The Great Albatross Philippine Expedition and Its Fishes

DAVID G. SMITH and JEFFREY T. WILLIAMS

Genesis of the Expedition lands in the Caribbean and, on the op­ sympathy was strongly on the side of posite side of the earth, the Philippines. the Cuban rebels. Each new report of The year 1997 marked the 90th anni- By 1896, rebellions were raging in the Spanish atrocities raised the pitch of versary of the Albatross Philippine Ex- two biggest and most important col­ excitement. In January 1898, President pedition, the longest and most extensive onies, Cuba and the Philippines. The William McKinley sent the battleship of the ship’s career. In the history of United States, by contrast, was on the Maine to Havana. This act was a mes­ American maritime exploration, it was way up. Its defining event of the 19th sage intended as much for Germany second only to the Wilkes Expedition in century, the Civil War, was fading into as for Spain. The United States was terms of time spent and area covered. In memory. The industrial revolution was not about to allow a stronger European terms of the material collected and the in full swing, the frontier was closing, power to replace Spain in the Western pages published, the Philippine Expedi- and the nation’s restless energy was be­ Hemisphere. Tensions were high, and tion is in a class by itself and stands as ginning to turn outward. on 15 February 1898, a catastrophic one of the greatest of all oceanographic There were two other players in this event set off the spark. At 9:40 p.m. expeditions. That it took place at all is drama. Neither had a speaking role, on a tropical winter evening, the Maine due to powerful political forces that con- but both were waiting just offstage and was blown apart in a colossal explo­ verged at the turn of the last century. cast a menacing shadow. One was Ger- sion. For a few terrible moments, the As the 19th century drew to a close, many and the other was Japan. Like peaceful harbor was turned into an in­ the United States and Spain were pass- the United States, they were ascending ferno. Flames and smoke rose high into ing each other going in opposite direc- and ambitious. The impending collapse the air, and the blast broke windows, tions. The Spanish empire was collaps- of imperial Spain threatened a power put out lights, and sent plaster crashing ing. What had once covered half the vacuum, and the unspoken question of down from the ceilings of buildings all known world was reduced to three is- the day was: who would move in when over town. Altogether, 268 American Spain was inevitably pushed aside? sailors were killed, and any chance for a The authors are with the Division of Fishes, Cuba was of more immediate con- peaceful solution to the crisis vanished MRC-159, National Museum of Natural History, cern to the United States. American (O’Toole, 1984:126). Events spun out Washington, D.C. 20560. of control, and all the dominoes began to fall. War was declared by both Spain and the United States. In the Pacific, Com­ ABSTRACT—The Philippine Expedition also explored parts of the Dutch East Indies modore George Dewey was ordered to of 1907–10 was the longest and most exten- and areas around Hong Kong and Taiwan. sive assignment of the Albatross’s 39-year The expedition returned great quantities of take his fleet to Manila and engage the career. It came about because the United fish and invertebrate specimens as well as Spanish. The battle resulted in a com­ States had acquired the Philippines fol- hydrographic and fisheries data; most of plete victory for the United States. In lowing the Spanish-American War of 1898 the material was eventually deposited in the the aftermath, Spain was forced to sell and the bloody Philippine Insurrection of Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum 1899–1902. The purpose of the expedition of Natural History. The fishes were formally the Philippines to the United States. But was to survey and assess the aquatic accessioned into the museum in 1922 and for the Americans, the worst was just resources of the Philippine Islands. Dr. Hugh fell under the care of Barton A. Bean, Assis- beginning. The Filipino rebels had no M. Smith, then Deputy Commissioner of the tant Curator of Fishes, who then recruited intention of simply replacing one colo­ U.S. Bureau of Fisheries, was the Director of Henry W. Fowler to work up the material. nial master with another. They contin­ the Expedition. Other scientific participants Fowler completed his studies of the entire were Frederick M. Chamberlain, Lewis Rad- collection, but only part of it was ever ued to resist, and in February 1899, the cliffe, Paul Bartsch, Harry C. Fasset, Clar- published, due in part to the economic United States went to war in the Philip­ ence Wells, Albert Burrows, Alvin Seale, constraints caused by the Depression. The pines. It has been called the most divi­ and Roy Chapman Andrews. The expedi- material from the Philippine Expedition sive overseas war in American history tion consisted of a series of cruises, each constituted the largest single accession of 1 beginning and ending in Manila and explor- fishes ever received by the museum. These until Vietnam. It raged for nearly 3 /2 ing a different part of the island group. In specimens are in good condition today and years and involved 70,000 American addition to the Philippines proper, the ship are still being used in scientific research. soldiers, 7,000 of whom were killed or

