DEPARTMENT OF TERRESTRIAL MAGNETISM. 243 



Meteorological Institute; Professors J. Elster and H. Geitel, the well- 

 known authorities on atmospheric electricity; Professor E. Mascart, 

 the late director of the Bureau Central Meteorologique of France; 

 Professor G. Neumayer, the late director of the Deutsche Seewarte at 

 Hamburg; Professor A. Schuster, at the time director of the Physical 

 Laboratory of Owens College, University of Manchester; and Mr. 

 0. H. Tittmann, then superintendent of the United States Coast and 

 Geodetic Survey. Upon the establishment of the Department, letters 

 of good will were received from other noted men, among whom was the 

 late Sir Arthur Riicker, then president of the International Permanent 

 Committee on Terrestrial Magnetism and Atmospheric Electricity. 

 Captain Ettrick W. Creak, at one time superintendent of the Compass 

 Department of the British Admiralty, wrote a letter in 1904 favoring 

 the taking up at once, by the Department, a magnetic survey of the 

 North Pacific Ocean. 



In 1904, Professors von Bezold, Elster and Geitel, INIascart, Riicker, 

 and Schuster were appointed, by the Institution, members of the 

 Advisory Council to assist the Director in determining the hues of 

 activity of immediate importance and in adopting a definite poHcy 

 with regard to existing organizations. One of the first changes made 

 as the result of advice from members of this Council was the dropping 

 of the word "International" in the name of the Department. Further- 

 more, only one of the advisers favored some connection with an inter- 

 national association, and even he did not think it desirable to have more 

 than a nominal connection. Since the funds were to be supplied 

 entirely by the Carnegie Institution of Washington, it was not possible 

 to organize the Department in accordance with the customs governing 

 international organizations, the funds of which are contributed by 

 various nations in concert — for example, the International Geodetic 

 Association, International Catalogue of Scientific Literature, Inter- 

 national Seismological Association, etc. One of the advisers expressed 

 strongly the opinion that it would not be advantageous for the Depart- 

 ment to be tied up with any strictly international organization. This 

 policy was furthermore favored by the present President of the Institu- 

 tion, who came to the Institution shortly after the establishment of 

 the Department. While the basis of organization of the Department 

 could not be international in the sense usually defined by such bodies, 

 a review of the work and policy will show, it is believed, that at all 

 times consideration has been paid to advice received by letter or 

 appearing in reviews, by representatives of countries the world over. 



Before undertaking, for example, the magnetic survey of the oceans, 

 as also atmospheric-electric work, the Director, during a visit to 

 Europe in the spring of 1905, consulted not only members of the 

 Advisory Council but also many other persons in England, France, 

 and Gernoany. The general opinion at that time appeared to be that 



