The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-11-15
TO MEASURE THE EARTH.
Arran ngements Made to Survey at the
Equator and Near the Pole.


Equator and Near the Pole.
Washington, Nov. 15.-The work of
the International Geodetic association
at it's Stuttgart conference last month,
which is expected to bear fruit of far
reaching Importance to the scientific
world, is announced by Mr.. E. D. Pres
ton. of the United States coast and the
geodetic survey, who represented this
government there and who has Just re-
turned to Washington. Little publicity
was given the proceedings of the con-
ference but an interesting report now is
about to be made by MIR. Preston.
The prime object of the conference,
which was in session October 3-12 was
the measurement of the earth and ac-
tion was taken for the measurement of
an arc at the equator. This taken in
conjunction with the measurement of an
arc near the pole now under way by
the SWedeS and Russians, will throw
new light on the hattening of the earth.
The comparison of the two measures
will make it possible to determine how
much shorter the polar diameter is than
the equatorial, knowledge of which
is important both in the making of
maps of great extent and in the solution
of many astronomical problems.
Ever since it was discovered some ten
years ago that the latitudes of all places
on the earth are subject to a small peri
odfc change, the scientific world has
given more or less attention to the sub
ject Now the International association
has determined to go to the bottom of
the matter and has planned to take up
the work OF continuous latitude OBJ
servations at six stations encircling the
globe near the seth degree of north
latitude.
This parallel passes a little north of
Washington and San Francisco, through
Cincinnati and crosses Turkestan and
Italy. In each of the countries named
an observatory will be erected. The
three stations in the United States will
be at Gaithersburg, Md, Ukahi, Cal,
and of course at Cincinnati the exact
parallel chosen by a happy coincidence
passing through the regular astrononi-
cal observatory which has been eStab-
lished there for many years. The work
will begin in the summer of 1899, and
is now provided for during a period of
five years. 1t is altogether probable
however, that in order to completely
determine the secular motion of the
pole much time will be required and a
continuation of the observation for at
least 20 or 80 years may be counted on.
The total annual cost of the work will
be about $4,000, so that if necessity
arises for prolonged investigation the
association will have ample outlet for
its surplus funds. Discussing the work
of the conference, Mr.. Preston said to-
day:
'An important discussion was on the
difference of 1Ogitude between Paris and
Greenwich. 1t as a curious fact, as well
as matter of cOngraulation for Amer
leans, that the best direct determina,-
tiOns of the difference of time between
these two fundamental points on the
earth's surface was that made Incl
dentally in 1882 by the United States
coast survey. 1t was executed as a
check on two determinations of our
longitude for Paris and Greenwich re-
spectively. The work has been direct
ly done four times by the French and
English and has been repeatedly ac-
cOmplished in an indirect way by other
European surveys showing the import
ance of the problem. Thanks to the eff
forts of the International association we
hope to see the present discrepancies re-
moved"
An account of a new alloy of nickel
and steel was laid before the confer
ence. The international bureau of
weights and measures at Paris has
found that when q bar consists of 36
per cent nickel and 64 per cent steel the
expansion from heat is only 1-50 of
what we should expect from the indi-
viduaI components. This discovery has
great Importance in the construction of
astronomical clocks, and in fact of any
clock, since the effect will be to prac-
tically eliminate the temperature ques-
ton which has thus far been the great
difficulty in obtaining uniform rate in
timepieces. Nineteen countries belong
to the association of which Is were rep
resented at the Stuttgart meeting. The
proceedings are published only in
French and German but any report sub
mitted in the language of the country
from which it comes may be printed in
that tongue. An effort was made re-
Gently to introduce English as one Of
the official means of communication but
owing to the comparatively small num-
ber of delegates who spoke it, this was
considered impracticable at present. Be
sides if English is so admitted there
seems to be no good reason for exclud-
ing Spanish, which is more widely spo-
ken than French or German and which
is growing in usefulness more rapidly
than either.
Seventy years ago some learned men
in Germany formed an association to
give impulse to the awakening interest
in the size and shape of the earth. From
this beginning the society has steadily
grown in Importance. After having be-
come national in the land of its birth
in 18S6-it was merged into an interna-
tional convention in which the principal
nations of the globe were represented
and now stands as the worlds authori-
ty on the ways and means of determin-
ing the earth's figure. The next meet
ing will be in Paris in 1900.