61(4), 1999 31 Figure 1.—Hugh McCormick Smith, Figure 2.—Frederick Morton Cham­ Figure 3.—Paul Bartsch, representa­ Director of the Albatross Philippine berlain, Resident Naturalist of the Alba­ tive of the Smithsonian Institution on Expedition. tross during the Philippine Expedition. the Philippine Expedition. wounded. Filipino casualties were even ao to scraps of rock barely awash at high On 16 October 1907, the ship left greater. An estimated 16,000–20,000 tide. The ecological diversity is equally San Francisco on her way to Manila. It Filipino guerillas were killed. Civilian great: rocky shores, coral reefs, man­ would be 21/2 years before she passed casualties, both direct and indirect, may groves, estuaries, deep ocean basins, under the Golden Gate again. Bartsch never be known, but estimates range and freshwater lakes and rivers. There recorded the scene in his journal: from 200,000 to as high as 500,000 was probably not another vessel in the (O’Toole, 1984:395). The war spawned world better suited for the work, and, in “There is scarcely any indication a protest movement at home that would spite of her age (25 years), she was sent of a breeze this morning, and the be unmatched until Vietnam. The Phil­ out on an expedition that would keep swells are scarcely broken by a ippines did not come cheaply. her away from home for 21/2 years. ripple. The sun is struggling brave­ The director of the expedition was ly to disperse the fog which ob­ The Expedition Hugh McCormick Smith (Fig. 1), then scures the greater front of the shore­ American power ultimately prevailed, deputy commissioner of the Bureau of line of the bay. Numerous mer­ and the war was declared over on 4 Fisheries. To Smith fell the task of or­ chant ships and smaller craft crowd July 1902, although in fact resistance ganizing the expedition: planning the the warfs [sic] and the regular fer­ sputtered on for years afterward. By itinerary, gathering the equipment, and ries between San Francisco, Sau­ the middle of that decade, the situation selecting the civilian crew. His many salito, Oakland are plying back and had stabilized to a point where the administrative duties did not allow him forth. Two large government boats United States could begin consolidating to participate in the entire cruise, but he lie at anchor at a little distance from its power. One of the first orders of busi­ did arrange to be aboard for the first few our vessel and our launch seems ness was to survey the newly acquired months. Although the Albatross carried impatient to be off to shore for territory and assess its resources, and a crew of some 70 officers and enlist­ her last trip before we lift anchor the Albatross was given the job of sur­ ed men, the scientific crew was surpris­ and depart. Numerous . . . gulls are veying the aquatic resources of the is­ ingly small. Joining Smith on the initial beating back and forth watching lands. She had done similar service in leg of the expedition were Frederick M. the vessels for discards from the the Hawaiian Islands when they were Chamberlain (Fig. 2), the Resident Nat­ cook’s pantry. All is cheerful and if acquired, but the magnitude of the Phil­ uralist of the ship; Lewis Radcliffe of present indications augur well we ippine survey was far beyond any of the Bureau of Fisheries, aboard as Gen­ should have a most successful and her previous expeditions. The archipel­ eral Assistant and Naturalist; H. C. Fas­ enjoyable expedition”.1 ago extends approximately 1,100 miles sett, Fishery Expert; Paul Bartsch (Fig. north to south, and almost 700 miles east 3), a malacologist and the official rep­ to west. It comprises some 7,100 sepa­ resentative of the Smithsonian Institu­ 1 Paul Bartsch papers, Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 7089, housed in Division rate islands, ranging from mountainous tion; and Clarence M. Wells, Assistant of Molluscs, National Museum of Natural His­ minicontinents like Luzon and Mindan- and Clerk. tory, Washington, D.C.

32 Marine Fisheries Review Figure 4.—First three cruises of the Philippine Expedition, from February to June 1908.

There are no entries in the journal for beginning and ending in Manila. The version was also available for use on 19 and 20 October. On 21 October, first cruise (Fig. 4), from 2 February smooth bottoms. Other bottom trawls Bartsch resumed his entries and ex­ to 10 March, went south from Manila included a 12-foot Tanner beam trawl, plained the two-day gap: he was sea­ around the eastern side of Mindoro, a 9-foot Albatross-Blake beam trawl, sick! Smith, traveling separately, was west of Panay, and through the Sulu Ar­ 6-foot and 9-foot Johnson oyster dredg­ already in Japan; he would join the chipelago to Sandakan, British North es, a 6-foot McCormick trawl, and a vessel in Manila, along with the Japa­ Borneo (now Sabah, Malaysia). The 2-foot Blake trawl, which was used in nese artist, Kumataro Ito. second (Fig. 4), from 23 March to 24 shallow water from a steam launch or The ship stopped at Hawaii, Midway, April, explored the central islands, in­ a rowboat. Tows were made as deep as and Guam, making small collections cluding Panay, Negros, Cebu, Leyte, 2,275 fathoms (4,163 meters), although along the way. On 28 November 1907 she Samar, Masbate, and Marinduque. The most were much shallower. Several va­ steamed into Manila Bay, which would third (Fig. 4), from 4 May to 9 June, rieties of pelagic nets were used. Ring be her home base for the next two years. worked in the same direction but ex­ nets came with mouth openings of 5.5 Smith arrived on 3 December, and the tended the coverage to the southern and 10 feet and with different combi­ expedition proper could now begin—or island of Mindanao. nations of lining and codends; some at least it could have if all the equipment The Albatross used a wide variety of were rigged so that they could be closed had been in place. Much of the major collecting equipment. The most com­ at predetermined depths. Small plank­ equipment had not yet arrived from the monly and successfully used bottom ton nets with various mesh sizes were United States, and the ship was limited trawl was a 12-foot Agassiz beam trawl. used, often being towed concurrently to short excursions in the immediate vi­ For deep work, a reversible net was with a bottom trawl. When the ship was cinity of Manila for the first month or so. used, which would fish regardless of at anchor, collections were often made The gear finally arrived, and on 1 Febru­ which side it landed on. A mud bag was with dip nets and night lights. Except ary 1908 the first real cruise began. often attached to bring back quantities for very shallow stations, depths were The Philippine Expedition consisted of bottom sediment along with the or­ determined by a Tanner-Blish sounding of a series of individual cruises, each ganisms it contained. A larger, 25-foot device.

