INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE 



ON 



TERRESTRIAL MAGNETISM AND ATMOSPHERIC ELECTRICITY. 



President of the Conference — Professor A. W. Rucker, M.A., 



D.Sc, Sec. R.S. 



THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 8. 

 The President delivered the following Address : — 



The President of the Section of Mathematics and Physics has already 

 expressed the pleasure with which British physicists welcome the distin- 

 guished band of visitors who have assembled to take part in the Interna- 

 tional Conference on Terrestrial Magnetism. None join in that welcome 

 with more cordiality than those who are especially interested in the science 

 with which the Conference will be occupied. To us it is a source both of 

 gratification and pride that the International Committee, to whose action 

 this meeting is due, should have allowed us to play the part of hosts to 

 the eminent men from many lands who have responded to their call. 

 Some whom we would gladly have seen here, but who have been prevented 

 from attending by various causes, have nevertheless shown the interest 

 which they take in our proceedings by sending written communications. 

 Thus our meeting is as fully representative as we could have hoped. 



It may be interesting to those who are unaware of the fact if I remind 

 the Conference that this is not the first occasion on which students of 

 Terrestrial Magnetism have taken counsel together during a meeting of 

 the British Association. 



Fifty-four years ago the then President of the Association, the Very 

 Rev. George Peacock, Dean of Ely, stated in his address that the period 

 was drawing to an end for which a series of magnetic observatories had 

 been established by international co-operation. 'Six observatories,' he 

 stated,' 'were established, under the zealous direction of M. Kupfier, in 

 difierent parts of the vast empire of Russia, the only country, let me add, 

 which has established a permanent physical observatory. The American 

 Government instituted three others, at Boston, Philadelphia, and Washing- 

 ton ; two were established by the East India Company, at Simla and Sin- 

 gapore ; from every part of Europe, and even from Algiers, offers of 

 co-operation were made.' The observations thus provided for were to be 

 carried out for three years only, but, as nearly the whole of that time 

 was spent in preparation, the period was doubled. When the term thus 



' Brlf. Assoc, Rej'; 1844, p. xliv. 



