52 Transactions. 



The Pacific cable is equipped with the most moderu appara- 

 tus at the various stations, and the cable is worked duplex — 

 that is, messages are sent and received on the same cable at the 

 same time. 



Canada had carried longitude work from Greenwich across 

 the Atlantic and thence to Vancouver. The completion of the 

 British Pacific cable offered an opportunity for continuing 

 the work across the Pacific in the interests of navigation and geo- 

 graphy, besides tying for the first time longitudes brought east- 

 ward from Greenwich with those brought westward, making 

 the first longitude girdle round the world. 



In October, 1902, the Hon. Clifford Sifton, then Minister 

 of the Interior, authorised the carrying-out of the transpacific 

 longitudes, and the Governors of the South Seas, Australia, and 

 New Zealand were respectively officially notified thereof. In 

 preparing the programme for carrying out the work the climatic 

 conditions of the various stations to be occupied were studied 

 so that the most favourable times and seasons might be chosen. 

 It was found that Suva, Fiji, was the governing factor, as it was 

 by far the rainiest place of the series. The work was placed 

 in my charge, and Mr. F. W. 0. Werry, B.A., was associated 

 with me as the other observer. 



The instrumental outfit of the two observers was practically 

 the same. Each observer was provided with a Cooke and Son 

 astronomic portable transit, each of 3 in. clear aperture, the one 

 of 34 in. the other of 36 in. focal length. Each transit was pro- 

 vided with reversing-apparatus. The transits of stars were ob- 

 served over eleven threads in groups of three, five, and three 

 respectively. The eye-piece attachment carried a micrometer 

 (one revolution about a minute of arc with thread parallel to 

 the transit threads) for latitude work ; and the whole attach- 

 ment was necessarily movable through 90°, so that the movable 

 or micrometer thread becomes horizontal. The recording of 

 transits was made, by means of a key, on a Fauth barrel chro- 

 nograph. Each observer was provided with two sidereal box 

 chronometers, one being a spare instrument in case of accident. 

 There were, besides, dry cells, switchboards, and minor acces- 

 sories to complete the outfit. I carried, too, a half-seconds 

 pendulum apparatus and a Tesdorpf magnetic instrument, the 

 latter similar to the ones furnished Drygalski, of the " Gauss," 

 on his Antarctic expedition. 



At each station — that is, at Fanning, Suva, Norfolk, South- 

 port, and Doubtless Bay — a brick or cement pier was built, and 

 an observing-hut covering the same. At Vancouver, which is 

 used as a longitude reference point for the whole of British 

 Columbia, we have a permanent transit-house. 



