The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1909-01-21
W. A. BRYANS TALK ON
LOCAL MATTERS AT MOHONK
An Interesting Address on the Mission of the
Pacific Scientific lnsttutIon---W
Is Being Done.

full conference with scientists, admin
istrators and organizers in America
and Europe, it was decided to take
definite steps to inaugurate this work
without further delay. As a result
the new institution has been brought
forth in Honolulu incorporated under
the laws of Hawaii.
The institution has as its immediate
object thorough biological and eth
biological survey of the Pacific islands
and their shores. It's more inclusive
object, as stated by its charter of in
corporation, is "to encourage in the
broadest sense and most liberal man
ner investigation, research and discov-
cry in the Pacific Ocean, and to make
application of knowledge thereof to
the Improvement of mankind To
this end the institution intends to CO.
operate with governments, universities
and colleges, technical schools, corpo-
rations, learned societies, and individ-
uals interested in any way in educa
tional or scientific work in the Pacific
It is the design of the trustees to
create an international cooperative re-
search institution for the Pacific with
its headquarters in Hawaii that will be
affiliated with institutions at home and
abroad in such way as to make pos
sible a modern research university for
region to be studied that will be ac-
cessible to all. 1t is believed when
the object and requirements of the
institution are appreciated by philan-
thropists, patrons of science and those
especially interested in the study of
dependent peoples that the funds and
facilities for carrying on the work will
be forthcoming.
/ A beginning has, therefore, been
made. Honolulu has been chosen a
center for the work. A board of trus-
! tees has been named and authorized to
1NtSiFO LII u dob anu property
with which to promote the objects of
the corporation. The fifteen trustees
/ as originally appointed are all resi-
dents of Honolulu. Hon. Walter F.
Frear, Governor of the Territory, is
chairman of the board; Hon. Lorrin
A. Thurston is vice chairman; Prof A.
F. Grifiths, president of Oahu College,
is secretary, and Richard H. Trent is
treasurer.
In addition to the educational and
scientific institutions already well es-
tablished in Honolulu, the Pacific In
stitution contemplates establishing, and
has already made substantial progress
toward providing such important IA
cilities for research as biological sta.
ton, a garden of acclimatization and an
aviary or geological garden for the
region, all of which as organized, will
form departments of the central insti
tuition. They will in no wise duplicate
any scientific equipment already exist
ing in Honolulu or in any of the Older
scientific and educational centers
These departments, however, are .loca
and in a sense secondary to and de
pendent upon the Inauguration of the
field explorations of the institution thai
naturally should precede them.
The exploratory work of the insti
tuition is by all odds the most press
| ing, especially that part which will
have to do with the study of the PEG
pie. 1t must be carried on by an es
pecially equipped vessel provided will
auxiliary power. Such a vessel using
Honolulu as center will proceed tt
visit the Pacific islands, group b,
, group, with its parties of trained nat
uralists and observers. 1t is estimate,
that it will require fifteen years o
continuous exploration to complete thi
work. In the meantime, organization
is to proceed. An international coun
ell composed of distinguished scientist
! will have advisory supervision owe
, the work, assistance and publication
r IN the special department into whic
f the work will be divided
As has been intimated, few of tn
D many subjects which cry out for il
vestigation in this vast area are O
greater Importance to science and t
4 the world at large than are those wit
which the great subject of ethnolog
4 deals. Every one is aware that tn
q Polynesian and kindred races are nc
V only passing away but that they al
taking with them into the great b,
: yond all the facts which would clue
r date the manifold problems involve
: in the origin and subsequent distribl
f ton of the inhabitants of the Pacif
n We know that the civilization of III
J. Polynesian people, for example, VIZ
p not only very old at the time of the
l. discovery by the white race. but COZ
ic sidering the circumstances of isolatio
n under which the race was develone
lie 1t was very far advanced. Yet fartbt
S, than the meager records of early e.
n | plDTerS and the fruapdod