132 Ocean Magnetic Observations, 1905-16 



occupied the observers from September 18 to 21, 1905. The scientific party was engaged in office 

 work, preparing the records and computations for transmittal to Washington, from the 22d to the 

 27th. During all the time that the vessel was at Honolulu the ship force was constantly engaged in 

 overhauling, turning in, and setting up the new standing rigging. On September 28, 1905, the 

 vessel was towed out of Honolulu Harbor to and abreast the Honolulu Magnetic Observatory at 

 Sisal, where it was swung with both helms, which took until nightfall, when we proceeded to sea. 



21. The cable company at Honolulu reported unusually stormy weather at Midway Island, 

 and a schooner from the westward reported that there was extremely heavy weather beyond Kauai. 

 Owing to these reports, and the knowledge that all along the windward side of the chain extending 

 from Honolulu to Midway heavy weather generally prevails, it was deemed best to go around the 

 Hawaiian Islands, via the pass between Maui and Hawaii, and then go northwest from the south 

 extremity of Hawaii Island, crossing the heavy-weather belt once or twice rather than to parallel it; 

 while in this belt, the sea would be too heavy to make magnetic observations. The course from 

 Honolulu was set accordingly, but the light and baffling airs, coupled with unexpected calms and the 

 strong westerly current in that region, caused our little sailing-vessel to fall off so that she could not 

 make the schooner route from Honolulu to Hilo, via Aleuinhana Channel. When about 300 miles to 

 the southward of the southern extremity of the island of Hawaii, the conditions being favorable, I 

 decided to continue on to Fanning Island, make a base station there, and cross the chain to the 

 westward of Honolulu later, as the winds and currents would now compel us to do under any cir- 

 cumstances whatever. Fanning Island was reached on the afternoon of October 10, the vessel being 

 out from Honolulu 12 days, and sailing and drifting 1,207 miles. During this passage the weather 

 conditions were such that the ship was swung on 1 day; on 8 days observations were made on course; 

 on 2 days it was too stormy to observe; on 2 days, during which it rained a great deal, course obser- 

 vations were made between showers; on 3 days the wind was too light to swing ship, and on 7 days 

 the Sun only shone at intervals between showers and clouds. 



22. The "Pacific Cable Board," a governmental cable, maintained by some of the Pacific 

 British colonies and the home government, has a cable station on Fanning Island and maintains a 

 mooring-buoy at the old whalers' anchorage, in front of the station. The shore magnetic station, 

 where all the magnetic observations and comparisons were made, is directly back of the cable 

 station, between it and the Central Lagoon, and not far from the boat-shed on the lagoon. The 

 Galilee was swung both to port and to starboard from the mooring-buoy, utilizing the prevailing 

 wind-and-ocean current, and using long shifting and veering lines. The stop at Fanning Island 

 covered 4 days, October 10 to 14. Mr. Smith, the local manager of the cable station, together with 

 his corps of assistants, showed the party every courtesy possible. The landing at the cable station 

 is on the outside of the ring-shaped island and in the surf. 



23. Fanning Island is about 200 miles from both the geographic and the magnetic equators. 

 Judging from weather conditions experienced by Captain Hayes on several occasions between 

 Fanning Island and the Pacific coast, it appeared that, under average conditions, we would make 

 the passage back to CaUfornia in ample time. Accordingly it was decided to cross the magnetic 

 equator sufficiently to get into a region of south dip of the magnetic needle. By noon of October 17, 

 the third day after sailing from Fanning Island, we had reached a point about 90 miles south of the 

 equator, where southerly dip of a very appreciable amount was observed, and the vessel's course 

 was changed to the northward. Fourteen days later, October 31, we crossed the chain of rocks, 

 reefs, and islets that extends in a west-northwesterly direction from the Hawaiian group, at a point 

 about 600 miles to the westward of Honolulu. On November 7, 24 days after leaving Fanning Island, 

 Honolulu was reached, the distance sailed being 2,963 nautical miles. During this passage the 

 weather conditions were such that the ship was swung on 3 days; observations on courses were 

 made on 20 days; on 1 day it was too stormy to observe; on 3 days there were calms; on 6 days it 

 rained a great deal, but course observations were made; and on 20 days the Sun shone only at 

 intervals, either between clouds or showers. During this passage all the rigging had to be set up; 

 some of it twice. 



24. During the stay of 4 days in Honolulu, additional observations were made at the Coast and 

 Geodetic Survey magnetic observatory, the vessel was painted, the rigging was set up, the water- 

 tanks were filled with fresh water, and additional subsistence stores were taken aboard. As bubonic 

 plague was declared prevalent there at that time, and as the vessel went alongside the naval dock for 



