PROPOSED METEOROLOGICAL STATION IN ICELAND 



The Meteorological Institute of Copenhagen is seeking to establish a 

 station in Iceland whence daily weather reports can be cabled to Europe. 

 The Grande Compagnie des Telegraphes du Nord has generously offered 

 to lay the cable to Iceland and the necessary overland lines and to operate 

 them free of charge, if guaranteed merely the annual expenses of operat- 

 ing the line and 4 per cent interest on the capital invested, with its liqui- 

 dation at the end of 28 years. The cost of laying the cable and overland 

 lines, as estimated by the Danish government, is $600,000. Allowing 4 

 per cent interest on the capital and 28 years for its liquidation, the lines 

 would require about $36,000 annually for 28 years. To this must be added 

 the cost of maintenance, estimaled at $32,000, making about $68,000 to be 

 paid each year. The company will build and maintain the line if guar- 

 anteed this amount for 20 years, after which time it offers its free use. 



The Danish government has promised $19,000, or nearly one-third the 

 total amount required ; also, it has undertaken to carry out the necessary 

 hydrographic work in connection with the laying of the cable and to es- 

 tablish and maintain the necessary meteorological stations in the Faroe 

 islands and Iceland. There thus remains an annual sum of $49,000 to be 

 guaranteed before the plan can be put into execution, and in order to make 

 up the amount the Meteorological Institute of Copenhagen has invited 

 the different weather bureaus in Europe and America each to contribute 

 a share. As Iceland is in the direct path of the majority of the storms 

 which ravage the coasts of northern Europe, the great advantage of 

 weather forecasts from that region for the northern countries of Europe 

 is most apparent. By an annual expenditure of $1,000,000 the United 

 States, through its weather forecasts, saves its shipping interests at least 

 $20,000,000 annually, and the improved meteorological information con- 

 sequent upon the establishment of a station in Iceland would undoubtedly 

 bring a like proportionate return to Europe. The IT. S. Weather Bureau, 

 while realizing the importance of such a station, believes that the expense 

 should devolve upon the countries immediately interested, as France, 

 Germany, Russia, etc. Hence it has decided that it can with more pro- 

 priety and profit to Europe spend its money in seeking more extended 

 telegraphic facilities toward the north and west, covering Bering sea and 

 Alaska, especially as for many years past it has sent daily and free of cost 

 to Prof. Mascart, at Paris, an international cablegram, giving a synopsis 

 of the general distribution of pressure and storms over the United States 

 and the neighboring portions of the Atlantic. 



For the map of the Theater of Military Operations in Luzon, which 

 accompanies the present number, The National Geographic Magazine 

 is indebted to Major Simpson, Chief of the Military Information Division, 

 War Department, under whose direction it was prepared. It is the first 

 official map of Manila and vicinity published by the U. S. Government. 



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