DEPARTMENT OF TERRESTRIAL MAGNETISM. 323 



LAND WORK. 

 AFRICA. 



At the beginning of November 1914 Observer D. M. Wise was 

 in the Belgian Kongo, traveUng by river steamer up the Sankuru 

 River towards Lusambo, where he arrived on November 6. He then 

 descended the Sankuru, Kassai, and Kongo Rivers to Leopoldville. 

 After a brief stop there, the journey down the river was resumed. 

 From Boma a short trip was made by rail northward as far as Tshela. 

 Returning to Boma, he continued by launch to Banana, and thence by 

 steamer to St. Paul de Loanda, Angola, which he reached on December 

 24. The magnetic station there was reoccupied, and then, taking 

 advantage of a railway to the interior, he made a trip to Malange, 

 about 300 miles, and occupied 4 stations. Mr. Wise then returned to 

 St. Paul de Loanda and took steamer for Benguela. There again a 

 short trip into the interior was made by rail, covering about 300 miles, 

 and including 6 magnetic stations. After establishing stations at 

 Mossamedes and Tiger Bay, Angola, the return northward was begun. 

 A number of stations were occupied on the coast. On arriving at 

 Libreville, French Kongo, instructions were received to return to 

 Washington. Leaving Libreville on April 25, Mr. Wise arrived at 

 Washington on June 29. He covered an important region in Africa, 

 and estabUshed 90 stations. Throughout the trip much kindness and 

 assistance were received from government officials and missionaries. 



Observer W. F. Walhs, having completed the series of observations 

 in Libya, Egypt, Abyssinia, and Eritrea (see Report for the year 1914, 

 pp. 313, 314), returned to Tripoli with the purpose of organizing and 

 carrjdng out, if possible, an expedition southward across the Sahara. 

 In consultation with the governor of TripoUtania, however, it was 

 learned that, owing to the war in Europe, conditions in the interior 

 were somewhat unsettled, and the Italian authorities preferred not to 

 accept the responsibility of permitting a scientific expedition into the 

 interior at that time. On communicating these facts to the Director 

 by cable, Mr. Wallis was instructed to return to Washington. Before 

 leaving TripoU, however, he reoccupied the magnetic station there. 

 Sailing from Tripoli on November 9, and traveling by way of Naples 

 and New York, Mr. WalUs arrived at Washington on December 8, 1914. 



ASIA. 



The work accomphshed in Asia during the year was that conducted 

 in China by Dr. C. K. Edmunds, chief of party, with the assistance of 

 Observer F. Brown. After completing his portion of the work in Aus- 

 tralia Mr. Brown reported to Dr. Edmunds at Canton on January 13. 

 Several weeks were then devoted to comparisons of instruments, both 

 at Canton and at the Hongkong Observatory, and also to preparations 

 for magnetic surveys in Southern China and Mongoha. On March 23 



