268 CARNEGIE INSTITUTION OF WASHINGTON. 



FUNDAMENTAL PROBLEMS OF THE EARTH'S MAGNETISM AND ELECTRICITY 

 AND MOST EFFECTIVE METHODS OF RESEARCH. 



In order to have clearly in mind once more the purposes and aims of the 

 Department of Terrestrial Magnetism, a conference was held at the Depart- 

 ment's Laboratory in Washington on January 20, 1922, with the prime view 

 of determining what modifications, if any, in the original plan of work, 

 outlined in the Year Book of the Institution for 1903, pages 203-212, might 

 advantageously be made at present. The following persons, who had been 

 specially invited by the Director of the Department, after consultation with 

 the President of the Institution, Dr. John C. Merriam, took part in the con- 

 ference: Dr. C. G. Abbot, Assistant Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, 

 Washington, D. C. ; Mr. Gano Dunn, President of the J. G. White Engineer- 

 ing Corporation, New York City; Captain R. L. Faris, Assistant Director 

 of the U. S. Coast and Geodetic Survey, Washington, D. C; Mr. G. W. 

 Littlehales, Hydrographic Engineer of the U. S. Hydrographic Office, Wash- 

 ington, D. C, and Dr. Augustus Trowbridge, Professor of Physics, Princeton 

 University. There were also present, besides the Director of the Department, 

 Dr. Merriam and the Assistant Director, Mr. Fleming. Dr. R. A. Millikan 

 had likewise been invited to the conference, but, owing to pressing duties, 

 was unable to be present. Mr. Fleming acted as secretary. 



The members of the conference, upon arrival at the Laboratory, first made 

 a general inspection of the various buildings and equipment. The develop- 

 ment of instrumental appliances was described and illustrated by an exhibit, 

 in the Standardizing Magnetic Observatory, of magnetic-survey and observa- 

 tory instruments, chiefly designed and constructed by the Department. 

 There were shown particularly one of the Department's latest designs of 

 magnetometer-inductor for field work and the recently constructed sine 

 galvanometer. The Experiment Building was then visited, and brief descrip- 

 tion was given by Dr. Barnett of his investigations concerning magnetization 

 by rotation and the converse problem. After examining the instrument-shop 

 and main laboratory, the temporary atmospheric-electric house on the deck 

 of the Laboratory was inspected, and the apparatus and methods were briefly 

 described by Dr. Mauchly. The members of the conference then met in the 

 Director's room for a review and discussion of the following topics: 



TOPICS REVIEWED AND DISCUSSED DURING CONFERENCE. 



1. Establishment of the Department (April 1, 1904): ^, 



a. Reduction bureau. (International polar work. Incomplete and unhomogeneous 



data. Found best to start afresh.) 



b. Chief problems outlined in original project. (See 2, 3, 4, 5, and 9.) 



2. Magnetic survey of Earth (begun 1905) : 



a. Land work. (Progress and present status. Unexplored regions. Secular 



changes.) 



b. Ocean work. (Pacific Ocean. Map of cruises of the Galilee, 1905-1908, and the 



Carnegie, 1909-1921.) 



c. Difficulties of ocean work overcome. Instruments devised. Perfection reached. 



d. Future work of the Carnegie. (Additional data. Secular changes. Local dis- 



turbances. Electric and other auxiliary work.) 



e. Special expeditions. (Eclipse work, polar expeditions, etc.) 



/. Correlation with work of other organizations. (International cooperation.) 

 g. Reduction to same basis and common epoch, and prompt publication. 

 h. Relations between local magnetic disturbances, gravity anomalies, and geo- 

 logical formations. 



