Physics 531 



tution especially charged itself with operations in terrestrial 

 magnetism in the United States. In the same year, in Vol- 

 ume xi of the " Contributions," the publication of the very 

 extensive series of Girard College Magnetic Observations, 

 made by Professor Bache, begins, the discussion of the results 

 being largely due to Mr. Schott, of the Coast Survey. These 

 continued through several volumes and years, and there were 

 also included many other studies of terrestrial magnetism 

 made in different parts of the country. For a long time the 

 Institution aided in the development of the subject, both by 

 grants of funds and by publication ; the National Academy 

 also contributed largely from the Bache Fund, bequeathed 

 to it for the encouragement of original research, until a 

 comparatively recent time, since which the work has been 

 under government direction, in the United States Coast and 

 Geodetic Survey. The latter bureau shared with the Smith- 

 sonian Institution in the expense of the construction and 

 erection of a complete magnetic observatory, giving photo- 

 graphic registration of variations in the magnetic elements. 

 It was first placed on the grounds of the Institution, but in 

 1860 it was removed to Key West, Florida. The Smithso- 

 nian Reports about this time contain papers on magnetic 

 storms, by Sabine ; on " Observations on Terrestrial Magnet- 

 ism in Mexico," by Sonntag, and others of a similar character. 

 Interesting and valuable recent contributions to the same 

 subject will be found in the Reports for 1892 and 1893, the 

 former containing a reprint of Ewing's important Royal In- 

 stitution lecture on " Magnetic Induction," and the latter Pro- 

 fessor Dewar's interesting discourse, at the same place, on the 

 "Magnetic Properties of Liquefied Oxygen." 



The publications of the Institution naturally contain much 

 important matter concerning the electric telegraph. Henry's 

 relation to its development has already been referred to, and 



