210 Land Magnetic Observations, 1914-20 



miles by railway. In the field the distance traveled may be divided as follows: Ocean 

 steamer, 3,182 miles; river steamer and launches, 2,915 miles; railway, 2,075 miles; on 

 foot, 1,068 miles; and canoe, 60 miles. An average distance of 45 miles was covered 

 for every day absent from the Office. The average cost per station was about $58. 



No marked local magnetic disturbance was noticed except at Funchal, Madeira, 

 and at Djoka Punda, the limit of navigation on the Kasai River, Belgian Congo. At 

 no time were observations delayed or rendered impossible by magnetic storms. 



Cordial assistance was rendered by the consular officers of the various ports, espe- 

 cially by Mr. McBride, United States Consul-General at Boma; Mr. H. H. Castens, 

 British Consul-General at Boma; Mr. Hall-Hall, British Consul-General at Loanda; and 

 Mr. H. Campbell, acting Consul at Boma. Much of the success of the Congo trip 

 was due to the courtesy and kindness of all the officials in Belgian Congo. Governor- 

 General Fuchs provided me with valuable letters to the district officials in the interior, 

 and Commandant Willemoes D'Obry, chief of the Hydrographic Service, gave information 

 and assistance. Thanks are also due to the officials of Angola, French Congo, and 

 Spanish Guinea. Mr. Adam, Engineer-in-Chief of the Grand Lakes Railways, arranged 

 for travel on the Tanganyika construction. Throughout the trip the hospitality and 

 kindness of the missionaries did much to make things pleasant. 



D. M. Wise, on Magnetic Work for Selection of Observatory Site in Northwestern 

 South America, September 1916 to February 1917. 



In accordance with the Director's instructions of September 15, 1916, I set out from 

 Washington on September 27 to carry out survey work along the west coast of South 

 America, and to search for a suitable site for the proposed observatory in Peru. I was 

 joined in New York by Observer Allen Sterling, and together we sailed from New York 

 on September 30 for Colon via Havana. We were equipped with theodolite-magnet- 

 ometer No. 10, universal magnetometer No. 21, earth inductor No. 5, galvanometer 

 No. 30X, 2 pocket chronometers, 4 watches, 2 observing tents, and other miscellaneous 

 appurtenances. 



We arrived at Colon October 9, having made observations at the Villa Observatory 

 of the Jesuit Society at Havana during the brief stay of our steamer there. Two stations 

 in Colon were reoccupied before proceeding down the Colombian coast aboard the 

 steamer Cauca bound for Guayaquil, where we arrived October 26. From Guayaquil, 

 Callao was reached by steamer in 5 days, but as the quarantine regulations require 6 

 days to be completed from Guayaquil, it was necessary to spend one day in quarantine 

 before we were permitted to land on November 10. The remainder of November was 

 spent in getting information pertaining to the location of a suitable observatory site, 

 making some needed repairs to equipment, and completing observations at Lima and 

 Matucana. During the first part of December, stations were occupied at Huacho and 

 Sayan; the latter part of the month was spent examining the region close to Yangas, 

 about 40 miles northeast of Lima, to determine whether it was sufficiently free from 

 disturbing magnetic influences for an observatory site. We proceeded from central 

 Peru to its southern port, Mollendo, arriving on New Year's morning. After 

 observing there, we traveled by train to Arequipa, where we were cordially received by 

 Mr. Hinkley, observer-in-charge of the Harvard College Observatory. We made 

 intercomparisons of our instruments on the Observatory grounds, and while doing so 

 stayed with Mr. Hinkley at the Observatory quarters, which very much facilitated 

 our work. 



In accordance with cabled instructions received January 25, 1917, Mr. Sterling 

 proceeded alone to cany out the work assigned him along the coast of Chile, while 

 I returned to Lima to join Mr. Fleming on February 15, and continued a member of his 

 party until May 1, 1917. 



