DEPARTMENT OF TERRESTRIAL MAGNETISM.^ 



Louis A. Bauer, Director. 



GENERAL SUMMARY. 



INTRODUCTORY REMARKS. 



The difficulties encountered in the resumption of the Department's 

 full program of pre-war work, mentioned in last year's annual report, 

 have not abated, but, instead, have been increased by the continually 

 rising costs of maintenance and operation, and by the imperative need 

 of providing adequate compensation for those engaged in the advance- 

 ment of science. Undoubtedly the effects of the war will make them- 

 selves felt for a long time to come, especially upon the successful prose- 

 cution of researches world-wide in their scope. Not only has it become 

 imperative to curtail the Department's o^\ti work until the restoration 

 of the pre-war equivalent of financial and human resources, but the 

 same curtailment, in greater or less degree, has had to be made in the 

 work of cooperating scientific organizations the world over. Depletion 

 of staffs and diminution in purchasing capacity of available funds are 

 serious problems facing those in charge of scientific establishments. 



OCEAN MAGNETIC WORK, 



It is a pleasure to be able to report that in regard to the ocean work 

 the Department's program has been completely and successfully 

 resumed, though, because of the greatly increased costs, somewhat at 

 the expense of other lines of work, especially that of the magnetic sur- 

 vey of land areas. The present cruise (No. VI) of the Carnegie is prov- 

 ing to be one of the most successful, both in rate of progress and in work 

 accomplished, of the vessel's cruises since her maiden voyage of 1909. 

 The decision to convert the Carnegie's engine to operate on gasoUne, 

 instead of producer gas, in view of the pecuhar difficulties encountered 

 in attempting to make use of a non-magnetic power-plant, has proved 

 to have been fortunate. Considerable more use of the engine in making 

 and leaving ports and during calm weather has been possible than 

 heretofore. According to the schedule as planned when the Carnegie 

 left Washington on October 9, 1919, she was not expected to arrive at 

 Lyttelton, New Zealand, until about December 11, 1920; instead, she 

 was able to report her arrival at that port on October 20, 1920. At 

 this rate of progress she may be expected, under favorable conditions, 

 to conclude her cruise of 62,000 nautical miles at Washington about 

 October 1, 1921, instead of the middle of November 1921. 

 ^ Full share in the success of the present cruise must be given to the 

 commander and his staff. The detailed statement of the vessel's 

 operations, as prepared from Commander Ault's report, shows what 



'Addres3, Thirty-sixth Street and Broad Branch Road, Washington, D. C. 



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