a North-west magnetic Pole. 101 
Having premised thus much, | come now to the most import- 
ant object of this paper, and paramount to every other considera- 
tion attached to the subject. If no other advantage arose from 
the present voyages than the recent discovery of a North-west 
Magnetic Pole, that alone is so valuable to science in establishing, 
in process of time, a sure theory of the Magnetic Variation, so in- 
dispensable for nautical purposes, that the best thanks of the. 
country are due to the Admiralty for the efficient manner in which 
these voyages have been directed. _ In giving such requisite effi- 
cacy, the taleats, knowledge, and general information of that able: 
and useful character, Mr. Barrow, have been essentially subser-- 
vient, 
~ When your Number for January was published, it was not di- 
stinctly known, that among the Georgian Islands the movement 
of a balanced needle became so weak and sluggish as to be nearly 
annihilated ; that is to say, the magnetic action of the real North 
Pole of the Earth became as nothing compared to the strong and 
direct attraction of the North-west Magnetic Pole, evidently si- 
tuated within the Earth, and in a site very nearly under the sea- 
surface moved over by the Discovery-ships. For centuries have 
ingenious philosophers been conjecturing the existence of one or 
more Magnetic Poles, in endeavouring to reduce visible effects to 
causes, and to form theories, if not demonstrable, at least plau- 
sible. At length, to the honour of the British nation, the first 
in arts, arms, and philanthropy, all doubt and uncertainty are 
happily removed; and by proceeding on scientific principles, 
through the medium of accurate experiments, the complete es- 
tablishment of a theory of the Magnetic Variation is now attain- 
able. The continued course of experiments formerly recom- 
mended to be made in a situation contiguous to the Magnetic 
Pole will not be practicable in that situation, on account of a 
strength of attraction downwards so great there as to turn the 
needle nearly into a continuation of that Pole, an effect shown to 
demonstration, by experiments made by means of powerful mag- 
nets acting on common needles, It is fortunate that the requi- 
site series of experiments cannot be efficiently made near the site 
of the newly-discovered Pole, as the intensity of the cold there 
would render a continuance of life nearly impossible. It is evi- 
dent that the Discovery-ships crossed a meridian under which 
this Pole, and the North Pole of the Earth, became in one and 
the same vertical plaue. Here, of course, there would be no va- 
riation, as the needle would be acted on by both Poles in a line, 
or in conjunction with its position. On the parallel of latitude 
of 60°, such line of no variation must be found by trial made by 
scientific, persevering, and skilful men, to be employed for this 
very important purpose. ‘These men must travel westward from 
THudson’s 
