Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-09-14
the assistance Of meteorologist. {
chemist, an astronomer ad others.
Other Science Department&


other Science Departments
..For instance. there will be depart
ment Of physical oceanography, which
will concern itself with Temperatures,
light penetration and currents. There
| will also be two biologists in the
may have a bacteriologist. We shall
certainly have geologists, to engage
fin research on paieontology. strait
gra ply. photography and petrography.
The primary object. however, of the
eeaton rs o
rocks and shoals. The United States
is interested in everything, Of course.
but the United States has great deal
more interest than anything else. now.
In the Pacific ocean. inasmuch as your
country has just pierced this conti-
nent with the Panama canal and has
allowed the world to enter the Pacific
in way 1t never has done before.
Before the canal was finished the
exact location of these various I'M
charted islands and other impediments
to navigation did not matter so ma
terially.
There is now. except for q few un-
charted islands. practically clear run
Japanese ports. But going from Amer
lean ports to New Zealand. Australia
or the great islands of the East Indies,
such as Java. Ceylon. Borneo. etc, the
Panama canal. because Of uncharted
islands. Is very great.
Pacific Soon Full of Ships.
1.-The Pacific ocean will soon be filled
with shipping because OF the opening
of the canal, and the chart I have
prepared from United States Navy
photographic sources and from in
formation furnished by my admiralty
SHOWS that there are more than 1900
of these uncharted impediments to
navigation.
The expedition is not financially sup
ported by the British or other gov
ernments. 1t is aided by the assign
ment OF officers. however. We expect
the cost, from start to finish, to be
about $4,000 pounds sterling say, about
100000. OF this we still need about
s9.9oo pounds sterling-say, about
The expedition has really been paid
for. so far. by the man in the street
public. voluntary subscription. All
persons interested in science with
whom I have talked realize that such
an expedition as this is worthy Of
their support.
"one thing has been borne in mind
by the public. No one is making any
money out of it. All the officers I
have signed on up to now have taken
up the work at the rate of payment
your money. That is my salary, a
shilling a month. SO no one may think
that we are out to make our fortunes
out of the expedition. It is just for
the sake Of science.
Brave Ships Never Heard From.
Every year many a brave ship sets
out from port. Is spoken perhaps once
or twice at sea and then Is heard of
no more. She vanishes without sign
or explanation. What happens to these
vessels? Men can but guess. and orig:
inally 1t was with the intention of
verifying or disproving the haasrds of
mariners as to danger points in the
great oceans that 1 first conceived my
plans.
MY intention was simply to make a
Autographed survey-to drop south
to the Sandwich Islands. to proceed
thence into the Weddell sea, investi-
gate around Graham Land and hing
Edward VII Land, then bear northwest
to New Zealand and return to Eng
land through the Pacific ocean and the
Panama canal. But this scheme has
now grown out of all recognition.
The British admiralty recognized the
value of the plan. On every admiralty
chart one may fnd islands or shoals ;
1
meaning position doubtful or existence
doubtful
Such a state of uncertainty constitutes
danger OF the gravest kind to navfga-
ton, and 1t was at the request OF the
British admiralty that / enlarged the
scope OF my intention 80 as to embrace
an Investigation of hundreds Of the hid
den dangers. Many foreign governments
have also suggested lines of investigation
Scientific societies, too, have shown an
anxiety to collect data.
What Is Under the Waves.
Britain is supposed to rule the waves.
It's up to US, now, to find out what s
under them. In three years ships have
left port and have never been heard of
again representing a tonnage Of 1874, 64S
and 1.67B men.
OF these 81 .s69 were British tonnage and
68, TO foreign: Assuming cargo and yes
sci to have been wort 500 q ton, that
means a clear loss of $4,000 81 day, to
say nothing Of six lives day.
Near the spot where the Titanic sank
submerged rocks or islands have been re-
ported on three different dates-in 1916,
1927 and 1856. They probably represent
q huge submerged rock or volcano. prob
ably the tail of theh Great Bank Of New
foundIand, around which icebergs and ice,
attracted and held by gravitation, have
gathered. If the tail of the great bank
is really near where the Titanic sank.
ships would give that place wide berth
in future
Commander Stackhouse holds that on
| the maps of theh present day Cape Horn
is indicated as anything up to fifty miles