Philippine Expedition of the USS Albatross facts for kids
The Philippine expedition was a two-and-a-half-year science trip by the USS Albatross to the Philippine Islands. It was the longest journey for this ship and one of the longest ocean research trips ever done by the United States. The expedition lasted from 1907 to 1910. It was led by Hugh McCormick Smith, who was an expert in fish (an ichthyologist) and worked for the U. S. Bureau of Fisheries. The team collected about 100,000 fish and other sea creatures during their journey.
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Why the Expedition Happened
In the late 1800s, Spain's power was fading, and it was losing control of its lands. Other powerful countries like Germany, Japan, and the United States became interested in these areas. In 1898, the United States sent a battleship called the Maine to Cuba. This was a warning to Spain and other countries about America's strength.
Sadly, the Maine was destroyed, and the United States and Spain went to war. This was called the Spanish-American War of 1898. The U.S. won this war and bought the Philippines from Spain. However, the people of the Philippines were not happy about this. They did not want a new ruler.
So, the United States and the Philippines fought a war from 1899 for about three and a half years. After the U.S. gained control, one of their first goals was to explore and study the new land. This is why the USS Albatross expedition was planned.
The Expedition Team
The Albatross expedition had a large crew of 70 people. It was led by Dr. Hugh McCormick Smith. Other important members included Mr. Frederick M. Chamberlain, Mr. Lewis Radcliffe, Mr. H.C. Fassett, Dr. Paul Bartsch, and Mr. Clarence M. Wells. These individuals were scientists and assistants who helped with the research.
The Ship's Journey
<mapframe latitude="12.21118" longitude="122.585449" zoom="5" width="200" height="100" align="right" /> The USS Albatross started its long journey from San Francisco, California, on October 16, 1907.
First Part of the Trip
The ship first sailed to Honolulu, Hawaii, and stayed there for 10 days. Then, it traveled to Midway Island for two days. After a quick stop, the Albatross continued its voyage to the Philippines, arriving in Manila on November 28, 1907.
At first, the crew could only do short trips because they were waiting for more equipment to arrive from the United States. Once they had all their tools, their first big research trip officially began on February 1, 1908. This cruise started in Manila and went south through the Philippine seas, past the south coast of Mindanao, and into the Sulu Archipelago.
Second Part of the Trip
This part of the journey focused on the central islands of the Philippines. It lasted from February 2 to March 10, 1908. The crew explored islands like Panay, Negros, Cebu, Bohol, Leyte, Samar, Masbate, and Marinduque. In April 1908, Hugh M. Smith left the expedition, and Roy Chapman Andrews took over as the new leader. Lewis Radcliffe and Paul Bartsch also left shortly after Dr. Smith.
Third Part of the Trip
From May 4 to June 9, 1908, the Albatross completed a third cruise. This trip covered similar areas as the second cruise but also explored further south to the island of Mindanao.
Other Journeys
After these three main cruises, the Albatross made several smaller trips.
- From July to December 1908, the crew explored the China Sea, including the coast of southern Luzon and the area from Hong Kong to Formosa (now Taiwan).
- From December 1908 to January 1909, they studied the western and southern parts of Palawan.
- From February to April 1909, they collected samples from the seafloor along the southern coast of Luzon.
- In May 1909, another small trip focused on islands along the southeastern coast of Luzon.
- From July to September 1909, the crew explored the waters around Samar, Cebu, Bohol, Negros, Siquijor, and Mindanao.
- The very last cruise explored the Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia).
After the Expedition
The long expedition finally ended on January 21, 1910. Paul Bartsch, a zoologist from the U.S. National Museum, said the crew collected over 400,000 specimens. These were sent to the Bureau of Fisheries and stored at the Smithsonian Institution for further study. About 100,000 of these specimens are still officially recorded. After the expedition, Dr. Smith continued to work for the U.S. Bureau of Fisheries for 13 more years, and Paul Bartsch returned to his job at the Smithsonian.
How They Collected Specimens
The expedition used various tools and methods to collect fish and other sea creatures.
Equipment Used
Some of the special equipment included:
- Agassiz beam trawl (12-foot): A large net dragged along the seafloor to catch animals.
- Reversible nets: Nets that could be used in different ways.
- Mud bags: Used to collect samples of the mud and sand from the ocean bottom.
- Tanner beam trawl (12-foot): Another type of large net for collecting.
- Albatross-Blake beam trawl (9-foot): A specific type of net used by the Albatross.
- Johnson oyster dredges (6-foot and 9-foot): Tools designed to scoop up oysters and other shellfish from the bottom.
- McCormick trawl (6-foot): A net named after the expedition leader.
- Blake trawl (2-foot): A smaller net used for collecting in shallower waters.
Collection Methods
One interesting method involved using a glass box to look into the water and spot fish, especially near coral reefs. Once fish were seen, small amounts of dynamite were carefully used. This would stun or kill the fish, making them float to the surface where the crew could collect them with spears.
The team also used other ways to catch fish, such as grill nets, hand lines, and traps. Sometimes, they bought specimens directly from local fishermen and markets. The crew would also split up and collect animals by hand along the shore.
After collecting, the specimens needed to be prepared and kept safe. They were preserved in ethyl alcohol. Large specimens had alcohol injected into them. Each animal was carefully tagged with a linen tag or a numbered metal tag. Since colored photography didn't exist back then, the expedition also had sketch artists. These artists drew detailed pictures of each specimen, capturing their colors and features.
Amazing Discoveries
The expedition discovered many new types of marine life. Fenner Chace, a scientist, later studied the collections. The expedition found many new species, especially in groups like shrimp and other small sea creatures.
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For example, they found many new kinds of snapping shrimp, which belong to the Alpheidae family. This family includes many different groups, such as Alpheopsis, Alpheus, Aretopsis, Athanas, Automate, Batella, Betaeopsis, Metalpheus, Nennalpheus, Neoalpheopsis, Prionalpheus, Racilius, Salmoneus, Synalpheus, and Vexillipar. These discoveries greatly increased our knowledge of marine life in the Philippines.
