PROPOSED INTERNATIONAI, MAGNETIC BUREAU 211 



\Professor W. von Bezold, Director of the Prussian Meteorological In- 



stitide, to Mr. Baiter. '\ 



[Translation.] 



Your kind favor of the 13th ultimo [enclosing copy of plan of 

 proposed International Magnetic Bureau] gave me very great pleas- 

 ure. I have always had the feeling that it is comparatively easy to 

 solicit funds for expeditions and similar undertakings designed to 

 collect scientific material, whereas it is very difficult to obtain 

 means or the necessary scientific aid for the discussion and utiliza- 

 tion of the data collected. 



The difficulties and dangers to be overcome in expeditions evoke 

 energetic young investigators and easily arouse interest in wide 

 circles, while the onerous discussion of the collected material re- 

 quiring tireless application and more penetrating insight is not 

 valued in an equal degree ; and yet it is the critical discussion of 

 the observations which furnish the actual results of the expedition 

 and make the real contribution to science. This is especially true 

 of magnetic investigations. For the establishment and maintenance 

 of magnetic observatories, and especially for exploring expeditions, 

 large means have been available. The reduction and discussion of 

 observations, however, have been made only incompletely. 



For limited regions and for rather restricted purposes — e. g. , in 

 the case of magnetic surveys of countries — most gratifying contribu- 

 tions have been made, but for all problems embracing the entire 

 earth, there are most keenly felt gaps in our knowledge. Thus, 

 for example, the immense material gathered by the International 

 Polar Expeditions of 1 882-' 83 has been utilized only to a very small 

 degree, and so also in the case of the present international work, 

 conducted in cooperation with the Antarctic Expeditions, whereby 

 observations e7i masse will be piled up. It cannot be seen at present 

 how the prompt utilization and publication of the results is going 

 to be accomplished. To be sure, Professor Adolf Schmidt, of 

 Ootha, is at present engaged, with the aid of grants from the 

 Prussian Academy of Sciences, to cover some of the above men- 

 tioned gaps ; however, the means at his disposal are altogether too 

 inadequate for the accomplishment of anything very noteworthy. 

 I should therefore hail with delight, as in the interest of science, if 

 a part of the most generous gift of Mr. Carnegie could be devoted 

 to further magnetic investigation. 



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