158 The N.Z. Journal of Science and Technology. [Sept. 
magnetic and geophysical observatories of the Pacific are shown on the 
map. 
Fig. 2 gives a plan of the observatory buildings and grounds. The 
grounds consist of about 5 acres of coral sand planted with coconut-palms 
and well removed from the magnetic core of the island, which is of volcanic 
origin. Fig. 3 shows some of the buildings. 
The following table gives statistics of the climatic conditions at Apia. 
The temperatures are means for the past thirty years. It will be noticed 
that the variations of temperature daring the year are remarkably small. 
The maximum temperature for the past thirty years was 96° F. and the 
minimum 61° F. 
Statistics of Climatic Conditions of Apia. 
Month. 
Temperature, 
Fahrenheit. 
Rainfall in 
Inches. 
Humidity 
Per Cent. 
Hours 
Sunshine. 
January 
790 
19-2 
85 
156 
February 
79-3 
18-8 
85 
128 
March 
791 
149 
82 
145 
April. . 
790 
118 
86 
155 
May .. 
784 
5-9 
83 
197 
June 
77-2 
5-7 
82 
173 
July .. 
77-3 
3 1 
82 
140 
August 
77-5 
3-9 
80 
144 
September 
77-7 
6-3 
81 
176 
October 
76-8 
7-7 
82 
230 
November 
78-8 
118 
83 
170 
December 
79-3 
15-3 
83 
157 
The main observations taken are—(1) Magnetic ; (2) seismic, including 
tidal observations of ocean and earth’s crust ; (3) astronomical: (4) meteor¬ 
ological (including aerology) ; (5) of atmospheric electricity. 
The policy of the Observatory has been not the mere compilation of data, 
but the systematic examination of these data from the point of view of the 
correlation of the different types of measurements and of similar measure¬ 
ments made at other observatories. This policy has already produced 
considerable information on the physical properties of the earth. 
Under the pre-war system the Director of the observatory, Professor 
G. Angenheister, spent periods of one year and a half alternately at the 
University of Gottingen and at Samoa. All the final examinations and 
correlations of results took place under his direction at Gottingen. The 
results of these investigations were generally published in Nachrichten der 
K. Gessellschaft der Wissenschaften zu Gottingen. Various publications are, 
however, to be found scattered among the international and geophysical 
journals. 
It must be remembered that Gottingen University has for over half a 
century been justly famous for its researches on geophysical matters, and 
particularly those done under the direction of Professor Wiechert. 
The observatory is useful and necessary from several points of view. 
First, it is the most complete observatory of its kind in the Pacific, and, in 
view of the increasing attention of all nations to that ocean, reliable data 
of earth-movements, magnetic changes, meteorological conditions (particu¬ 
larly of the upper atmosphere), and of electrical and tidal phenomena are of 
ever-increasing importance. Secondly, from the more theoretical point of 
