238 REPORT—1896. 
that General Sabine found that whilst, as a rule, large disturbances lowered 
the horizontal and raised the vertical force, the opposite results ensued in 
a very considerable number of instances. 
In proposing any additions to the existing ‘ quiet’ day system, or any 
substitute, it must be remembered that one of the main objects aimed at 
by its introduction was a substantial saving in the labour required to 
obtain comparable results from different observatories. The tabulation of 
the whole mass of curves was felt in most cases too serious a burden. 
‘Considerable light might be thrown on the question of the uniformity or 
variableness of the non-cyclic element throughout the day by a very 
‘simple addition, viz., curve measurements at the noons preceding and suc- 
ceeding each ‘quiet’ day. In the course of this paper other suggestions 
have been made, but they could be put into effect only at observatories 
prepared to tabulate all the curves. 
In conclusion, I wish to acknowledge the assistance I have derived 
‘from discussing a variety of the points involved with Mr. T. W. Baker, 
‘Chief Assistant at the Kew Observatory. 
APPENDIX. 
Remarks by W. Eis, Esq., 7.2.8. 
Having had the opportunity of reading Dr. Chree’s report on non- 
-cyclic magnetic effects, I would beg to be allowed to offer the following 
remarks :— 
Thad read with great interest Dr. Chree’s ‘ Comparison and Reduc- 
tion of Magnetic Observations,’ forming the report of the Magnetic Com- 
mittee for the year 1895, in which he discusses the Kew magnetic results 
on ‘quiet’ days for the years 1890 to 1894. I had lately commenced to 
work up in a similar way the corresponding Greenwich results in order 
to make comparisons between Greenwich and Kew, when treated for the 
same years in a similar manner. Interesting questions are involved, 
since it cannot be said to be at present known how far the magnetic 
changes at two places not remotely distant one from the other should be 
expected to be similar, and if not similar to what extent there may be 
difference, and also whether any part of such difference might be instru- 
mental. It is not satisfactory to compare results for one period with 
results for another place for a different period, because at any one place 
the phenomena may vary considerably at different times. But my work 
is not sufficiently advanced to enable me to put the results at present into 
‘shape ; still I may perhaps give some information bearing on points now 
discussed by Dr. Chree. In Table I. he gives the mean non-cyclic effect 
for ‘quiet’ days for different magnetic elements for each month of the year, 
deduced from the Kew observations of the six years 1890 to 1895. My 
numbers for Greenwich are for the five years 1890 to 1894. At Kew the 
non-cyclic change in declination is positive in the first five, and in the 
ninth, tenth, and eleventh months of the year, and negative in the 
remaining months. At Greenwich it is positive in the first five months 
and in the eleventh month, and negative in the other months. At both 
places the largest positive value is in January, Kew = + 0/63, Green- 
wich = + 0'-46; the largest negative value is in August, Kew = — 030, 