61(4), 1999 33 Parties were often sent away from the varying mesh size. This would then be Bartsch reported “at times kept us so ship for shore collecting. Seines of var­ washed with a hose, and as the organ­ interested that we would fish the night ious sizes were used, the most common isms were revealed, they were removed through, gathering plankton hour by being 130 and 150 feet in length. Reef for preservation. Of course, collection hour.” On one occasion, Bartsch was fishes were normally collected with data were taken and recorded from each so impressed by a living hatchetfish dynamite: station. In addition to the date, time of caught at the light that he awakened ev­ day, position, and depth, information eryone on board, including the captain, “The method was to locate the de­ included bottom type, water tempera­ so that they could see it. “The fact that I sirable fishes in the coral growth tures and densities, length and direction had not swung from the yard-arm next by means of a view glass (a glass­ of tows, and any noteworthy events that morning or been put in the brig, showed bottomed box) used from a boat. happened during the station. that the fish must have been interest­ A small charge of dynamite with Bartsch (1941) published a brief ac­ ing” (Bartsch, 1941). All the material electrical connections was careful­ count of his experiences, taken from his collected would have to be processed, ly lowered and discharged. Such journals, and provided a good impres­ of course, a job that might continue far fishes as floated were at once col­ sion of what it was like to be a partici­ into the night. lected with a dip net, and the pant in the expedition. When not actu­ On 9 June 1908 the Albatross re­ place marked by a buoy. As soon ally in Manila or some other port, the turned to Manila to complete the third as the bottom had cleared it was ship was constantly on the move, rarely cruise of the expedition. Wear and tear searched and the dead fish gath­ spending more than a day or two at had taken their toll on the ship, and it ered by diving or more usually any one place. “This,” Bartsch reported, was determined that she needed exten­ by means of long-handled spears” “gave us a wonderful contact with Phil­ sive repairs, more than could be made (Anonymous, 1910:5). ippine life in that day as we always came in Manila. After some further trawling unannounced into the harbor serving in the immediate vicinity of Manila Bay Other methods included gill nets, hand for a night’s anchorage.” He added: and southern Luzon, operations were lines, and traps. In addition to all these suspended, and in August the Albatross methods, many specimens were pur­ “At daylight, after a cup of coffee was sent to Hong Kong for servicing. chased from local fishermen and in and a bite in the galley, a boat The material collected up to that point markets. would be put over-board and an was packed and prepared for shipment After each collection, the catch had effort made to enter some stream, back to Washington. Three of the sci­ to be prepared and preserved. This was if such were present, near our an­ entists also departed around this time. before the days of formalin, and the chorage. On this trip collections Hugh Smith was the first to leave, in fishes were preserved directly in ethyl would be made of fresh-water or­ April, after the ship had returned from alcohol. Large specimens had to be ganisms when fresh water could its second cruise. He was later fol­ individually injected, and the alcohol be reached, as well as land ani­ lowed by Radcliffe and Bartsch, who would be changed several times. One mals, stressing birds, and among had stayed on for the third cruise. The can imagine the amount of fluid that had the plants, ferns. A vigorous blast loss of Bartsch is particularly unfortu­ to be taken on board. The larger spec­ of the siren if we failed to return to nate for us, since it meant the end of his imens were individually tagged with the ship by 8 a.m. would tell us that meticulous journal entries. uniquely numbered metal or linen tags. the ship was about to put to sea. It is uncertain who replaced these The tag number was entered in a ledger The rest of the day up to about 5 three men and what their term of ser­ along with information on the date and o’clock would be spent in dredging vice was. We can find no manifest list­ place collected, or the station number operations, the number of dredge ing the crew, and the published summa­ if it was from a trawl station, and a hauls varying with the depth of the ry of the dredging and hydrographic re­ preliminary identification. A total of water in which the work was being cords (Anonymous, 1910) does not list 24,389 linen tags and 6,231 metal tags done, greater time being required personnel at all. The ship’s log some­ were painstakingly attached to speci­ for the deeper hauls” (Bartsch, times recorded the arrival or departure mens, and virtually all of them are still 1941:212). of the scientists, but not in any complete firmly fixed to the specimens today. or consistent way. Schmitt (1945: 24) The brilliant colors of the fishes and If time permitted after the ship an­ mentioned three others: Alvin Seale, invertebrates were as ephemeral then chored for the night, a boat might be Albert L. Barrows, and Roy Chapman as they are now, but color photography sent out for more shore collecting. Night Andrews. Seale, a former student of had not been invented. Thus the artist lighting was a favorite activity, which David Starr Jordan at Stanford Uni­ had a vital role to play, and he prepared versity, was working at the Philippine hundreds of color sketches of freshly 2 Images of 15 color paintings by Kumataro Ito Bureau of Science in Manila and joined caught specimens.2 Mud bags accom­ can be found on the World Wide Web page of the the ship for the first cruise during Feb­ National Museum of Natural History, at the fol­ panying the bottom trawls would be lowing internet address: http://www.nmnh.si.edu/ ruary–March 1908. We have no direct emptied into a hopper with screens of vert/albatross/albatross.html evidence that his participation extend­

