of the museum of vertebrate zoology Of
the University Of California.
MIR J. Alden Loring is a field naturalist,
whose training comprises service in the biologi-
.al suryev of the Department of Agriculture
and in the Bronx Geological Park. New York
CITY as well as Q numerous collecting trips
through British America. Mexico and the United
States He is about thirty-eight years old. OF
ardent temperament ana intensely energetic. In
August September and october, 1898, he made
the highest record for a travelling collector hay
ing sent to the United States National Museum
nine hundred well prepared specimens Of small
mammals in the three months journey from
London through Sweden. Germany. Switzerland
and Belgium.
Major Edgar 4. Mearns, retired officer of
III. medical corps OF the army. about fifty
three years of age. viii lie the physician Of the
trip and have charge of the Smithsonian portion