DESCRIPTIONS OF SHORE STATIONS. 1909-1914. 



One of the chief difficulties experienced by the observers of the Department of Terres- 

 trial Magnetism in the reoccupation of old stations for secular-variation data has been the 

 lack of information necessary to precise recovery of the point where the previous observa- 

 tions were made. Owing to the frequent occurrence of local disturbances, it may readily 

 happen that erroneous secular- variation data will result from non-recovery of exact station. 

 Accordingly the observers of the Department are instructed to furnish as complete descrip- 

 tions as possible of stations occupied, especially of such as give promise of future availability. 

 Information additional to that contained in the pubUshed descriptions or copies of station- 

 sketches or of photographs of surroundings will gladly be supplied to those interested in the 

 reoccupation of any of the stations. 



The descriptions are given in alphabetical order under the same geographical divisions 

 adopted in the preceding Table of Shore Results. The general form followed in the 

 descriptions is: name of station, year when occupied, general location, detailed location, 

 distances and references to surrounding objects, manner of marking, and finally the true 

 bearings of prominent objects hkely to be of permanent character. All bearings, unless 

 specifically stated otherwise, are true ones, and are reckoned continuously from 0° to 360°, 

 in the direction south, west, north, east. When no mention is made of marking of station, 

 it is to be understood that the station was either not marked at all or not in a permanent 

 manner. 



Most of the measured distances were made originally in the English system; however, 

 the distances obtained by conversion into the metric system are also given, but inclosed in 

 parentheses, so as to show that they are converted figures. The following rules have been 

 adopted in the conversions: distances given to 0.01 foot are converted to the nearest 0.001 

 meter, 0.1 foot to the nearest 0.01 meter, 1 foot to the nearest 0.1 meter, estimated feet or 

 yards to nearest meter, estimated fraction of a mile to nearest 0.1 kilometer, and estima- 

 tions of more than a mile to nearest kilometer. Short and important reference distances, 

 when measured accurately, have been converted into nearest 0.1 centimeter; such measure- 

 ments, however, as, for example, dimensions of marking-stones, etc., which are not of great 

 importance, have been converted to the nearest centimeter. If a distance is given immedi- 

 ately preceding an azimuth of a mark, it is to be interpreted as distance from the magnetic 

 station to the mark. 



AFRICA. 

 British SonxH and Central Africa. 



Cape Town, Cape Colony, 1911. — Four stationa, A, B, C, 

 and D, all in line with bottom of weather vane on hos- 

 pital tower, were established in field belonging to the 

 Valkenberg Mental Hospital; the field is back of 

 North Lodge and bounded on north and west by Royal 

 Astronomical Observatory, with avenue along western 

 boundary leading to hospital. Main station, A, is 

 one-third kilometer northwest of hospital, 273 feet 

 (83.2 meters) from fence bounding avenue to west- 

 ward, and same distance from fence bounding field to 

 southward; marked by wood post projecting about 2 

 feet 6 inches (76 cm.) above ground, center of post 

 marking exact point. True bearings: triangulation 

 mark on Devil's Peak, 3 kilometers, 60° 06 '.9; gable 

 of lodge, 127° 08;6; bottom of weather vane on hos- 

 pital tower, 318° 11 (8. B is 98.4 feet (29.99 meters) 

 nearer hospital than A. C is 90.7 feet (27.65 meters) 

 farther from hospital than A. D is 181.6 feet (55.35 

 meters) farther from hospital than A. 



310 



EUROPE. 

 Gbeat Britain. 



Falmouth, England, 1909, 1913. — Three stations, desig- 

 nated A, B, and C, were occupied in 1913, A and B 

 being reoccupations of 1909 stations. Main station A 

 is on flat forming Trefusis Point, 11 meters from edge 

 of bush on bank, 41.6 meters from southeast post of 

 football goal, and 37.6 meters from northwest post of 

 goal; marked by cross in top of Oregon pine post sunk 

 flush with ground. True bearings: sharp church 

 spire on hilltop, 43° 2913; center of St. Anthony 

 Lighthouse tower, 308° 5010; main flagpole on Pen- 

 dennis Castle, 339° 52 :i. B is 20.15 meters north- 

 west of A, on azimuth Une produced from St. Anthony 

 Lighthouse tower, and 29.0 meters from northwest 

 post of football goal. C is 28.40 meters northeast 

 of A, on azimuth line produced from church spire on 

 hilltop. 



Falmoulh Observatory, England, 1909, 1913. — Observations 

 were made at Falmouth Observatory on brick pier in 

 the but used for absolute observations, and used in 



