224 Cyrus C. Babb—Grographic Notes. 
generally accepted among the Iceland fishermen, that in these 
waters the actual direction of the compass varies from 20° to 80° 
from the calculated direction. These observations indicated that 
the calculated values are never more than three degrees in error- 
By comparison with former observations, it was found that the 
average secular variation of the declination is — 10’ at Jan Mayen 
(1882-1892) and at Spitzbergen (1839-1892), —7’ at Reykiavick 
(1856-1892), and — 8’ at Bergen (1858-1892). 
The secular variation of the inclination-and intensity is much 
less clearly defined. The inclination, for example, appears to 
have diminished only nine minutes at Reykiavick since 1876, 
and is now increased at Jan Mayen and Spitzbergen, according 
to the observations of 1892. The tendency of this variation may 
seem natural, taking into consideration the distribution of iso- 
clynics in the North Polar ocean; but, on the other hand, we 
know that different inclination compasses do not give identical 
results; and again, that to make magnetic observations in vol- 
canic lands strictly comparable it is necessary that observers 
should occupy exactly the same point, and even under these 
conditions it is uncertain whether the influence of the rocks has 
not been modified in the meantime. 
The following table gives the result of the land observations: 
rs) =e 
: & e $2 
ag “= ° RO 
wife 2 = os 5 oR 
1893. Station. Hinge S 5 3 so 
tie 3: oF zs BE 
) 4 4 S| na se 
June 13..............| Reykiaviel .... : .-| 649.2 | 24°. W.?]| 36° 43/.0 | 76° 17/9 0.1319 
May 24-2 .| Dyre fiord.. ..| 659.9 | 259.8 W. | 38° 337.0 | 75° 8.7 0.1157 
May 28.. Isa fiord..... PANGGOee | 25218) Wien A (Cfo 2710) beeen eee 0.1216 
June 4.. Patrix fior Fe] G26) |26C: 4 Wien I ecisT ley 22 (hl See 0.1179 
July 27.. Jan Mayen............-- Ue ves 719.0 | 109.8 W. | 28° 19’.2 | 79° 147.9 0.0979 
Augus .| Spitzbergen (R. B.)........] 779.5 | 129.2 E. | 129 3/8 | sv° 0148 * | 9.0920 
August 8...... ...| Spitzbergen (C. M. B )...| '75°.5 | 139.7 E. | 10° 3/7 | 80° 437.9 0.0888 
*79° 497.0 August 1 and 80° 7/.0 August 3. 
A NEW LIGHT ON THE DISCOVERY OF AMERICA 
This was the title of a paper by Mr Yule Oldham, read at the 
meeting of the British Association for the Advancement of Sci- 
ence, last August, at Oxford. He says:* 
A glance at the map of the Atlantic ocean will show the three easiest 
points of access: (1) North America by means of the convenient stepping- 
* Scottish Geographical Magazine, September, 1894, page 471. 
