Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1921-03-31

are too impatient to wait for the machine thaI
annihilates time and distance and topography
They must be at the work of prying into the le"
remaining mysteries of the earth.
Anyway, the spring of 1921 sees at least score
of expeditions on the way in preparation.
The only international project is one to discover
the origin of the Polynesian race OF the eou'h
Pacific.
A Pan-Americaa exploration of tropical Ameri-
ca will he limited to nations of the western HEM
isphete.
An American expedition to British Guiana Is
commercially important in that II may uncover
diamond field.
The third Asiatic expedition of the American
Museum of Natural History to China to discover
evidence that the missing link" actually once ex-
listed is possibly the most scientifically important
The project of the Royal Geographical society
to ascend Mount Everest (29,002 ft), the highest
mountain in the world, is possibly the most fas-
chatting.
Among the other exploring projects are the fol-
lowing: One to the Antarctic; six to the Arctic;
four to Africa four to Central and South Amer
lea; to Siberia.
The project to attempt to discover the origin
of the Poynesian race originated at recent con-
ference of scientists in Honolulu, under the d.
rection of the Pan-Pac6c union, at which it was
agreed to undertake a survey of the islands Of
the South Pacific. The countries interested In the
expedition and which will have representatives
with it the United States, England, Japan,
Canada, Australia New Zealand, Hawaii and the
Philippines. Yale, Harvard and other educational
institutions are supporting the project. There
never has been any doubt that the Hawaiian,
Samoan, Tahtan, TOngan and Maori closely
akin. Their legends speech, customs and build
all testify to the relationship, but hitherto their
origin has been lost in the mists of the ages. They
are believed by many scientists to be of Caucasian
origin. Meanwhile the Polynesan is dying fast;
his is passing out at high speed, and the In
vestgatiOns are being pushed with little delay
as possible.
Louis r. Sullivan of the American Museum of
Natural History, New York, has been conducting
Investigations along this line. Bodily facial and
Cranial characteristics of the Polynesian accord
ing to Mr. Suvan's tables, show that he is eleven
parts MOngOloid five parts European, five parts
MongOlOid-European and two parts MongololdNle-
lanasan. His conclusion is that the Hawaiian
and his Poynesian brothers originally came from
Asia.
Systematical exploration and research in the
interest of natural science will be started in the
near future in Central and South America should
plans now being perfected by representatives of
American scientific organizations meet with the
anticipated success, DR.. A. S. Hitchcock of the
Smithsonian institution announces. Under the su-
pervsion Of committee of scientists headed by
Doctor Hitchcock, the institute for research In
tropical America has been formed and preliminary
arrangements for beginning its work completed in
series of meetings called by the national re-
search council. In addition to exploration along
botanical, anthropological, geological, geological
lines, the institute plans to establish a system of
research stations and laboratories in the tropics,
at which scientific experimentation will be car
ried
Because Of the necessity of limiting the scope
of the organizations activities, at least until the
time when it Shall be entirely equipped to branch
out, Doctor Hitchcock explains countries outside
the two American continents will not be permitted
to participate While the cooperation of all trop-
ica American countries will be sought, it is pro-
posed at present to admit representatives of South
and Central American scientific bodies only to
associate or correspondent membership.