The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1904-09-11
TIE GEOGRAPHIC CONGRESS.
ITS CONCLUDING SESSIONS IN
WASHINGTON.
Several Papers Relating to the Eruption
OF Mont Peiee-Prof. II. r. Hill Says
Such EruptiOns Are Part OF World
Mechanism-TO Meet Here Tuesday.

Mechanism-T0 Meet Here Tuesday.
WASHINGTON, Sept. lO.-The conclud-
ing sessions of the Washington meeting
OF the eighth international geographic
congress were held to-day. Tomorrow
the delegates will make trip by steamer
down the Potomac River. and at o clock
In the evening i'll take special train for
Philadelphia. Monday will be spent in
that city as the guests Of the Geographical
Society Of Philadelphia, and the special
train will carry them to New York that
evening. The sessions will be resumed
in New York on Tuesday.
To-day's sessions were spent in the reap
ing of papers before the five sections into
which the congress is divided. Some Of
the more interesting subjects brought
up were those relating to the eruption
OF Mont Pelee, upon which several papers
we're presented. Prof. A. Heilprin Of
Philadelphia had one paper on "The Tower
OF Mont Pelee" and another on "The
Destruction Of Pompei as Interpreted by
the Volcanic Eruptions Of Martinique,
while DR.. L. A. Bauer, an expert Of the Coast
Survey. told Of the electrical disturbances
due to the Pelee disaster as recorded by
the four Government magnetic observator-
les, and discussed the probabilities Of fore
casting such eruptions through the pre-
monitory signals recorded by the instru-
ments.
Prof. Robert T. Hill Of the United States
Naval Observatory contributed paper
based on the Pelee eruptions, to show that
they were not caused by the admission
Of water Of the ocean to the interior Of the
earth through assures, but rather tina t
volcanoes are the mechanisms through
which the world at work is constantly
transferring material from it's hereditary
gaseous centre, thereby thickening it's
rock crust and adding water and gases
to its aqueous and atmospheric envelopes.
From geographical standpoint, he argued
that the West Indian volcanic outbreaks,
instead Of being sudden, are progressive.
constructive phenomena Of the interior
world mechanism, which have been in
operation as far back as the Cretaceous
time. and that the aggregate product Of
habitable islands by the process Of volcanic
pile-up.
G. W. Littlehales Of the Naval HYDE
graphic Office, in a paper on the terrestrial
presented arguments for International CO.
operation In ocean magnetic surveys to
be used in preparing an accurate magnetic
chart for the purposes of navigation. He
also, in a paper on photographic surveys,
calls attention to the immense stretches
Of coast line in different parts of the world
which could not be navigated with security
owing to the lack Of accurate photographic
surveys.
Lieutenant Commander Edward Everett
Hayden Of the Naval Observatory tells Of
the chronometer and time signal service
Of the observatory and urges the adoption
OF a common standard OF time by all the
nations of the globe. Except in France,
Russia and Ireland all the nations of Europe
use the Greenwich standard, the hour
meridians being fixed at each Is degrees
Australia, New Zealand, Japan and Corea
have adopted the standard. and Mr.. Hay
den In urging its universal adoption says
that the simplicity and convenience Of hav-
ing the same common standard every
where In all international relations was
very great, the conversion OF one time into
another thus involving hours only, the min
utes and seconds being always the same.
A. Lawrence Rotch of the Blue Hill (Mass }
Observatory urges the. exploration Of high
attitudes over the tropical oce ans by means
OF kites to obtain more complete meteor
illogical information. He points out the
lack of know ledge concerning the Atlantic
trade winds, their thickness, the variation
In tempe nature, cause, DC. The cost Of
properly eauipping a steamer and making
the investigations in the Atlantic he est
mates at 5000.
Commander Robert E. Peary, U. S. NJ,
the president Of the congress, and Mrs
peary " to tonight gave a reception at the
the ladies accompanying them.