Shifting of the Earth's Axis

Abstract

IN the very interesting address of Prof. Young (NATURE, September 18, p. 501) he refers to the variability of the earth's axis, and states that a change of 1″ per century has been detected at Pulkowa, but that “the Greenwich and Paris observations do not show any such result.” Now only last year, in the “Pyramids and Temples of Gizeh,” I had (p. 126) noted that the Greenwich observations did appear to show a change, and that a change of the same amount and same direction as is stated by Prof. Young for Pulkowa; the observations of this century showing a decrease of 1″ of latitude per century, or with those of Maskelyne a decrease of 1″.38 per century.