The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-06-19

the following year reached the extreme
southern point of King Williams Land
about 100 miles east of the magnetic pole
where on April -. in latitude 80 deg
81 min. north. longitude IS deg. Il min
west, the deciination was liz degrees west
The following year Hall reached the ex.
IRENE southern point of King William,
Land and within some eighty miles az
the pole. but there made no magnetic oh.
servations.
In 1875 Sir Allen Young in the Oandor,
afterwards known as the Jeanette of De
Longs expedition) passed down Peel
strait to the mouth OF Bellot strait, within
some - miles of the pole. On Roquette
islands, August 81, the dip was found tobe
IS deg. 80 min.
In 1879 Schwatka and Glider thorouyhIv
explored King Williams Land and reached
Cape Felix, within some twenty-five miles
of the magnetic pole. Schwatka from his
magnetic observations believes that the
magnetic pole has moved to the westward
and is now about 20 deg. north, ana longi-
tude 50 deg. west.
One important and unsettled ouestio,
which a survey of the north magnetic mole
would assist in solving, is whether This
pole IS constant as regards its position
The movement of the magnetic north mole
is not absolutely essential to explain the
recorded changes of declination of SO do.
grees in England and above 81 degrees in
Batfin Bay, since they can be accounted
for either by irregular changes in the in.
tensity at or a change in position in
either or both the American focus of force
and the Siberian focus. This problem can
be definitely resolved only by a series of
surveys of the magnetic pole at intervals
OF years. 1t has been urged that the nola
is slowly and continually changing it,
position over track having the form Of
an elongated ellipse.
To prove its former movement from east
to west and its present change from west
to east, the observations for magnetic
declination in Great Britain from 1850 IN
date have been quoted. From these il an.
pears the declination in 1850 was IL dec
Is min. f.. in 1857. zero; in 1773 n dee
90 min. W.; in 1919, "A deg. 36 min. Ia sec
W., and now about Is deg. W. In Eng
land, then, from 1850 to 1919. the
needle has pointed more and more to the
west, and since that date has changed Ia
motion steadily back in an easterly direc.
ton.
The change in England during the past
three centuries and in Smith sound for
nearly as long indicate that, whatever
causes the secular change in inclination.
complete cycle of change cannot, TO saw
the least, occur in less than five hundred
years.
Ross in his account of the location OF
the magnetic pole expresses the hope since
as Great Britain had discovered il. that in
view of Its accessibility further examlna.
ton should be made of it in future. The
facility of approach noted by Ross is even
more pronounced in these days of i'm.
proved means of transportation. Es-
pecially in view of the safe JOURNEYS TO or
near the pole of Ross, Back, Dease and
Simpson, Rae, Coliinson, Anderson, Hall
Schwatka and Glider it may be asserted
that the proposed survey of the magnetic
pole, so much needed for scientific pur.
poses. is entirely feasible and practically
safe.
The survey will be commanded by Col
onel w. IL. Glider, whose extensive Arctic
experience in connection with the Jean.
nette search and especially with Schwatka
in the Franklin search on King William
Land, makes him especially qualified for
this command. He speaks their language
and understands the Eskimo of that
region. An assistants from the geodetic sur.
vey with declinOmeter and magnetometer
will determine the magnetic element of
declination, dip and total force not only
at the magnetic pole but at circum-adia-
cent points in King William Land. Boothia
and Prince of Wales Land.
The home station will be Repulse bay,
about 300 miles southeast of the magnetic
pole, from which sledge journeys with the
natives will be made to the various points
necessary to make the magnetic survey
complete. A. w. GREEDY
Chief Signal Service Officer, IT, 8. A.