372 Proceedings of the British Association. 



to succeed, as I confidently expect it will, a great impediment to 

 the advancement of meteorological science will be removed. 

 Persons in almost every locality may be found who would not 

 object to devote a few minutes per day to prepare such an instru- 

 ment for use, but who would find it impossible to give the re- 

 quisite attention to make hourly or half-hourly observations them- 

 •blves. — Col. Sabine said, Mr. Bache, of Philadelphia, has request- 

 ed me to explain the reasons which have prevented him from 

 completing the Report on the Meteorology of the United States, 

 which has been first called for, and which at the Newcastle meet- 

 ing, Mr. B., being then present, was requested to prepare. But 

 the task of providing funds by private subscription in the U. S. 

 for the support of the system of magnetical and meteorological 

 observations recommended by the Association, (which is else- 

 where provided for as a national work,) has been undertaken by 

 Mr. Bache, in addition to that of superintending its establishment 

 and progress. Being thus occupied, Mr. B. has found himself 

 unable to devote the necessary time and thought to the Report. 



Sir J. Herschel read a Report on the great co-operative system 

 of Magnetic and Meteorological Obse?^vatio7i, which three or four 

 years ago was commenced at the instance of the British Associa- 

 tion. After noticing the vast increase of the surveys and obser- 

 vations, owing to the number of foreign establishments entering 

 into the concerted plan, the Report referred to the Antarctic Ex- 

 pedition, taking it up where the Report of last year left it, at Ho- 

 bart Town in 1840. Capt. Ross observed the November term 

 (for observations) in 1840, at the Auckland Isles. On leaving 

 those isles, his adopted, course led him between the two southern 

 magnetic foci. It seems probable that he was still to the east- 

 ward of the present locality of the greatest intensity. The full 

 import of the observations made in this voyage is not yet known, 

 but it is understood that intensities have been observed by Capt. 

 Ross 2J times greater than the minimum observed by him near 

 St. Helena, on the outward voyage ; and that the general aspect 

 of the intensity observations would appear to place the centre of 

 the principal isodynamic oval in a latitude somewhat exceeding 

 50° South. The nearest approach to the magnetic pole was in 

 lat. 76° 12', long. 164° East, the dip being 88° 40'. The in- 

 tensity here was found to be less than in 47° South. The Ad- 

 miralty, (who had rendered every service to these inquiries,) had 



