DEPARTMENT OF TERRESTRIAL MAGNETISM. 313 



LAND WORK. 

 AFRICA. 



At the beginning of the year, Observer D. W. Berky was completing 

 his expedition along the Niger River from Timbuktoo. After occupying 

 a station at Lagos, Nigeria, he returned to Washington on January 12. 



Observer H. E. Sawyer, who had assisted Mr. Berky in the trans- 

 Saharan expedition, was observing in French West Africa at the 

 beginning of the year. Having observed at Bathurst, Gambia, he 

 returned to Dakar, Senegal, and thence traveled along the coast of 

 Liberia, French West Africa, Togoland, and Nigeria. Up to the time 

 of his arrival at Lagos, March 14, he had occupied 6 stations in Liberia, 

 5 stations in French West Africa, and 3 stations in Togoland. From 

 Lagos he took up a general magnetic survey of Nigeria, going as far 

 north as Kano, and thence west-southwest to Yola, on the River 

 Benue, where he arrived June 29. From this point he made a trip 

 into northern Cameroon and occupied a station at Garua. Early in 

 July he left Yola for Lokoja, Nigeria, via the River Benue, arriving 

 there on August 17. From Lokoja he proceeded up the Niger to Baro, 

 thence returning to the coast. By the end of the year the general 

 magnetic survey of Nigeria will have been completed, as far as present 

 conditions permit. 



Observer D. M. Wise left New York City on January 31 to take up 

 work in the Belgian Congo. En route he occupied 2 stations in the 

 Madeira and Canary Islands. He also secured observations at Konakry, 

 French West Africa. AiTiving at Boma on March 9, he proceeded via 

 steamer and railway to Leopoldville, where he made his final prepara- 

 tions for the trip into the interior. He left Kinshasa (near Leopoldville) 

 on March 31 and arrived at Stanleyville on May 11, and at Lowa 

 during the latter part of June. From Lowa he proceeded by rail and 

 steamer to Bukama, and thence by caravan to Kambove. While on 

 this part of the journey he made a side trip to the east from Kabalo, 

 latitude about 6° south, along the line of the proposed railway, to 

 within 35 kilometers of Lake Tanganyika. From Kambove he pro- 

 ceeded southward to Elisabethville, where he arrived during the latter 

 part of July. From Elisabethville Mr. Wise continued the trip by 

 caravan to a navigable point on the Kasai River, and thence by boat 

 to Kinshasa. Conditions permitting, he will proceed thence to Brazza- 

 ville and Loango, on the French Congo Coast. During Mr. Wise's 

 work, he succeeded in occupying a number of stations where magnetic 

 observations had been secured previously by various Belgian expedi- 

 tions. With the aid of the data now obtained, it may be found possible 

 to construct general magnetic charts of the Belgian Congo of sufficient 

 accuracy for our purpose. 



Observer W. F. Wallis having completed his work in Italy, arrived in 

 Tripoli on December 15. After reoccupying our station here, asestab- 



