April 17, 1885.] 



SCIENCE. 



309 



tion of the new system, and after it. The same 

 sort of difficulty now exists in comparing ob- 

 servations made before and after the introduc- 

 tion of the Gregorian calendar ; but in this 

 case the discontinuity amounts to ten or eleven 

 days, and cannot escape notice, while the dis- 

 continuity involved in the proposed system 

 would be only twelve hours, and might easily 

 be overlooked with most damaging conse- 

 quences. This objection is undoubtedly valid 

 and weighty. The other objections urged, as 

 to changes needed in the ephemerides, really 

 amount to very little. At present, one has to 

 stop a moment to consider whether he is act- 

 ing as a civilian or an astronomer when he 

 opens the Ephemeris to look out data ; and it is 

 quite immaterial as regards the numbers given 

 for noon, for instance, whether noon is called 

 h. or 12 h. As to the changes in the printing 

 of the Ephemeris, they would involve a little 

 extra work the first year, but nothing of anj^ 

 consequence. 



Per contra, a considerable majority of the 

 astronomers consulted by Commodore Frank- 

 lin were of opinion that the advantage gained 

 b}~ abolishing the distinction between civil 

 and astronomical reckoning would fully com- 

 pensate for the admitted annojance conse- 

 quent upon the change. The number of peo- 

 ple inconvenienced by the change would be 

 very small, and they would be persons abun- 

 dantly able to guard against mistakes such as 

 others would be likely to make. On the other 

 hand, the present system leads to confusion in 

 the case of all neophytes in astronomical work : 

 indeed, pretty good astronomers are some- 

 times caught napping when they look into the 

 almanac for forenoon data ; and in publishing 

 observations it is often necessary, and always 

 wise, to state whether civil or astronomical 

 reckoning is used. Of course, the change in 

 itself considered is of very little importance ; 

 but it does seem rather unfortunate that the 

 recommendations of the Washington confer- 

 ence should fail, to begin with, at the Washing- 

 ton observatory, and the effect will undoubtedly 

 be to postpone the acceptance of the whole 

 system of proposed reforms. 



THE SCIENTIFIC RESULTS OF THE 

 LADY FRANKLIN BAY EXPEDITION. 1 



The general interest in the scientific work 

 of most polar expeditions has been seriously 

 affected by the long delay which necessarily 

 occurs in the publication of the records and 

 results. With the permission and concurrence 

 of Gen. W. B. Hazen, chief signal-officer, I 

 take pleasure in giving, as far as I can at 

 present, a brief summary of some of the scien- 

 tific results of the Lady Franklin Bay expe- 

 dition. 



Hourly magnetic declination observations 

 for thirty-two days on which the} 7 were made 

 previous to July 1, 1882, were reduced at Fort 

 Conger. The mean declination thus obtained 

 was 100° 12' west, being 1° 32' less than the 

 result deduced from the observations of the 

 English expedition of 1 8 75-76 . The maximum 

 easterly deflection occurred at 2 a.m., local 

 time (7 a.m., Gottingen mean time), and the 

 maximum westerly deflection at 12 m. A 

 primary maximum at 4 p.m., most probably 

 was clue to disturbances. These deflections 

 are from one to two hours later than those ob- 

 tained from the observations of Lieuts. Archer 

 and Fulford, R.N., in 1875-76 ; but it is pos- 

 sible that the observations for the complete 

 year, which are now in the hands of Assist- 

 ant Charles Schott of the IT. S. coast and 

 geodetic survey for reduction, may give other 

 results. The hours, however, agree with those 

 determined for Van Rensselaer harbor by Mr. 

 Schott, in the discussion of Kane's observa- 

 tions. The absolute range of the English 

 observations was 8° ; and the greatest daily 

 change, 5° 9.4'. From 8.35 a.m. (Gottingen 

 mean time), Nov. 16, 1883, to 10.30 p.m., 

 Nov. 18, the absolute range as observed was 

 20° 28.2', — from 113° 19.8' west, to 92° 51.6' 

 west. These times and figures are given as 

 of more than common interest in connection 

 with the great magnetic storm of November, 

 1883. The changes at Conger were much 

 greater, it will be observed, than at Godthaab, 

 Greenland, where, Paulsen saj-s, on Nov. 17, 

 1883, from 2 a.m. until noon, the declination 

 had varied 4° 44' to the east, and later about 

 5° to the west ; so that the variations for the 

 day reached 9.5°. 



The following table of monthly means has 



1 The accompanying picture represents Fort Conger as it was 

 photographed by Sergeant G-eorge W. Rice, in March, 1882, the 

 print from which it was taken being one of the few that were 

 brought safely home by the Grreely party. The high ground at the 

 north-west of the station is seen at the left. The picture repre- 

 sents the principal building occupied. There were three other 

 small structures, astronomical and magnetic observatories, and 

 an instrument-shelter, the wires seen at the right running to the 

 astronomical observatory. 



