72 W. A. Norton on Molecular Physics. 
It is conceivable that the effects which have been ascribed to 
the radial photospheric currents might be produced by an anal- 
ogous system of currents within the earth’s crust, directed 
toward the region directly underneath the sun. But no plausi- 
ble cause can be assigned for the existence of such currents; 
since if the sun be supposed to produce tides in the vast sea of 
electric ether that pervades the earth’s crust, and thus originate 
the currents supposed, the consequent effects upon the declina- — 
be 
tion and horizontal force should of the same character, if 
not of equal amount, at midnight and at noon. Besides the 
moon, by this sort of action, should produce greater effects than 
the sun. The moon, asa matter of fact, does exercise a disturb- 
ing action upon the magnetic needle, but the perturbations pro: 
duced by it have only been detected by the closest scrutin 
We may here take occasion to remark that the lunar diurnal 
variations of the declination, and of the horizontal force, are, in 
their nature, such, as should result from a tidal action of the 
moon upon the terrestrial sea of electric ether. Thus there 
should be, theoretically, a maximum of west declination at the 
upper culmination, or aang and another maximum at the : 
her : 
lower culmination. ere should also be a maximum of hor- 
izontal — a few hours ss each culmination, and a minimum 
a few hours before each culmination. For, the rise and fall of the 
pnt ag tide should be attended with currents, or rather waves 
of sas ns setting from all directions toward the point under- 
neath the moon, or a point somewhat in pores of this; and 
also toward the Pratl opposite poin 
tons.—The secular ace experienced by the 
declination and ‘direot tive force of the needle appear to be the — 
ce of the continual operation of the physical pro- 
psn which the ~— was originally magnetized. It will be recol- 
lected that this consists principally in the development of 
ecliptic currents s ake side of th 
which have a greater intensity than the oppositely directed cur- 
rents sea on the side toward the sun; also that these pe 2 
erating currents which originated at any station, at the 
stices, ran from E. to W., while ae developed at the venial : 
bapa proceed from S. of E. to N. of W., and those — a 
S.of W. It is 
tumnal equinox from N. of E. to 
nee a that, in the Northern Hemisphere, the currents hich 
originale at the autumnal 
those which originate at 
e earth farthest from the sun, 
oc athagn Pere eS ares 
: 
2. 