34 Marine Fisheries Review ed beyond that. The Albatross log3 re­ ported that Barrows arrived on 19 Oc­ tober 1908, while the ship was in Hong Kong. We presume that he stayed on for the remainder of the expedition, as the ship’s log does not mention his de­ parture. We do know that Andrews par­ ticipated only in the last cruise, from November 1909 to January 1910. It is reasonable to assume that Chamberlain, the ship’s Resident Naturalist, would have served as chief scientist during the latter phase of the expedition, and we further assume that he served for the duration of the expedition. By October 1908 repairs had been completed, and the Albatross left Hong Kong to begin what can be considered the second half of the expedition. From Hong Kong she went to Pratas Reef, an isolated outcrop beyond the con­ tinental shelf off the coast of China, then to waters off southern Taiwan, the Batanes and Babuyan Islands, northern Luzon, and back to Manila (Fig. 5) by the end of November, almost exactly a year from the day she had first ar­ rived in the Philippines. During the fol­ lowing year, she undertook seven cruis­ es. The first six completed the survey of the Philippines proper, and the last extended the exploration south through the Dutch East Indies, around the island of Suluwesi and up the east coast of Figure 5.—Cruise from Hong Kong to Manila, October–November 1908. Borneo (Fig. 6, 7). During this last cruise, the grand finale of the expedition, Roy Chapman tor. He was also a prolific writer and in­ “The Albatross was the most Andrews joined the ship. Andrews is cluded a segment about the Albatross famous ship of her kind afloat. best known for his central Asian expe­ cruise in his autobiography “Under a No other exploring vessel was so ditions during the 1920’s, especially the Lucky Star” (Andrews, 1943). This and well equipped for deep-sea dredg­ discovery of the first known dinosaur Bartsch’s article in Copeia seem to be ing and her personnel had includ­ eggs, in the Gobi Desert, but he began the only narrative accounts of the expe­ ed some of America’s most dis­ his scientific career studying marine dition that were ever published. tinguished naturalists. To be num­ mammals. It was his work on whales In June 1909, the director of the bered in that group was sufficient that brought him to the attention of the American Museum, H. C. Bumpus, in itself even without the prospect Bureau of Fisheries, and with it an invi­ called Andrews into his office and asked of voyaging among the enchanted tation to join the Philippine Expedition. him if he would like to go to Borneo. islands of the East Indies” (An­ In 1909, Andrews was 24 years old, a To Andrews, the question was hardly drews, 1943:50). doctoral candidate at Columbia Univer­ worth asking. “It was ridiculous,” he sity working his way up the ranks at the wrote, “to ask me if I wanted to go Needless to say, Andrews accepted. American Museum of Natural History anywhere. I wanted to go everywhere. After a cross-country trip to Seattle, in New York City, literally: his first job I would have started on a day’s notice Washington he boarded a liner for at the museum was cleaning floors, and for the North Pole or the South, to the Japan, and from there worked his way eventually he would become its direc­ jungle or the desert. It made not the south via Hong Kong to Manila. slightest difference to me” (Andrews, When Andrews arrived, the Albatross 3 The ship’s logs are filed with U. S. Navy records 1943:50). To join the Albatross was a was still at sea, so to fill in the time use­ at the National Archives, Washington, D.C. special honor. As Andrews put it: fully he had himself dropped off on a

61(4), 1999 35 Figure 6.—Cruises from December 1908 to May 1909. small uninhabited island along with two fail to notice the darker side of things. ficer, Lt. B. G. Barthalow, had been Filipino assistants for a week of collect­ The Albatross was known in the U.S. a pitcher at the Naval Academy. He ing birds and small mammals. The week Navy as a “bastard” ship; although she was so good that nobody on board turned into 2 weeks when the boat that was crewed by officers and men of the could handle him behind the plate. They was supposed to pick him up failed to regular Navy, she was owned and oper­ needed a catcher, and Andrews, who arrive on time. He returned in time to join ated by the U.S. Bureau of Fisheries. had played baseball at Columbia, volun­ the Albatross in Manila, however, and This led to an unavoidable culture gap. teered. With Andrews filling the miss­ was greatly impressed by what he found: To the scientists, service on the Alba­ ing link, the Albatross team played and tross was an honor and a highlight of beat the team from the Admiral’s flag­ “She was a beautiful ship, built their careers. To the Navy officers, by ship. From then on, Andrews was on like a yacht, with a wide after­ contrast, it was not a popular assign­ good terms with the officers and men. deck where the officers slept on ment, since it was not viewed as some­ Everything was new and exciting camp beds when the night was hot. thing that would advance their careers. to Andrews. His job was land collect­ It seemed almost a dream when Furthermore, noted Andrews, “It wasn’t ing, but he was fascinated as well by I awoke the first morning in the a ‘happy ship.’ Most of the scientific the material brought up by the deep­ brilliant flush of a tropic dawn to staff as well as the officers had been sea trawls. “In those waters, blue as hear the boatswain’s silver whis­ aboard her too long and friction had de­ indigo, she dropped her nets sometimes tles piping the men to quarters on veloped to such an extent that several a mile, or even two, straight down to the half a dozen warships riding at were not on speaking terms with the ocean floor.” The mass of mud would anchor a few fathoms away” (An­ others” (Andrews, 1943:67). Unfortu­ be dumped on deck and washed away, drews, 1943:66). nately, he did not mention names, and revealing creatures he had never seen we are left to guess who was not speak­ before. “There were fish with eyes far Andrews brought a fresh perspective ing to whom. Andrews himself got off out on stalks; others bearing phospho­ to the enterprise, and although his en­ on the right foot when he joined the rescent spots along the sides like the thusiasm was boundless, he could not ship’s baseball team. The executive of­ glowing portholes of a lighted ship; fish

36 Marine Fisheries Review Figure 7.—Cruises from May 1909 to January 1910. carrying little lanterns in front of their ited and by the friendliness of those who got a shot at one, but he only hit noses to light the way. Sometimes in the he met. The only sour note occurred it in the tail. The enraged reptile flung sudden ascent to the surface and release on the island of Buro. Landing there, itself off the bank onto the outrigger from the terrific pressure they were accompanied by two sailors, he found of the doctor’s canoe and charged with turned almost inside out” (Andrews, only deserted huts. Still-burning fires its mouth open. The doctor managed to 1943:71). On 4 December 1909, the and half-eaten food indicated that the place the muzzle of his rifle between Albatross anchored at Ambon, where village had been suddenly and recently the crocodile’s jaws and pulled the trig­ she would spend the next 4 days. An­ abandoned. Following a stream into the ger. This time, the animal died. drews described how he went ashore jungle they found more settlements, all On 7 January 1910 the Albatross re­ and found a deep canyon where he col­ eerily empty. He felt the presence