Networker
Though Perret operated outside the European scientific establishment, he made connections with scientists, governments and benefactors at Vesuvius, Mt Fuji and Hawaii. All of which served him well in his endeavours in the Caribbean.
Networks have always been important for scientists, whether these are inter-personal relationships, networks of instrumentation or connections between professional institutions / learned societies and governments.
When Perret first started researching volcanoes, he did so without any formal background in volcanology or geology, so was very much without a network.
Having started his career as an inventor however, he was a skilled observer and problem solver. He put these skills to work on Mt Vesuvius in the early 1900's where he worked alongside the local scientists and even saved the lives of 56 Italian soldiers!
Perret earned the Order of the Crown of Italy from the King for his efforts at Vesuvius and so impressed American businessman Harold A Ley that on his return to the US, Ley organised a group "The Springfield Volcanic research Society" to fund Perret's scientific endeavours.
Perret had already made quite a name for himself by selling his scientific papers on Vesuvius, such that when Ley made further enquiries to "the best authority on volcanology (in Boston)" Professor Jagger (Massacheusetts Institute of Technology), he was told that:
"Perret was in a class by himself...I think so highly of him I would be glad to go up to Springfield and tell your group what I think of him"
The society funded Perret's activities for 20 years!
Ley recounted his interactions with Perret in his memoirs published in 1955.
On Perret, Ley said:
"I think he had more courage and good, old-fashioned guts than any other man I have ever known. He was evidently regarded very highly in Naples too,"
Ley provided Perret with introductions in Hawaii, where he was able to secure further funding to carry out research. By this time, Perret had developed his listening device through which he detected tiny vibrations of the earth around volcanoes. Here Perret worked with Jagger, who went on to establish the Hawaii Volcano Observatory.
Despite convincing the Carnegie Institution of Washington (now the Carnegie Institution for Science) to award him an annual allowance for research, Perret spent a lot of his time in the Caribbean securing additional funding. He felt it was vitally important for the community that observations continue to be made and often lamented the fact that he was carrying out his work "on a shoestring".
Perret's main contact at the Carnegie Institution of Washington was a colleague called Dr Arthur L Day. Their correspondence forms much of the archive materials we have on Perret. Through these materials, we can see how Perret forged networks with the residents, government officials and other observers on Montserrat during the volcanic crisis.
Networking isn't always easy...
Perret was invited to visit Montserrat by the then governor in 1934. He was asked to make observations and issue reccomendations to the government in an effort to reassure the resident population. Perret wrote a series of detailed and careful reports including observations made by those living on the island. All these reports were sent to the Governor of the Leeward Islands and fed back to scientists in the UK.
It was Perret's view that scientists at the Kew Observatory and the Royal Society in England should be sent to make a thorough investigation of the situation - Montserrat being under the jurisdiction of the UK Government.
However, in the UK intense discussion was had over whether the reports coming from Montserrat were accurate / reliable. Much of this stemming from reports of a "crater" by a man named English which was heavily debated prior to the Royal Society finally agreeing to send an expedition in 1936.
Having spent 2 years making observations, Perret expressed frustration at the impending arrival of the Royal Society expedition:
"In a way this whole matter; this repetition of history; is making me very tired of it all, and determined to effect the great project, or else virtually end all active interest. Everywhere and every time from Vesuvius, Etna, Messina, here in Martinique and on Montserrat, I go through wearing responsibilities; stand by the people in their hours of anxiety and trouble as best I may, try with insufficient means to do the research work, and then - when it is virtually all over but the shouting - then official science steps in - and does the shouting."
Perret felt that the Royal Society expedition had succeded in spending a lot of money, but had missed key issues that impacted the islanders. Despite this, his opinion of MacGregor - one of the scientists with the expedition - was very high.
Through his networks at the Carnegie Instition of Washington, Perret was able to negotiate the continuation of his work on Montserrat alongside involvement form the Royal Society. Perret continued to write reports through 1938.
