The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-11-25
SEEKING SECRET OF. EARTH'S IMAGINE TIS
Scientists In Greenland To Learn Real Causes Of
 Compass Destination

WASHINGTON, Nov. 24.-Carrying gamely on in the centuries-old search for the powerful unseen force that is pulling the needle of the once sup posedly trustworthy compass to point almost everywhere but true north, stalwart little band of de- termined men have locked themselves up in the lonely white wastes of the frozen arctic circle for the winter, hunting again for some clue that may lead them to the power house of that mysterious energy.
 There are members of Dr. Donald E. MacMillan's expedition into north Greenland. Tonight they are camped with him on the bleak shores of Re- fuge harbor, within less than 12 de- grees of the geographicSf north pole itself, existing on the frugal winter fare of the northland in the flush oe their quest for that veritable is discovered, may revolutionize many things out here in the civilized world.
 Not only would a solution of the mystery of atmospheric electricity and terrestrial magnetism be an epochal contribution to the advance ment of science, but it Is pointed out that progress along that line prob ably would also have significant bearings on some of the present most pressing problems of radio commun!- cation. To go still further, it is highly possible that some important improvements might also result in other kinds of electrical instruments. Carefully Housed.
 Housed in scientifically con- structed observatory, where they re- ceive more care than the most pam pered babe might expect, series of highly polished little instruments are doing the real work in their quiet, ever efficient way. They are under the personal direction of Richard H. Goddard of the department of ter restrial magnetism of the Carnegie institution of Washington, who was appointed by pr, Louis A. Bauer, di- rector of the department, to ac- company the MacMillan expedition and assume charge of the magnetic and electrical observations.
 Because of the serious effect on the instruments of large or sudden ton has been taken to make sure that the temperature within the ob- servatory, although it is located in the very heart of the arctic, shall be kept uniform throughout the winter. It is constructed of specially pre- pared lumber, shipped all the way from Maine on Dr. MacMillan's ship, The Bowdoin. The structure is pro- vided with numerous dead-air spaces to reduce temperature variations; each wall is covered inside and out by warm quilts, surrounded by an- other house of stone and finally com pletely encased in an Eskimo igloo or snow house.
 Within this carefully protected scientific "crib' are the instruments, chief among which are photographic ally recording magnetograph and electrograph, which oblige nature herself to make every minute and hour of the day indisputablel pie lures of the variations of the earth's magnetic and electric fields. Here tofore, observers in the northland have been obliged to light their in struments by small oil lamps, which created temperature variations by using up oxygen. The Refuge har- bor observatory instruments, how ever, are electrically lighted, the necessary apparatus to provide the juice" having been shipped with the timber.
 o 0 O
 Present DecIinatiOn.
 At the present time the needle of the compass points either east or