516 Correspondence on Magnetism of Ships, [Nov. 30, 



The following Table shows the progress and present state of the Society 

 with respect to the number of Fellows : 



Further Correspondence between the Board of Trade and the Royal 

 Society, in reference to the Magnetism of Ships, and the Meteo- 

 rological Department *. 



Mr. Farrer to General Sabine. 



" Board of Trade, Whitehall, 25th July, 1865. 



" SIB, I am directed by the Lords of the Committee of Privy Council 

 for Trade to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 25th May, and 

 its inclosed Memorandum, calling attention to the subject of the adjust- 

 ment of compasses in iron vessels. 



"The Memorandum states that the subject of the deviation of com- 

 passes is one which has hitherto been regarded as too intricate and obscure 

 to be made the subject of practical rules for seafaring men, but that recent 

 experience has placed the science on a sound basis, and has made it pos- 

 sible to frame rules which there will be no practical difficulty in applying. 



" The Memorandum further intimates what those rules should be with 

 respect to the placing and adjustment of compasses, and suggests that mea- 

 sures should be taken by the Board of Trade to enforce their observance. 

 It also suggests that steps should be taken to compel Merchant Officers to 

 become acquainted with them ; and finally recommends that for the ac- 

 complishment of these purposes an Officer should be appointed, whose duty 

 it should be, in communication with the Compass Department of the Ad- 

 miralty, to aid the Board of Trade in carrying it into effect. 



* Published by order of the Council. 



