312 CARNEGIE INSTITUTION OF WASHINGTON. 



Particular pains were taken to secure control observations at the 

 point of intersection of the tracks of 1909 and 1914; thus it was found 

 that west magnetic declination, in latitude 50° 30' north and longi- 

 tude 28° 36' west, is decreasing, i. e., the north end of the compass is 

 swinging to the east, at an average annual rate of about 6', or 0°.l. 

 Furthermore in latitude 48° 22' north and longitude 48° 08' west, it 

 was found that, between 1909 and 1914, the north end of the compass 

 swung to the east at the average annual rate of 4(6. 



On account oflocal disturbances in the general neighborhood of 

 ReykjaAdk, it was not deemed worth while to attempt swings. It 

 was decided instead to make such observations at sea after leaving 

 Reykjavik. Various shore stations were occupied, as also Dr. Angen- 

 heister's station of 1910. The necessarj^ shore observations and 

 standardizations of the ocean instruments having been completed, the 

 Carnegie sailed from Reykjavik on September 15, bound for Greenport, 

 Long Island. She arrived at the latter port on October 12; after the 

 completion of the shore and harbor observations, both in terrestrial 

 magnetism and atmospheric electricity, she proceeded to Brooklyn 

 and was berthed at Beard's Yacht Basin on October 21. 



Besides the magnetic work, the observations in atmospheric elec- 

 tricity were continued on the present cruise. It has already been 

 mentioned that improved methods and instruments for this work have 

 been introduced as the result of Dr. Swann's theoretical and experi- 

 mental researches in the Department laboratory at Washington. 



The follomng extracts from the record of meteorological observations 

 made between Hammerfest and Reykjavik will be of interest: 



"In most cases the fogs were not of very long duration and were accom- 

 panied by mist and light showers in between. Off the coast of Spitzbergen 

 quite a considerable wind accompanied the fog. 



"At 5 p. m., August 19, 1914, latitude 64° north, longitude 9°.4 west, land 

 was sighted, bearing 331° magnetic. It appeared as a rocky island sharply 

 defined. Later it gradually flattened out and disappeared. Land in that 

 direction was 180 miles distant. 



"August 26, 1914. We have noted the aurora at Reykjavik, Iceland, 

 several times. The long white band went nearly across the sky. At first 

 it was a single path, and later seemed to shade off in three distinct portions 

 parallel to one another. The general trend of the path was from southwest 

 to northeast, true. At 11^ 30™ p. m., local time, there were two bands, the 

 end of which ended in a 'whorl.'" 



