May 26, 1856.] PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY. I77 



Of late, various papers have appeared on the circulation of the 

 waters of the ocean ; and as new facts are received, the interest of 

 the subject increases. The labours of America have in this respect 

 been very fruitful ; Lieutenant Maury, our able and newly elected 

 Corresponding member, has laboured deeply in this field, and has 

 shown us with what accuracy he has determined the course and 

 velocity of the Gulf Stream, by the remarkable agreement between 

 the real and calculated position in which the unfortunate ' San Fran- 

 cisco' was found, after being disabled and drifting many days in the 

 strength of the current. 



The American Surveying Expedition, under Lieutenant Lee, has 

 also contributed to the subject ; and, while pursuing its observa- 

 tions upon the streams of the ocean, has largely added to our store of 

 ocean temperatures at various depths, and has furnished us with a 

 most interesting section of the basin of the Atlantic, which will 

 throw considerable light upon the practicability of the project of 

 connecting the two great continents of Europe and America by a 

 telegraphic wire. 



Mr. Findlay, our Associate, has added to his former contribu- 

 tions on the subject of ocean streams ; and Captain Trminger, of the 

 Danish Royal Navy, has supplied us with information as to a new 

 course of the stream on the coast of Greenland. 



It has been the practice of my predecessors to notice the progress 

 of magnetic science from the natural connection between the com- 

 pass and topographical operations. During the past year a committee 

 has been formed at Liverpool for the purpose of inquiring into that 

 subtle subject, the disturbance of the compass in iron vessels. They 

 have made a report of their labours, up to the end of the year, to 

 the Board of Trade, which presents some curious and interesting 

 results, and they are still continuing their investigations. The Board 

 of Trade encourages this inquiry, so manifestly advantageous to the 

 shipping interest, by an annual grant of money. 



The question of local attraction in ships has also engaged the at- 

 tention of our learned and indefatigable Astronomer-Royal, who 

 has recently furnished a valuable paper on the subject to the Royal 

 Society. 



Various papers on this subject by other authors also have been 

 published since the last anniversary, of which some have been 

 read before the British Association at Glasgow, particularly those 

 by Dr. Scoresby, and by Mr. Towson. 



It will be interesting to know that Mr. Piazzi Smyth, the Astro- 



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