On the explosive Power of Coal Go's. 93 



north-west magnetic pole had a movement, and the direction 

 and annual quantity of such movement, if thus found to take 

 }jlace. Huts, but no natives, have been seen in these hyperborean 

 regions. If, however, natives should appear next year, the me- 

 ridian, to remain undisturbed, might be concealed in an excava- 

 tion, or situated in some secret place. 



The observation of the variation of the variation, on this me- 

 ridian, would be an important object of unremitting attention. 

 In my papers I ascribed it to the action of the sun's heat, in- 

 creased and diminished during the earth's revolution on its axis, 

 I venture to conjecture, that this species of variation will (on the 

 principle of heat acting on the northern poles, alternately) be 

 found to move in an opposite direction to that observed in Lon- 

 don. Should this prove to be the fact, the cause of the diurnal 

 variation will be thus completely set at rest. The utmost efforts 

 will be made to ascertain the precise position of tlie new pole ; 

 and if it should be impracticable to make the essential observa- 

 tions suggested, in its vicinity, the purpose will be equally an- 

 swered by taking them to the east of Copper Mine River, at the 

 point where west variation ceases, and east commences. The 

 Regent's Channel may, probably, lead to this situation ; if not, 

 it can be attained to over-land, from the north-west of Hudson'o 

 Bay. 



If the discovery I suggest in these imperfect statements is 

 made in due time, it will be the greatest and most important in 

 scientific history: and it is by giving circulation and publicity to 

 papers of this description, that such valuable results can be ar- 

 rived at. 



XV. On the Application of the explosive Power of Coal Gas as 

 a First Mover in Machinery. Bij Geojigk Lowe, Es(j. 



To Mr. rUloch. 



I Derby Hrewery, .Ian. U), 1S2I. 



N this truly fertile age of invention, when the field of 

 philosophic intpiiry teems almost to its very highways and hedges 

 with sportsuicn, some actuated by fame, hon()ur and pleasure; 

 others by the stimulus of profit, in discovering " some new thing 

 under the sun:" — To you, Mr. Editor, who see so much of these 

 sportsmen, and who receive so nuich of their game, it cannot 

 appear strange tiiat you should so often be called ujjou to decide 

 the stpiabbles of anticipated shots, and to say to whom the 

 feather belongs. This is partly the reason for my now stepping 

 out of the jog-trot path of life to present myself before you. 

 What a truly motley group, in your eye, nuist this field of phiht- 

 uo])hic ^porlsmen present ! The pen of Juvenal or the needle (if 



Howland'uit 



