INSTRUMENTS AND METHODS OF RESEARCH 199 



constructing the charts, with the aid of similar data, for epochs 

 twenty-five or thirty years apart, as Humboldt had dreamed, this, in 

 spite of the enlightened interest of many countries, is even more remote. 



Why should it have remained for a purely research organization 

 to undertake a problem touching so keenly, as this, on even the so- 

 called sordid, highly practical interests of man? It is a fortunate 

 fact that Humboldt's fascinating international scheme failed of exe- 

 cution, and that the chief brunt of the work is now being borne by a 

 single organization? It is not for the speaker to attempt to answer. 

 The magnetic work of the Carnegie Institution of Washington has em- 

 braced, since 1904, a general magnetic survey of the Pacific Ocean, 

 and land observations have been made in more or less unexplored 

 regions in different parts of the world. The ocean magnetic work is to 

 be undertaken next in the Atlantic Ocean, in 1909, on a specially 

 built vessel, the first of its kind. ^ 



It is believed that an effective scheme of operation has been 

 evolved, with the aid of the valuable advice received from eminent in- 

 vestigators. Without danger of giving offense to any one, it is possible 

 to deal directly with the officials concerned, submitting to them our 

 plans and ascertaining whether they contemplate doing anything simi- 

 lar, and, if so, whether, in case their funds are insufficient, they could 

 suggest some friendly basis of cooperation between their organization 

 and ours. This plan of action has met with entire success thus far. 

 Duplication, overlappings and possible jealousies are all avoided; and 

 in countries where no organization whatever exists to do the work, we 

 are free to go ahead and finish the task in less time than it would 

 necessarily take to get an official action or official consensus of opin- 

 ion from a large scientific body. 



Slow deliberation in terrestrial magnetic work would be disastrous, 

 for the prime reason that the phenomena of investigation in this 

 field of research are continuously undergoing change. The time-ele- 

 ment in the earth's magnetism, even for a period of a few years, is of 

 such moment as to completely mask the fine, hair-splitting points 

 which would necessarily and rightly have to be raised on some inter- 

 national mode of action, to say nothing of the painful and cumbersome 

 method which would have to be employed to conform with the rules of 

 official correspondence between nations. Many a well and carefully ex- 

 ecuted magnetic survey in the past has had its full importance for 

 world-wide investigation destroyed because of the possibility of error 

 in the secular variation corrections which must be applied to bring 

 its results up to date. 



Though I may be judged guilty of defending my own policy, I 

 believe the course pursued by the Carnegie Institution of Washing- 

 ton in conducting the general magnetic survey of the globe is the only 



