PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS, B.A., 1871. 153 



strong attraction to the Association in the facilities 

 which it afforded to them for co-operating in their 

 work on this subject. Lloyd, Phillips, Fox, Ross, 

 and Sabine made magnetic observations all over 

 Great Britain ; and their results, collected by 

 Sabine, gave for the first time an accurate and 

 complete survey of terrestrial magnetism over the 

 area of this island. I am informed by Professor 

 Phillips that, in the beginning of the Association, 

 Herschel, though a " sincere well-wisher," felt 

 doubts as to the general utility and probable 

 success of the plan and purpose proposed ; but his 

 zeal for terrestrial magnetism brought him from 

 being merely a sincere well-wisher to join actively 

 and cordially in the work of the Association. " In 

 " 1838 he began to give effectual aid in the great 

 " question of magnetical Observatories, and was 

 " indeed foremost among the supporters of that 

 " which is really Sabine's great work. At intervals, 

 "until about 1858, Herschel continued to give 

 "effectual aid." Sabine has carried on his great 

 work without intermission to the present day ; 

 thirty years ago he gave to Gauss a large part of 



