DEPARTMENT OF TERRESTRIAL MAGNETISM. 265 



LAND WORK. 

 AFRICA. 



After completing a series of observations across French Kongo, from 

 Brazzaville to Libreville, Observer H. E. Sawyer returned to Boma and 

 began preparations for an expedition to the region of Lake Tchad. 

 On November 24, 1916, he left Brazzaville, proceeded up the Kongo 

 River to Bolobo, and from Bolobo up the Ubangi River to Bangui, 

 where he arrived December 21, 1916. At this point a caravan was 

 outfitted for the overland stage to the waters of the Shari River, 

 flowing northward into Lake Tchad. The expedition left Bangui 

 January 20 and arrived at Fort Crampel on the Shari River, February 

 20, 1917. In this portion of the journey magnetic observations were 

 made at 9 stations. From Fort Crampel Mr. Sawyer proceeded by 

 barge and boat down the river to Fort Lamy, near the south side of 

 I^ake Tchad. 



The plans for subsequent progress could be only tentatively made 

 in advance of reaching Fort Lamy. It was learned, however, from the 

 French authorities, that conditions would not permit making a contem- 

 plated trip from Lake Tchad northward, and accordingly arrangements 

 were made to undertake the route to the east, by way of Abeshr in 

 French Kongo and El Fasher in Darfur, to El Obeid in Anglo-Egyptian 

 Sudan, to Khartum on the Nile. Mr. Sawyer arrived at Fort Lamy 

 April 19, 1917, and proceeded on May 2, partly by launch and partly 

 by means of oxen, to Mao, northeast of Lake Tchad, securing in this 

 region a number of reoccupations of stations of the Tilho Mission 

 which furnish valuable secular-variation data. He left Mao May 28, 

 expecting to arrive at Abeshr about the last of July, and to reach the 

 Nile some time in November. 



ASIA. 



Dr. C. K. Edmunds, having returned to his duties as President of 

 Canton Christian College, continued the direction of the expedition 

 led by Observer Frederick Brown. After completing a campaign in 

 Manchuria, during which 35 stations were occupied, Mr. Brown left 

 Tientsin for a trip in southwest China, extending through Yunnan 

 province to Bhamo, across the Burma frontier, and returning by a more 

 southerly route by way of Szemao, Mengtsz, and Wuchow to Canton. 

 His route took him by rail to Hankow, where he occupied the C. I. W. 

 repeat station of 1907, and thence by steamer up the Yangtse River to 

 Chungking in Szechwan. He arrived at Chungking November 24, 

 1916, and continued up the river by launch to Suifu, where he arranged 

 for a trip overland by cooUe caravan to Yunnanfu. The latter point 

 was reached January 6, 1917, 19 stations having been occupied, of 

 which 4 (HankoM^ Yochow, Ichang, and Yunnanfu) were repeat sta- 



