28 CARNEGIE INSTITUTION OF WASHINGTON. 



An auxiliary matter of great moment to the Solar Observatory is that of 

 a roadway from the foot to the summit of Mount Wilson. By the terms of 

 the ninety-nine year lease of the observatory site secured by the Institution 

 the privilege was granted not only to use but to repair and improve an 

 existing road or trail controlled by the lessors. The approaching comple- 

 tion of the 6o-inch telescope referred to above made it essential to decide 

 early in the year how the parts of this telescope could be most advantage- 

 ously transported to the observatory site. Accordingly, at the request of 

 Professor Hale, the President visited Pasadena during May and June last, 

 and, after several conferences on the matter and after a careful study of its 

 various aspects, a decision was reached to undertake widening and improving 

 the existing trail to the extent required for safe transport of apparatus, 

 materials, etc., up and down the mountain. Since an estimate of |i5,ooo 

 for this work in the budget of the department for the year had been approved 

 by the Executive Committee, it was possible to start the work at once. 

 Thru the courtesy of the Director of the Department of Botanical Research 

 a member of his staff, Mr. Godfrey Sykes, was temporarily transferred to 

 the staff of the observatory and placed in charge of this work. Under his 

 direction the road is now well advanced and it is expected to be ready for 

 use early next year. 



The extensive field and office researches of this department have secured 

 during the year large additions to magnetic data from widely separated parts 



of the earth. I<and observations for magnetic elements 

 restriaHVlagnetismr ^^"^'^ ^^^^ made at numerous stations in the United States, 



Canada, the Pacific islands, and China, while the observing 

 ship Galilee has been continued during the j^ear in the magnetic survey of 

 the Pacific Ocean started during the preceding year. 



During her first voyage, beginning August 5, 1905, and ending December 9, 

 1905, this ship traversed circuits aggregating 11, 000 nautical miles. During 

 her second voyage, beginning March 2, 1906, and ending October 13, 1906, 

 she traversed circuits aggregating 1 5 , 000 nautical miles. The success attend- 

 ing these expeditions has been highly satisfactory from the points of view 

 jointly of quantity and quality of the ob.servations obtained. From the 

 extensive additions to existing knowledge of the magnetic elements of the 

 Pacific thus gained it will soon be practicable to produce greatly improved 

 magnetic charts for the benefit of the rapidly growing commerce of this ocean. 

 Only one serious mishap has occurred to the Galilee during her two 

 voyages for the department. This took place on August 24, 1906, when she 

 was blown ashore and sunk during a typhoon while at anchor in the harbor 

 of Yokohama, Japan. Thanks to the prompt action of her owner, Mr. Mat- 

 thew Turner, of San Francisco, she was speedily raised, repaired, and made 

 ready to proceed by September 5, 1906. 



