On the SeventhSection of Vessel's Astronomical Observations. 249 



like tendency to carry the same pole N towards n'. But the 

 pole N being acted on by the two equal and contrary forces, 

 can have no tendency to either of these points, therefore must 

 of necessity remain in its original position. 



That pole of the magnet which possesses the same kind of 

 magnetism as the north magnetic pole of our globe, being now 

 properly called north ; when the zinc sides of the batteries are 

 applied at the equator, the magnet rotates from east to 'west : 

 or, in the same direction as the earth. 



Having pointed out these particulars, most of which are 

 facts deducible from experiment, there can appear no ex- 

 treme improbability that most of the phaenomena which are 

 observed to obtain with the heavenly bodies in our system, 

 are physically produced by the powerful agency of electricity. 

 And experiments may, in my humble opinion, be instituted, 

 that would satisfactorily exhibit the whole ; for we have al- 

 ready seen that rotation and parallelism are producible by 

 electro- magnetism; and the thermo experiments serve to 

 prove that the influence of the sun may be sufficient to excite 

 continual electricity. Hence magnetic bodies placed within 

 its influence may not only rotate and keep their axes parallel, 

 but probably may likewise obey every other observed astro- 

 nomical law with regular mathematical precision. 

 I am, gentlemen, 



Your most obedient servant, 

 Artillery-Place, Woolwich, Aug. 1824. VVm. Sturgeon. 



XLIII. Introduction to the Seventh Section of Bessel's 

 Astronomical Observations* 

 [Continued from p. 178.] 



5. Observations of the Circumsolar Stars. 



fN order to enable us to judge what agreement in the results 

 of observations has been produced by the corrections now 

 investigated, and what remains to be done, I have calculated 

 the polar distances of 59 circumpolar stars for 1820, from all 

 observations made from the time of putting up the instrument 

 to the end of 1821. This calculation has been made with the 

 application of the refraction noted in the journals; but the se- 

 cond column of the following table contains the correction 

 arising from the thermometries] factor ; the third the correc- 

 tions for the errors of the division ; the fourth the effect of 

 flexure; and the last the zenith distance resulting from the ap- 

 plication of all these corrections. The observations made in 

 each position of the circle are given separately. 



Vol 04.. No. 318. Oct. 1824. I i East 



