Study Of Atolls

Scientific Parties in South Gilberts

A CONTINUATION of the Ameri can Coral Atoll programme, sponsored by the Pacific Science Board of the National Re search Council, with financial assistance from the Office of Naval Research, is now starting with the despatch from Honolulu of a team of six scientists to Kwajalein (Marshall Islands).

Their field study will follow the pattern of the ecological investiga tions of Arno, in the Marshall Is lands instituted last year by the Pacific Science Board with a team of 12 specialists.

For comparative purposes, the Gilbert Islands have been selected as the site for study this year. The site chosen is a heavily-populated, dry atoll, in contrast to the wet lush atoll investigated in the Marshalls.

The six-man scientific team left Kwajalein in June on a scheduled trip of the US Coast Guard vessel Nettle, and landed with full equip ment on Onotoa, in the Southern Gilberts, where they will spend 3 months in a general ecological study of the inter-relationships of all forms of life, including the native population, to their limited environ ment.

Liaison has been established with the South Pacific Commission three member team, including Dr. and Mme. R. Catala, working in the Gilberts on the economic develop ment of Coral Atolls (Project E. 6).

The Pacific Science Board’s ex pedition is entirely self-sufficient, being equipped to meet its needs for food, water, tentage, communi cation, etc. The expedition is financed in part by a grant from the Office of Naval Research, with co operation in equipment and trans portation from Army, Navy, and US Coast Guard, as well as from the British High Commissioner of the Western Pacific, and the adminis trative officials of the Gilbert and Ellice Islands Colony.

Dr. Preston Cloud, geologist, US Geological Survey, is leader of the expedition. Other members are Dr.

Albert Banner, marine zoologist, University of Hawaii; Dr. Ward Goodenough, anthropologist, Uni versity of Pennsylvania; Dr. Edwin T. Moul, land ecologist, Rutgers University; Donald Strasburg, marine zoologist, University of Hawaii; John E. Randall Jr., marine zoologist, University of Hawaii.

A follow-up study on Arno atoll in the Marshalls is also being sponsored by the Pacific Science Board. Harry Uyehara, anthropo logist, University of Hawaii, and Leonard Horwitz, alogologist, Uni

versity of Minnesota, have under taken the investigation there. This project is also being financed by the Office of Naval Research with co operation from the Navy and the Department of Interior.

The Governor of Singapore (who is giving up the administration of the Cocos Island), and Mr. T.

Critchley, Commissioner in Malaya for Australia (which is taking over the islands) flew from Singapore to Cocos at the end of August, to make an investigation of the islanders' problems. There are some 1,200 people of Malayan stock there, and it is proposed to transfer them to Borneo.