Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-01-10
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if that proves satisfactory and the boat,
without magnetic metals. is found to be
as stanch and seaworthy as her rivals
not so sighting of iron and steel, the first
survey trip will be started.
1t is expected that the vessel Will ilrst
cea" for Hudson bay. and later cruise
about i'm north Atlantic waters. For sew
era months the boat will be used for
making magnetic observations along the
route of a proposed line of steamers
through Hudson bay from Churchill to
Liverpool. This line will give Canadian
waterway for the products of the extern
sive and rich wheat fields of the Canadian
northwest from western Canada to Eng
land. There is little information now at
hand for the use Of the mariners who will
guide the boats to be used on the route.
After completing that work, the vessel
will return to New York. and cary in 1910
will take up observations OF compass va
riatons along the we'll traversed routes
across the Atlantic ocean. 1t is hoped
by the directors of the department of ter
restrial magnetism of the Carnegie lnsh-
tuition that valuable charts will be the
outcome of these survey trips.
The fitting out of the vessel for its first
rip will be in charge Of DR.. l.. A. Bauer,
director Of the department of research,
terrestrial magnetism of the Carnegie IN
stitution. the man who was for some time
in charge of the magnetic work OF the
United States government in connection
with the coast and geodetic survey, and
who has directed the successful operations
of The Gali,ee in the Pacific ocean for the
past two years.
w T. Peters who was in command Of
the Calilee during the recent cruises i'll
Pacific waters. will be put in command
of the Carnegie. The vessel will be used
for making observations of three kinds
the magnetic variation of the compass
needle the dip of the needle toward the
magnetic pole, and the force acting on the
magnetized needle.
For many centuries the capers of the
magnetic needle Of the compass We're not
understood, and mariners at times stood
in awe when 1t was observed that the
needle did not point to the north star.
1t is said that when Columbus sailed on
his voyage to find a westward passage
to India. and incidentally stumbled into
the North American continent or some
nearby island. his crew began a mutiny
when il was discovered. with other
things, that the compass did not point to
the north star. Then mariners noticed
that the variations of the compass needle
were different in different parts of the
ocean Off the coast of Washington and
Oregon mariners observe a variation OF
twenty ito twenty-five degrees. and at
other points this declination-as it is
technically called--was found to be even
greater In making trips across the
track,ess seas these variations had to be
reckoned with, but it has been only re-
Gently that definite rules have been OBJ
served in this, connection. surveyors also
were trouble with the same thing on
land.
There is a line, of course. where the
magnetic needle of the compass points
due north: and its direction at other
, places varies. as a general rule. In ac-
cordance with its distance from that line.
AS fixed by the coast and geodetic survey,
under the surveys made when DIR. Bauer.
now of the Carnegie institution. was at
the head of the government magnetic
surveys this line of no variation. along
which the compass needle points due