The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-01-30
Year Book is Issued by the
Carnegie Institute
PLAN HAS WIDE APPROVAL
Vast Accommodations of knowledge
Have Been Made During 18th
Century, But They Are in
Chaotic State.

i
! Considerable attention Is devoted in
this report to the necessity of methods
and organization for promoting research
| in the exact sciences and Prof Simon
Newcom suggests that while the nine
tenth century has been industriously
piling up vast mass of astronomical. me-
theological, magnetical and sociological
the world-over, the working out of re-
suits from thees observations is defective
and lacks system. To correct this he
urges the organization of an institution
of bureau of exact science in general"
the head of which should be aided by
council of experts picked from various
countries to advise as to the various
departments at work with view to
reaching results at small expense, which
without such organization, never would
be reached
In this connection the approval of such
men as Karl Pearson of the University
College of London, England Lord
Raleigh of the Royal Institution of Great
Britain; G H. Darwin of Cambridge, and
others in greater or smaller degree of
the scheme has been secured Mr.. Pear
son adds that at least fifty per cent of
the scientific observations made, and the
data collected, are worthless and no man
however able could deduce any result
for them at all.
Progress of Stellar Research.
Discussing the southern observatory pro-
ject, the report says that under the grants
from the Carnegie institution the direc-
tion and velocity of the solar motions
are being determined from all available
material, and before the close of 1905
results are expected from 5000 of the
more frequently observed stars. A new
determination of the positions of standard
stars distributed from the North to South
Pole of the heavens, will be undertaken
shortly, following which the grantee en-
trusted with this work says he should
like to take favorable station in the
southern hemisphere, either at San Luis,
In Argentina, or Bloemfonten, in South
Africa, for the observation of standard
stars out of reach from stations in the
northern hemisphere. The need eff special
observations of stars that have been ne
elected for the past twenty or thirty years
also is aimed at The institutions de-
partment of internal research In terres-
trial magnetism reports of its investiga-
ilOnS SnOW lnal lttle progress mas Deen
made along that line, that systematic
magnetic surveys of the oceanic areas are
entirely lacking. and that despite the
apparently vast accumulation of data,
such an important question as whether
the earths magnetic energy is increasing
or decreasing, and the annual rate of
change, cannot'yet be definitely answered.
The institution has approved the general
scheme of a project for magnetic survey
Of ba a ba or
passed on the details.
The project as presented to the insti-
tuition contemplates the charter of
woodruff non-magnetic sailing vessel of
approximately 800 displacement to pursue
a ''clock-wis spiral course embracing
the entire north Pacific ocean" about TO-
600 knots being marked out. The confident
expectation is expressed that in the
neighborhood of islands and coasts dis
tortions and Irregularities, the distri-
button of the earths magnetism will be
revealed by this work Reports have
frequently been received from mariners
regarding unusual behavior of the COM
passes, particularly in the region of the
Aleutian islands.
Same Around Whole Earth.
Data obtained as the result of circular
letters sent by the coast and geodetic sur
Yey to observatories over the entire globe
and turned over to the Carnegie institu-
tion regarding the Mont Pelee, Martin
ique, eruption, 1901, show that the time
of the beginning of that magnetic dis
turbance was practically the same around
the whole earth; and second. that any
electric current system capable of pro-
ducing the observed phenomena would
have its seat chiefly outside the earth.
The trans Caspian archaeological expe-
dition, for which the institution appro-
priated $4,000, made excavations at Anua,
near Askhabad, in Turkestan, and several
shafts sunk on that ancient city's site
traversed "over 40 feet of the accumula-
tions of successive generations of people,
and extended from recent times down
through the iron and bronze civilizations.
45 feet deep into the stone age. The re-
port says that these Investigations leave
little doubt that irrigation was used in
tnat region during the iron age of Gull
ture"
The bureau of historical research is en-
gagged in the work of discovering letters
sent to state governments by the dele
gates to the continental congress and the
task of making a full list of letters of
Washington has begun. These documents
are widely scattered through this coun-
try and Europe, and even a continuation
of the work will be some years.
Geological researches have been carried
on in eastern Asia A project which has
been recommended and which may be APP
proved by the institution next year, is
the Investigation In the "Lithonia dis
trict' In Georgia of subterranean temper
atures, to correct the present lack of
any trustworthy index of the normal
downward increase Of temperature in the
earth. For this purpose an estimate has
been submitted and recommended made
for its adoption of boring in granite to the
depth of 600 feet at cost of $4,000 The
cost of boring 10000 feet, 1t Is added
would be prohibitive