Maech 5, 1920] 



SCIENCE 



233 



nutational motions, the nature of its stability 

 or instability. By means of motion pictures 

 taken from an airplane we may determine 

 facts of importance concerning the motion of 

 a rapidly rotating projectile dropped from the 

 plane. The recoil, jump and other motions of 

 guns may be studied by photographic methods. 

 By similar methods the times and positions 

 of high angle shell bursts may be obtained 

 from observational balloons. Gyro stabilizers, 

 microphones, string galvanometers, oscillo- 

 graphs, piezo-electric apparatus, vacuum am- 

 plifying tubes, Kenetrons, old and new devices 

 in physics — they all may be used to reduce 

 the problems which I have been discussing to 

 those of an exact science. 



Gordon F. Hull 

 Daetmouth College 



BOARD OF SURVEYS AND MAPS OF 

 THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT 



On December 30, 1919, the President of the 

 United States by executive order created a 

 Board of Surveys and Maps to be composed of 

 one representative of each of the following or- 

 ganizations of the government: 



1. Corps of Engineers, TJ. 8. Army. 



2. TJ. S. Coast and Geodetic Survey, Department 



of Commerce. 



3. TJ. S. Geological Survey, Department of In- 



terior. 



4. General Land Office, Department of Interior. 



5. Topography Branch, Post Office Department. 



6. Bureau of Soils, Department of Agriculture. 



7. U. S. Eeclamation Service, Department of In- 



terior, 



8. Bureau of Public Eoads, Department of Agri- 



culture. 



9. Bureau of Indian Affairs, Department of In- 



terior. 



10. Mississippi Eiver Commission, War Depart- 



ment. 



11. TJ. S. Lake Survey, War Department. 



12. Internatienal (Canadian) Boundary Commis- 



sion, Department of State. 



13. Forest Service, Department of Agriculture. 



14. TJ. S. Hydrographie Office, Navy Department. 



The individual members of the board were 

 appointed by the chiefs of the several organi- 

 zations named. The board is directed, by the 



executive order, to make recommendations to 

 the several departments of the government or 

 to the President for the purpose of coordina- 

 ting the map-making and surveying activities 

 of the government and to settle all questions at 

 issue between executive departments relating 

 to surveys and maps, in so far as their decis- 

 ions do mot conflict with existing law. The 

 board is also directed to establish a central in- 

 formation office in the U. S. Geological Sur- 

 vey for the purpose of coltecting, classifying 

 and furnishing to the public information con- 

 cerning aill m.apping and surveying data avail- 

 able in the several government departments 

 and from other sources. The executive order 

 further directs that the board shall hold meet- 

 ings at staited intervals to which shall be in- 

 vited representatives of the map-using public 

 for the purpose of conference and advice. 



All government departments, according to 

 the executive ordetr, will make full use of the 

 board as an advisory body and will furnish all 

 available information and data called for by 

 the board. 



The order of the President rescinds the ad- 

 visory powers granted to the U. S. Geographic 

 Board by the executive order of August 10, 

 1906, and transfers those powers to the Board 

 of Surveys and Maps. The executive order of 

 August 10, 1906, reads as follows : 



EXECUTIVE ORDER * 



The official title of the United States Board on 

 Geographic Names is changed to United States 

 Geographic Board. 



In addition to its present duties, advisory pow- 

 ers are hereby granted to this board concerning 

 the preparation of maps compiled, or to be com- 

 piled, in the various bureaus and offices of the 

 government, with a special view to the avoidance 

 of unnecessary duplications of work; and for 

 the unification and improvement of the scales of 

 maps, of the symbols and conventions used upon 

 them and of the methods representing relief. 

 Hereafter, all such projects as are of importance 

 shall be submitted to this board for advice before 

 being undertaken. 



Theodore Roosevelt 



The White House, 

 August 10, 1906 