of turned for the final time to Manila Bay. lected birds and small forest animals: “unseen eyes peering from the jungle,” After a couple of weeks of rest, rec­ but “never could we catch sight of reation, and resupply, she sailed away “A flock of hornbills flew overhead a human being.” Returning along the for the last time, heading north to making a noise exactly like air­ trail, Andrews, his suspicions aroused, Japan. The plans originally called for planes. . . . I shot a huge lizard stopped to examine it closely. He found further collecting around Taiwan and lying on a branch over a deep pool sharpened bamboo stakes, “probably the Ryukyu Islands, but persistent bad from which I collected several fish poisoned, set at an angle along the trail, weather and other problems cancelled of a new genus. And then in the late so they would jab us in the thighs” (An­ most of these operations. On 30 Janu­ afternoon...I climbed to the top of drews, 1943:75). They abandoned the ary, the ship herself was very nearly a hill where the bay and town lay path and returned to the coast along the cancelled. Leaving the port of Soo Wan, spread out before me like an aerial stream bed. Taiwan, the Albatross sailed straight photograph” (Andrews, 1943:74) On Christmas Day, 1909, he went into the teeth of a typhoon. Weather on a crocodile hunt in Makassar with had been bad for some time, but with­ Andrews was clearly enchanted by the governor, the captain, and the ship’s out any of the technology we take for the picturesque native villages he vis­ doctor. The doctor was the only one granted today—indeed without even a

61(4), 1999 37 radio—there was no way to know what in tide pools), 3 traps, and 1 handline. creased to 400,000. At any rate, 27,404 was coming. Andrews (1943:77–78) de­ In addition, many specimens were pur­ lots represent between 7 and 8% of the scribed the scene in graphic detail: chased in markets or from local fish­ entire cataloged collection in the Divi­ ermen. This does not include all the sion of Fishes today. The 1,291 type lots “The Albatross was headed direct­ terrestrial collections of birds, mam­ represent about the same percentage of ly into the seas which broke over mals, reptiles, various invertebrates, total type lots (17,323). At the time the the bow and swept the deck every and plants. In addition, data were col­ last of the Philippine material arrived time the ship dived into one of lected on fisheries all over the islands. in Washington, around 1910, the entire the mountainous green waves. A This enormous wealth of material now cataloged collection in the museum to­ mile away, sheer cliffs rose like a had to be worked up and reported upon. taled fewer than 70,000 lots. In other wall above a narrow beach, smoth­ In this sense, the work of the expedi­ words, the fishes from the Philippine ered in white foam. For some tion was just beginning. Expedition equaled nearly 40 percent of reason, the captain had decided the entire existing collection! to fight his way against the rising The Fish Collections The Bureau of Fisheries desired to storm instead of riding it out in It is difficult to get an accurate esti­ keep the collection together to be studied the open sea. Keelung was only mate of the number of fishes that were and published as a unit. Space was pro­ twenty miles way, but often we actually collected on the Philippine Ex­ vided at the Smithsonian Institution for barely held our own. Foot by foot, pedition. Paul Bartsch (1941:211) men­ storage and study, and this space seems the old ship crept forward, some­ tioned 400,000. This figure has been to have been in regular use during the times losing more than she gained, repeated, but with little effort to sub­ years immediately following the return but always coming back for an­ stantiate it. Papers that accompanied of the expedition. The National Muse­ other assault upon the crushing the main accession into the U.S. Na­ um’s Annual Report for 1913 (Rath­ waves. There was something dis­ tional Museum mention approximately bun, 1914:59) notes that “Dr. Hugh M. tinctly personal about the fight. It 100,000. Unfortunately, about a third Smith, U.S. Commissioner of Fisher­ was man against nature. Everyone of the collection in the Division of ies, and Mr. Lewis Radcliffe, of the on the ship was a part of the battle. Fishes, National Museum of Natural Bureau of Fisheries, made constant use I don’t think I was frightened; no History, has not yet been entered into of the collections in connection with one seemed to be. All our minds the computer database. Even more un­ their researches on the fishes of the and hearts and strength went out to fortunately, this includes the bulk of Philippine Islands.” Between 1911 and help the Albatross when she stag­ the marine perciforms, which consti­ 1913, Smith and Radcliffe, either sepa­ gered drunkenly after a smashing tute much of the Philippine material. rately or in collaboration, published 12 blow in the face.” Hence, we cannot do a simple comput­ papers in the Proceedings of the United er search. All of the material seems to States National Museum describing var­ As daylight ended, the ship finally have been ledger cataloged, however, ious groups of fishes from the expedition made it through the entrance to Keelung and this affords us a method of getting (Smith and Radcliffe, 1911, 1912; Rad­ harbor. The next day, Andrews discov­ at the numbers. cliffe, 1911, 1912a, b, c, 1913; Smith, ered why the captain had been so de­ There are 28 ledger books that were 1912a, b, c, 1913a, b). Smith published termined to get into the harbor. While entered after 1908, which is the earliest an additional short note in the Pro­ steaming to the inner anchorage, the that any of the material from the cruise ceedings of the Biological Society of starboard engine died. If that had hap­ could have been returned. Each ledger Washington (Smith, 1917). These barely pened the previous day, the ship prob­ contains about 5,000 catalog numbers. scratched the surface of the immense ably would not have survived. By going through these books page collections, however, and other aspects After a week at Keelung for repairs, by page, we were able to compile the of their official duties took up more the Albatross resumed her northerly number of lots (a lot usually consists and more of both Smith’s and Rad­ course, stopping briefly at Okinawa and of one species collected at one time cliffe’s time. Smith was promoted to finally at Nagasaki, where the expe­ and one place) of fishes from the Alba­ U.S. Commissioner of Fisheries (head dition ended. From there, she headed tross Philippine Expedition. Our total is of the Bureau of Fisheries) in 1913, and eastward across the Pacific, steaming 27,404 cataloged lots, including 1,291 Radcliffe was given additional responsi­ under the Golden Gate and into San type lots. Using an estimate of between bilities of his own. Then in 1923, Smith Francisco Bay on 4 May 1910, 21/2 three and four specimens per lot, this resigned his position and went off to years after departing. The final tally brings us easily to 100,000, which is Thailand. Before leaving, he had the shows that during the expedition, she probably close to the real number. An collections formally transferred to the had made 487 bottom trawls, 272 dy­ unknown factor is how much material Smithsonian. At this point, the Bureau namite stations, 117 tows with pelagic was exchanged with other museums, but of Fisheries ceased to be the caretaker nets, 102 seine hauls, 75 night-light/ it is unlikely that this could change the of the Philippine collection. dip-net stations, 17 gillnet collections, total by much; certainly, it is difficult to Responsibility for the collection now 6 poison stations (using copper sulfate conceive how the number could be in­ fell to the Assistant Curator of Fishes at

