The Need of Observations. 223 
necessity, of observations in this section before the theory of 
the earth’s magnetism could be finally settled.* 
The very important problem of the figure of the earth, together 
with a number of other geodetic questions, cannot be solved 
- without fuller knowledge of this area. 
MAGNETIC OBSERVATIONS IN ICELAND, JAN MAYEN AND 
SPITZBERGEN IN 1892+ 
The May and June number (1895) of the Annuaire of the 
French Meteorological Society contains an account by M Th. 
Moreaux of the magnetic observations made in Iceland, Jan 
Mayen island, and Spitzbergen, in the year 1892, by the officers 
of the transport la Manche. 
The secretary of the French navy, at the instance of the min- 
ister of public instruction, sent, under command of Captain 
Bienaimé, the steamer la Manche to Jan Mayen and Spitzber- 
gen for scientific purposes, supplementary to a supervision of the 
Iceland fisheries, which was the ordinary duty for the ship. 
The magnetic observations, participated in by several officers, 
were tabulated and reduced by Lieutenant Exelmans. In Ice- 
land the northern and southeastern shores were ice-bound and 
the eastern coast nearly unattainable; consequently observations 
were made upon the northwestern coast at Reykiavick, Dyre, Isa 
and Patrix fiords. 
At Jan Mayen the pier and bench-mark erected by the inter- 
national Austrian expedition (1882-83) were found intact. 
Here, as in Iceland, the soil is magnetic, and around the build- 
ing sheltering the pier was found a fine blackish sand, arising 
from rock disintegration, which affected very strongly the mag- 
netic needle. 
At Spitzbergen several series of determinations were made at 
Research bay on the spot-where Bravais observed in 1839. Bad 
weather and heavy sea prevented them from landing at cape 
Thorsden, the Danish magnetic station of 1882, but they suc- 
ceeded in making observations under favorable conditions, how- 
ever, in la Manche bay, about 7 miles from the Swedish observ- 
atory. Inaddition, observations were made at sea at 21 separate 
points in the vicinity of Iceland, in order to verify the opinion, 
*The Renewal of Antarctic Exploration, by John Murray : Tne Geo- 
graphical Journal, London, January, 1894, p. 37. 
{ Translated and condensed by General A. W. Greely. 
