3 1 6 The National Geographic Magazine 



ernment will have direct communica- 

 tion with its representatives without 

 the use of foreign cables. A line to 

 Madagascar, in conjunction w'ith the 

 German -Dutch cable to German East 

 African colony, and a cable from Mada- 

 gascar to Eorenzo Marques are also 

 projected. 



Massacre of Dr. James Chalmers. — A 



dispatch from Sidne}^ New South Wales, 

 announces the massacre of the Rev. Dr. 

 James Chalmers and a party of white 

 men by the cannibals on the Fly River, 

 New Guinea. For more than twenty 

 years Dr. Chalmers has labored among 

 the natives of this large island, both 

 as teacher and explorer. It is owing 

 mainly to his exertions that New Guinea 

 is so well known toda3^ He explored 

 the Alps of New Guinea, that range of 

 mountains extending for 200 miles par- 

 allel to the southern coast and reaching 

 an altitude of from 10,000 to 1 2,000 feet. 

 He was also one of the founders of Fort 

 Moresby, the present capital of British 

 New Guinea. The Fly River, where he 

 met his death, was explored for hun- 

 dreds of miles by this intrepid explorer. 



The U. S, Board on Geogfraphic Names 



has published a special report contain- 

 ing a list showing the approved spell- 

 ing of about 4,000 coastwise names in 

 the Philippine archipelago. There has 

 hitherto been much difficulty with the 

 names, inasmuch as existing charts, 

 books, maps, and publications all dis- 

 agreed. Spanish charts contained either 

 all Spanish names or Spanish names 

 and also Malay names written accord- 

 ing to Spanish methods. On English 

 charts the spelling of some of the Ma- 

 lay names had been altered to conform 

 to English and American methods of 

 writing: native names, and naturallv 



numerous errors and great confusion 

 had arisen. The U. S. Board on Geo- 

 graphic Names, when appealed to for 

 advice, after due consideration, recom- 

 mended that the names in current use 

 and their spelling, as shown on the best 

 Spanish official maps and charts, should 

 be followed. The Hydrographic Office, 

 pursuant to this advice, under the di- 

 rection of Capt. C. C. Todd, U. S. N., 

 prepared, chiefly from Spanish official 

 charts, the list of names which are in- 

 cluded in this special report of the Board. 

 It is interesting to note that the names 

 were approved by Father Jose Algue, 

 of Manila, the highest authority in the 

 Philippine Islands. 



Remeasurement of the Arc of Quito. — 



A large part}^ of French scientists have 

 landed in Peru to begin the remeasure- 

 ment of the arc of Quito, first measured 

 160 years ago b}^ Bouguer, Ea Conda- 

 mine, and Godin, of the French Acad- 

 emy of Sciences. As great improve- 

 ments have since been made in the 

 method and instruments for geodetic 

 work, arcs of the earth can now be meas- 

 iired with an almost inappreciable error, 

 and it will be interesting to note how 

 closely the remeasurement will follow 

 the first. 



In 1899 the French Government dis- 

 patched a reconnaissance party, in com- 

 mand of Captains Maurain and Ea- 

 combe, to make a general survey of the 

 country and to submit a plan of organi- 

 zation. They spent several months in 

 1899 in Peru, and on their return reconir 

 mended that the arc be prolonged in 

 both directions. Their plan ha3 been 

 adopted, and the party that has recently 

 landed in Peru will work four or five 

 5^ears there carrying it out. The arc- 

 will extend over 7 degrees, or about 430 

 miles. 