38 Marine Fisheries Review the National Museum, Barton A. Bean “I have inherited the vast Philip­ indeed that you have been able (there was no Curator of Fishes during pine collections for their safety, but to undertake this work, and it is this period). Bean was the younger cannot say who will work them up. hoped that you can begin at an brother of Tarleton Bean, longtime col­ I unofficially told Dr. Smith what early date. Any additional assis­ laborator with G. Browne Goode and you and I can do, but he did not tance that will be required beyond coauthor of their classic “Oceanic Ich­ commit himself; it is an enormous that rendered by Mr. Bean and the thyology” (Goode and Bean, 1896). Al­ collection, and if taken now can be other employes [sic] in the divi­ though at one time Tarleton Bean had fairly well preserved. Great quan­ sion will be cheerfully furnished been listed as “Honorary Curator” of tities of duplicates in the lot. . . .”5 you”.5 fishes at the Smithsonian, he spent the years after the turn of the century work­ The wheels must have turned very The official order, No. 70375, called ing on fish culture in New York. slowly, for on 6 March 1925, Fowler for “making a systematic study of 3 Barton Bean had first come to the sent this plaintive question to Bean. families of Philippine fishes in the Smithsonian in 1881 and had gradually “Do you have any hope for me with National Museum, comprising about worked his way up from Aide to As­ the Philippine problem next fall or has 15,000 specimens; arranging the collec­ sistant Curator. Although he was never it entirely fallen through?” It had not tion into three distinct sets, for facilitat­ promoted to full Curator, he functioned fallen through, however, and Fowler ing their study, etc. furnishing complete in that role for much of his career. was shortly notified that it was agreed report on above collection, suitable for Barton Bean was by all accounts a man to have him work up the collection. In publication by the National Museum.”5 of distinctly limited talents, and his an undated letter, which must have been Fowler, incidentally, charged extra for shortcomings were compounded by an written in early to mid-March, Fowler illustrations, and the Smithsonian was abrasive personality. Leonard Schultz, wrote the following to an unidentified supposed to supply him with writing Curator of Fishes from 1938 to1968, recipient at the Smithsonian, possibly paper. Periodically Fowler would write described Bean’s tenure as a period of Bean himself: to Bean saying that he was out of paper stagnation (Schultz, 1961:121); others and please send him 500 or 1000 sheets, used harsher words. Certainly, com­ “Dear Sir, In accordance with your which Bean promptly provided. pared to the 19th century, when the U.S. suggestion I have made a rough On 26 April 1925, six barrels of National Museum was home to such survey of the Philippine Fishes. It fishes arrived in Philadelphia, and the men as Goode, Spencer Baird, Tarleton is evident that the Pomacentridae, work began. The manuscripts were to Bean, and Theodore Gill, the first part Labridae and Callyodontidae form be published in several volumes of Bul­ of the 20th century seems like the Dark a natural bloc which could read­ letin 100 of the U.S. National Museum, Ages. ily be studied together. The last which would contain the papers re­ Still, Bean appears to have taken family is represented by about 3 lating to all the organisms collected his responsibility seriously, and when barrels as they are large, and these on the Albatross Philippine Expedition. he found a job he knew he could with most of the Labridae could be The first volume appeared as Volume not do himself, he recruited someone studied best here in the museum 7 (Fowler and Bean, 1928), and cov­ who could. In this case, it was the pro­ [i.e. Philadelphia]. As an estimate ered the Pomacentridae, Labridae, and lific Henry W. Fowler of the Academy $700 would seem to be a fair price Callyodontidae (= Scaridae). Volume of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia. for the work and I am therefore 8 (Fowler and Bean, 1929) treated Indeed, in the entire history of ichthy­ prepared to offer that bid for the the Caproidae, Scorpidae, Monodac­ ology, Fowler is probably the only in­ work”.5 tylidae, Platacidae, Ephippidae, Toxot­ dividual who could have been expected idae, Scatophagidae, Chaetodontidae, to take on a job of this magnitude and On 24 March Fowler received offi­ Acanthuridae, and Siganidae. Volume actually complete it. In 1918, Bean had cial confirmation from the Administra­ 10 (Fowler and Bean, 1930; volume 9 persuaded Fowler to work up the fishes tive Assistant to the Secretary of the was not on fishes) covered the Amiidae of the Wilkes Expedition. Fowler duti­ Smithsonian Institution: (= Apogonidae), Chandidae, Duleidae fully turned out a manuscript of some (= Kuhliidae), and Serranidae. Volume 750 pages, which, for one reason or an­ “Dear Dr. Fowler: I beg to en­ 11 (Fowler, 1931) treated Pseudochrom­ other, was never published.4 He ulti­ close herewith an official order for idae, Lobotidae, Pempheridae, Priacan­ mately published a condensed summa­ the working up of three families thidae, Lutjanidae, Pomadasyidae (= ry on his own (Fowler, 1940). of Philippine fishes, which is in Haemulidae), and Teraponidae. Volume Bean first mentioned the Philippine accordance with your proposal of 12 (Fowler, 1933) dealt with Banjo­ collection in a letter to Fowler dated 15 March 21, 1925. We are very glad sidae, Lethrinidae, Sparidae, Girelli­ February 1921: dae, Kyphosidae, Oplegnathidae, Gerre­ idae, Mullidae, Emmelichthyidae, Sci­ 5 Correspondence between Bean and Fowler is 4 Unpublished manuscript located in the Smith­ on file in the Smithsonian Institution Archives, aenidae, Sillaginidae, Arripidae, and sonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 7180. Record Unit 213, Division 2. Enoplosidae.

