Tag: British Museum

WE Cutler delayed in trip to East Africa, 1924

Montreal Gazette, 27 February 1924 page 1

WE Cutler delayed

Will join East African Expedition later

By John MacCormac, special cable from the Gazette’s resident staff correspondent

London, February 26 – The British Museum expedition to German East Africa, which was to have sailed from London under the leadership of WE Cutler, of Manitoba University, has sailed without him. The dock strike was the cause and Cutler will instead sail from Marseilles on Thursday. The expedition will explore the fossil remains which were found by Germans in East Africa before the war and which include the largest dinosaur specimens yet unearthed. Cutler has had the unrivaled experience of collecting for the British Museum and other museums large dinosaurian and similar fossils in North America.

0

Dinosaurs of the Red Deer Valley – 1923

Winnipeg Tribune, 3 Dec 1923

An illustrated lecture on “the Dinosaurs of the Red Deer Valley” will be given by WE Cutler in the old university building this evening at 8.15 before the Natural History Society of Manitoba.  This lecture will be open to the public.  As a collector of specimens for the British Museum Mr Cutler has a unique knowledge of this great natural storehouse of extinct fauna.

0

Expedition after death of WE Cutler, 1925

Sheilds Daily News, 24 Sep 1925

The appointment of Mr. Frederick WE Nigoed as Leader of the British Museum East African Expedition in succession to the late Mr. WE Cutler, has been made just in time to give him a chance to save the valuable specimens, already found, from being irreparably damaged by the oncoming tropical rains (says the “Morning Post”)

The situation created by Mr. Cutler’s death from fever in the Tanganyika district a few weeks ago, caused grave anxiety to the British Museum officials, for the maze of material which he had succeeded in excavating and bringing together was know to be still unpacked. The rainy season is approaching, and if the fossil dinosaur remains, which comprise a large part of the collection, had been exposed to the rains very serious damage would have inevitably resulted.

It is devoutly hoped that Mr. Migeod will sail for Africa on the 8th of next month, will be able to pack and despatch to England the entire collection just before the wet period sets in.

Mr. Migeod has lived many years in Africa, and possesses an extensive knowledge of the inhabitants.

The purpose of the expedition, it may be remembered, is to excavate the fossil remains of prehistoric animals in the strata of the Tanganyika district, which are peculiarly rich in this respect. Some work was carried out years ago by the Germans, but since the war the British Museum has taken over the task of excavation.

In an interview with Sir Sidney Harmer, Director of the British Natural History Museum, a “Morning Post” representative was informed that to perform the work adequately and to bring it to a satisfactory conclusion it was necessary for the expedition to be out there for a number of years.  Money, however, was the trouble.

The funds were sufficient to continue the work for a certain time, but unless subscriptions were received towards the heavy expenses of such research it would be necessary after that time to close what might be rightly described as one of the most promising fields of investigation ever discovered.

0

Ex-Calgarian to Lead Scientific Party in Africa, 1924

Calgary Herald, 22 March 1924

Ex-Calgarian to Lead Scientific Party in Africa

WE Cutler is entrusted with important excavation researches

Is highly praised by London Times

Expedition is being sent out in behalf of British Museum

It has been announced that sufficient funds have now been raised to permit the British Museum to send an exhibition to East Africa for the purpose of unearthing several prehistoric fossils of dinosaurs and other animals and according to the London Times, WE Cutler, who was formerly a resident of Calgary, and who is considered one of the greatest authorities on work of this kind, has been chosen to head the expedition.  Mr. Cutler conducted successful excavations for prehistoric specimens in the Red Deer River Band Lands. He acted in behalf of a Calgary syndicate.

Speaking of Mr. Cutler’s ability, “Science,” under the date of March14, says: “Mr. Cutler has for many years had an unrivaled experience of collecting for the British Museum and other museums, large dinosaurian and similar fossils in North America, and is therefore conversant with the methods of extracting the specimens from the matrix and packing them in such a way as to withstand the stress and strain of the journey to the museum.

Germans Secure Specimens

It has been stated that during the time that East Africa was under the control of the Germans, several splendid specimens of Dinosaurian and other Paleozoic creatures were unearthed and removed to museums in Germany with some information as to the possibilities in the venture the directors of the British Museum have been considering the possibility of sending an expedition to East Africa for the past five years.

Mr. Cutler’s Assistant

LSB Leakey, of St John’s College, Cambridge, who was born in Kenya colony, and whose father is a clergyman near Nairobi, will be Mr. Cutler’s white assistant on the expedition and has been chosen to fill this office because of his knowledge of native habits, language and customs in that section of the world. Mr. Leakey is a specialist on birds, mammals and plants and will make several collections of specimens of this nature while the expedition is in East Africa.

Sites of Excavation

The sites in which the expedition will operate are about four days’ march north and slightly west of Lindi at a place called Tendaguru.  It was in this locality that the Germans unearthed the famous gigantosaurus. This site is now overgrown with a dense mass of foliage and is only sparsely inhabited but it is believed that the field may be opened up for excavation purposes without any great difficulty. Another area about two miles east in the Moemkuru Valley will also be investigated.  The working season of the year is confined to the months from May until December and during the wet season when about 17 inches of rain is precipitated both exploration and excavation are practically impossible.

Sir Horace Byatt, governor of the Tanganyika Territory has offered every assistance at his disposal to make the expedition a success and the trustees who are baking the expedition are hopeful that great results may be obtained.

0

Blog at WordPress.com.

Up ↑

Design a site like this with WordPress.com
Get started