196 REPORTS 01^ INVESTIGATIONS AND PROJECTS. 



South America. — At the end of the last fiscal year Mr. H. W. Fisk, 

 Magnetician, was engaged in work in the Guianas. From November i, 1908, 

 to December 18, 1908, the magnetic elements were determined at 9 stations, 

 2 of which were in French Guiana, 3 in Dutch Guiana, 3 in British Guiana, 

 and I in Trinidad (Port of Spain). Two of these stations, Georgetown 

 (Demerara) and Port of Spain, were repeat stations. 



Mr. E. Kidson, Magnetic Observer, continued the magnetic work assigned 

 him the previous year in Ecuador and Colombia; up to June 2, 1909, he had 

 occupied 25 stations in these countries and 3 in the Canal Zone. At 3 sta- 

 tions observations had been made previously, viz, Savanilla (Colombia), 

 Colon, and Flamenco Island (Canal Zone). With this work accomplished 

 the isomagnetic lines may be drawn with a fair degree of accuracy over the 

 northwestern part of the South American continent. 



Persia, Baluchistan, Arabia, Turkey in Asia, Russia in Asia, Russia in 

 Europe. — Mr. J. C. Pearson continued the work placed in his charge in 190S 

 in these countries, and up to October 31, 1909, had added 51 stations to his 

 previous list — 13 in Persia; at Gwadur, Baluchistan; 4 in Arabia; at Basra, 

 Asia Minor ; near Constantinople, Turkey ; 20 in Asiatic Russia ; 1 1 in Euro- 

 pean Russia. At several of the places results for secular variation were 

 derived. At the beginning of the new fiscal year Mr. Pearson is at work 

 along the southern coast of the Black Sea, in Turkey in Asia. 



His instrumental outfit was again compared with the Tiflis Magnetic Ob- 

 servatory standards, and also with those of the Tashkent Magnetic Observa- 

 tory. Owing to the unsettled condition of countries first traversed by Air. 

 Pearson he encountered many difficulties in travel, which he successfully over- 

 came, very largely through the special courtesies shown him by the repre- 

 sentatives of the Persian, Russian, English, and American governments. 

 Acknowledgment must also be made of the substantial assistance rendered 

 the Department, in the execution of the work in Asiatic Russia, by General 

 M. Rykatchefif, and Director Hlasek of the Tiflis Observatory. 



The work of the two expeditions — those of Messrs. Sowers and Pearson — 

 will furnish by the end of 1909 a series of magnetic stations between parallels 

 30° and 40° north across the whole continent of Asia. 



Central America and West Indies. — From the latter part of November, 

 1908, to July 14, 1909, Mr. W. H. Sligh, Magnetic Observer, made observa- 

 tions at 14 stations in Cuba, 3 in British Honduras, 6 in Guatemala, 7 in Hon- 

 duras, 10 in Nicaragua, and 3 in Salvador. Secular variation data were 

 obtained at several stations. 



With the work previously done by the Department, the field-work neces- 

 sary for a general magnetic survey of the Central American countries is 

 almost completed. The trip from Belize, British Honduras, to Bluefields, 

 Nicaragua, and the intermediate coast stations, was made in a small 15-ton 

 vessel. Mr. Sligh deserves high commendation for the manner in which he 



