The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-05-18
MYSTER|ESOF SEA
OCCUPY FRENCH
Prince of Monaco Has Made
Study of Them
IDOL OF THE NATION
Experts in Oceanography Fascinate
Audiences-Paris Has Finest and
Best Equipped Museum in
the World
IDOL OF THE NATION
rom the Toronto Mail and Empire.

From the Toronto Mail and Empire.
Parisans are the most lecture going
people in the world, and the lectures
which are the sensation of Paris this
month are those which deal with the
mysteries of the sea.
Paris has now the finest and best
equipped oceanographic museum in the
world. Here, in a most magnificent lee
ture hall, addresses on the deep sea and
it's inhabitants are now riveting the at
tention of studies and fascinated audi
ences. The lectures are usually at 8
clock in the evening. Two hours before
they begin there is not a place to be
had There Is no such things as stand
ing room, for when all the seats are oc-
cupied no more people are allowed to
enter the hall. This famous lecture hall
is like the Paris autobuses, and issues
only enough tickets to fill the number
of places at it's disposal. And the lec-
lures are free.
The magic lantern and the cinemato-
graph are pressed into the lecturers serv-
ice, and seats are arranged in semi-circles
and so raised that all can see. The lee
turers are mostly from the Sorbonne, but
the most popular lecturer of them all is
Prince Albert of Monaco. who Just now
Is one of the idols of Paris, Whenever
this prlncely occanographist is announced
for a lecture the poorer holders of tickets
sell their right of admission for a hand
some price. And the demand is enormous.
The museum is situated near the Odeon
theatre, in the neighborhood of the
schools. and in the very heart of the
Latin quarter. To be quite exact, it is 1876
Rue ST. Jacques-the street famous for
its meteorological observatory. The
founder of it and of it's sister institute at
Monte Carlo is Prince Albert, who has
devoted, his whole life to the study of
oceanography For the study of the sea
he has fitted out two yachts; he has lee
tured in all the great capitals of Europe;
he has interested governments; he has
established two great museums and he
has conquered the depths of the ocean.
Gave a Fortune to the Museum
At first France was slow, for some in
explicable reason, to take up oceanogra-
ply. Thanks to the perseverance and
generosity of the prince, she has since
fitted out several ships for oceanographic
studies. The last time Prince Albert gave
course of lectures here, former fresi-
dent Loubet and many members of the
government occupied places on the plat
form. And if many nations have sent
ships on scientific expeditions to the diff
ferent seas, that reform is due to Prince
Albert's initiative.
Prince Albert's donation in money to-
ward the Oceanographic museum in Paris
Is the princely sum of $500 900. He gives
II. Ill t., fa., Of
hospitality with which France, and es-
pecially Paris, receive all thinkers
Large as is this gift, it is small in COM
parison with the other things for which
the Paris museum is indebted to the
Prince of Monaco, and for which he has
drawn freely from his unrivaled ocean
ographic collection at Monte Carlo.
Nor is this all He has put at the dis
posal of the Paris museum the Monaco
Oceanographic institute. its laboratories,
It's collections, its aquariums and its de-
Tendencies. He has also obtained from
the French government special act
recognizing the Paris museum among the
institutions of public utility.
The museum is administered by coun-
Gil of six members and president.
Prince Albert is president for life. 1t Is
stipulated that the members or the coun-
ell of administration must be Frenchn1en.
The present members are Emile Loubet,
former president of the republic, vice
president; Dr. Regnard, member or the
Academy of Medicine Henri Becqerel,
member of the institute, and professor OF
natural history at the Polytechnical
school; NJ Cailletet, member of the in
stitute; George Kahn. banker, and Louis
Mayer, privy councillor of the prince.
Special Lectures on the Sea
Besides Prince Albert, who bears the
title of founder as well as lecturer at the
museum courses of lectures are given by
three doctors of science, VINO nave made
a special study of the sea. Pror. N +.
PORTER master of conferences at the Sor-
bonne lectures on the mechanism OF the
sea, tides, waves and currents. DR.. N. A.
Berget, Of the Sorbonne, lectures on the
physiology of the animals of tho sea,
and the phenomena Of feeding these ami
mails DR. NJ H. Joubin lectures on sea
animals in the deepest depths ana sur
face fauna, and the fauna OF the ocean
bed. Another distinguished lecturer VINO
holds forth occasionally Is DR.. J. b. Car
cot. who made two scientific expeditions
in Antarctic seas
Lectures are also given on such at
tractive subjects as electric fish and the
primitive man of the sea.
The mission of the museum is purely
scientific and International Here come
students of all nations to hear renowned
masters. They cannot yet taho oSSicoo
in oceanography for none are granted,
hut Prince Albert, Emile Loubet and the
members Of the administration nave now
under consideration the whole question OF
degrees for students.
At present the students have to be at
tracted solely by thirst for knowledge.
IJara thev study wonderful sponge fish
and the marvellous octopus type or AMI
NAL. fish which descend deeper than hght
can penetrate, and develop In the depths
of the ocean a light of their own; hsn
that change color with their surroundings
so as to render capture less likely. Here
~, CON And eels which have become
white because their environments are
white. Here are to be seen TUBS Tor tne
collection of plankton or fine dust, which
Noating on the ocean, is supposed to be
the first manifestation of life.
Al the perll of his life Prince Albert
has nersevered for more than quarter
Of n century until he has at length sue
ceeded in giving us samples OF the HE
that exists in all sea depths-even so far
below the surface Of the ocean as 1900
feet.