61(4), 1999 39 The first five volumes were published sold to an organization that operated her Perhaps never again will a single oce­ in rapid succession, but after that the as a school ship, she was seized in Ger­ anic expedition return so much valu­ process began to slow. By now, the many in 1928 and held for nonpayment able material. country was in the Depression, and one of wages (Hedgepeth, 1945:13). After of its casualties was Barton Bean. On that, all record of her is lost. Literature Cited 8 July 1932, Fowler received a letter Hugh Smith served with the U.S. Anonymous. 1910. Dredging and hydrographic from an unidentified correspondent at Bureau of Fisheries for another 13 records of the U.S. Fisheries Steamer Alba ­ tross during the Philippine Expedition, 1907– the Smithsonian: “The reason I am writ­ years after returning from the Philip­ 1910. U.S. Bur. Fish. Doc. 741:1–97. ing you is, as you have probably heard, pines, then in 1923 resigned and went Andrews, R. C. 1943. Under a lucky star. Viking due to the recent enactment of the econ­ to Thailand to study the fishes and Press, N.Y. Bartsch, P. 1941. Dr. Hugh M. Smith, Director omy bill which automatically retires all fisheries there. This ultimately resulted of the Philippine cruise of the “Albatross”. employees over retirement age. This in his posthumous monograph, “The Copeia 1941(4):209–215. Fowler, H. W. 1931. Fishes of the families Pseu­ caught Mr. Bean, and several others in Freshwater Fishes of Siam or Thailand” dochromidae, Lobotidae, Pempheridae, Pri­ the Museum.” 5 Whether through lack (Smith, 1945). acanthidae, Lutjanidae, Pomadasyidae, and of money or the lack of an active par­ Paul Bartsch returned to a long and dis­ Teraponidae, collected by the United States Bureau of Fisheries Steamer “Albatross,” ticipant at the Smithsonian, the project tinguished career at the Smithsonian. He chiefly in Philippine Seas and adjacent waters. languished. Hugh Smith returned to the participated in many more expeditions, Bull U.S. Natl. Mus. 100(11):1–388. museum from Thailand in 1935 but ap­ principally in Cuba and the Caribbean, ______. 1933. The fishes of the families Banjosidae, Lethrinidae, Sparidae, Girellidae, pears to have taken no further hand in keeping voluminous notes on each. Kyphosidae, Oplegnathidae, Gerridae, Mulli­ the fate of the Philippine fishes. He Roy Chapman Andrews left the Alba­ dae, Emmelichthyidae, Sciaenidae, Sillagini­ dae, Arripidae, and Enoplosidae collected by the was plainly preoccupied with writing tross in Nagasaki, Japan and stayed on United States Bureau of Fisheries steamer “Alba­ his monograph on Thai fishes (Smith, to study whales and see as much of the tross,” chiefly in Philippine seas and adjacent 1945). In 1933, George S. Myers was world as he could before returning to waters. Bull. U.S. Natl. Mus. 100(12):1–465. ______. 1934. Descriptions of new fishes hired as the new Assistant Curator of New York. He fell in love with Asia and obtained 1907 to 1910, chiefly in the Philip­ Fishes at the Smithsonian. He brought spent much of his career exploring the pine Islands and adjacent seas. Proc. Acad. great energy to his brief tenure, but unknown interior of China and Mongo­ Nat. Sci. Philad. 85:233–367. ______. 1938. Descriptions of new fishes he had never had anything to do with lia. He wrote about his travels and shared obtained by the United States Bureau of Fish­ the Philippine Expedition and found his with his readers the excitement of explor­ eries steamer “Albatross”, chiefly in Philip­ pine seas and adjacent waters. Proc. U.S. Natl. time fully occupied in bringing the Di­ ing unknown territories and making new Mus. 85(3032):31–135. vision of Fishes up to standard. Three discoveries. His books inspired many a ______. 1940. The fishes obtained by the years later, Myers departed for Stan­ young boy to learn more of the fascinat­ Wilkes Expedition, 1838–1842. Proc. Am. Philosophical Soc. 82(5):733–800. ford University, and Leonard P. Schul­ ing world he described and try to follow ______. 1941. The fishes of the groups Elas­ tz became the new Assistant Curator in his footsteps—among them the senior mobranchii, Holocephali, Isospondyli, and (later promoted to Curator). Like Myers, author of this paper. Ostarophysi [sic] obtained by the United States Bureau of Fisheries steamer “Albatross” in Schultz felt no special responsibility Barton Bean lived on in retirement 1907 to 1910, chiefly in the Philippine Islands for the Philippine manuscripts and soon for another 15 years, ignored and vir­ and adjacent seas. Bull. U.S. Natl. Mus. 100(13):1–879. was busy with his own projects. Volume tually forgotten by the ichthyological ______. 1943. Descriptions and figures of new 13 (Fowler, 1941) was not published community in which he had worked fishes obtained in Philippine seas and adjacent for another eight years, and it was the for so many years; he finally died at waters by the United States Bureau of Fisher­ 7 ies steamer “Albatross.” Bull. U.S. Natl. Mus. last full treatment that ever appeared. the age of 87 in a fall from a bridge. 100(14), 2:53–91. Six additional manuscripts have lain Henry Fowler lived to exactly the same ______and B. A. Bean. 1928. The fishes of the unpublished to this day.6 Fowler (1934, age, continuing his productive career families Pomacentridae, Labridae, and Cal­ lyodontidae, collected by the United States 1938, 1943) extracted some of the new without letup, working and publishing Bureau of Fisheries steamer “Albatross,” species and published them separately. almost up to his death in 1965. chiefly in Philippine Seas and adjacent waters. What remains as a permanent legacy Bull. U.S. Natl. Mus.100(7):1–525. Conclusion ______and ______. 1929. The fishes of the Albatross Philippine Expedition of the series Capriformes, Ephippiformes, And so the story of the great Alba­ are the magnificent collections. Even and Squamipennes, collected by the United States Bureau of Fisheries Steamer “Alba­ tross Philippine Expedition ends on an today the fishes and other organisms tross,” chiefly in Philippine Seas and adjacent incomplete note. The ship is long gone, are a living resource, providing grist for waters. Bull. U.S. Natl. Mus. 100(8):1–352. as are the men who sailed on her. Like scientific papers still being published.8 ______and ______. 1930. The fishes of the families Amiidae, Chandidae, Duleidae, Douglas McArthur’s “Old Soldier,” the and Serranidae, obtained by the United States Albatross just faded away into the mists Bureau of Fisheries Steamer “Albatross” in 7 Washington Sunday Star, 20 July 1947. 1907 to 1910, chiefly in Philippine Islands of history. Decommissioned in 1921 and 8 Photographs of some of the specimens from and adjacent seas. Bull. U.S. Natl. Mus. the Philippine Expedition, as they appear today, 100(10):1–334. can be found on the World Wide Web site of the Goode, G. B., and T. H. Bean. 1896. Oceanic 6 Fowler’s unpublished manuscripts are held in National Museum of Natural History, at the fol­ ichthyology, a treatise on the deep-sea and the Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit lowing internet address: http://www.nmnh.si.edu/ pelagic fishes of the world, based chiefly upon 7180. vert/albatross/albatross.html the collections made by the steamers Blake,

40 Marine Fisheries Review Albatross, and Fish Hawk in the northwestern genera and thirty-one new species of fishes of ______. 1912c. The chimaeroid fishes of Atlantic. Spec. Bull. U.S. Natl. Mus., 553 p. the families Brotulidae and Carapidae from the the Philippine Islands with description of a Hedgepeth, J. W. 1945. The United States Fish Philippine Islands and the Dutch East Indies. new species. Proc. U.S. Natl. Mus. 42(1899): Commission Steamer Albatross. Am. Neptune Proc. U.S. Natl. Mus. 44(1948):135–176. 231–232. 5(1):5–26. Rathbun, R. 1914. Report on the progress and con­ ______. 1913a. The hemiscylliid sharks of O’Toole, G. J. A. 1984. The Spanish War: an Amer­ dition of the United States National Museum the Philippine Archipelago, with description ican epic, 1898. W.W. Norton & Co., 447 p. for the year ending June 30, 1913. Gov. Print. of a new genus from the China Sea. Proc. U.S. Radcliffe, L. 1911. Notes on some fishes of Off., Wash., D.C., 201 p. Natl. Mus. 45(1997):567–569. the genus Amia, family of Cheilodipteridae, Schmitt, W. L. 1945. Appendix A, Chronology of ______. 1913b. Description of a new carchar­ with descriptions of four new species from the U. S. Fisheries Steamer Albatross. In J. W. ioid shark from the Sulu Archipelago. Proc. the Philippine Islands. Proc. U.S. Natl. Mus. Hedgepeth (Editor), The United States Fish U.S. Natl. Mus. 45(2003):599–601. 41(1853):245–261. Commission Steamer Albatross, p. 15–26. The ______. 1917. New genera of deep-water ______. 1912a. Descriptions of fifteen new American Neptune 5(1):5–26. gurnards (Peristediidae) from the Philippine fishes of the family Cheilodipteridae, from Schultz, L. P. 1961. A short history of the Division Islands. Proc. Biol. Soc.Wash. 30:145–146. the Philippine Islands and contiguous waters. of Fishes, United States National Museum, ______. 1945. The fresh water fishes of Proc. U.S. Natl. Mus. 41(1868):431–446. December 15, 1856 to December 15, 1956. Siam, or Thailand. Bull.U. S. Natl. Mus. ______. 1912b. New pediculate fishes from Copeia 1961(1):120–123. 188:1–622. the Philippine Islands and contiguous waters. Smith, H. M. 1912a. Description of a new notid­ ______and L. Radcliffe. 1911. Descriptions Proc. U.S. Natl. Mus. 42(1896):199–214. anoid shark from the Philippine Islands, rep­ of three new fishes of the family Chaetodon­ ______. 1912c. Descriptions of a new family, resenting a new family. Proc. U.S. Natl. Mus. tidae from the Philippine Islands. Proc. U.S. two new genera, and twenty-nine new spe­ 41(1872):489–491. Natl. Mus. 40(1822):319–326. cies of anacanthine fishes from the Philippine ______. 1912b. The squaloid sharks of the ______and ______. 1912. Description of a Islands and contiguous waters. Proc. U.S. Natl. Philippine Archipelago, with descriptions of new family of pediculate fishes from Celebes. Mus. 43(1924):105–140. new genera and species. Proc. U.S. Natl. Mus. Proc. U.S. Natl. Mus. 42(1917):579–581. ______. 1913. Descriptions of seven new 41(1877):677–685.

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