1 84 SIEGE OF THE SOUTH POLE 
used at sea; Sabine presented his translation of Han- 
steen’s great work and referred to the blanks which re- 
mained to be filled, and the committee on Magnetism in 
set terms adopted the following recommendation : 
“ That a representation be made to Government of the 
importance of sending an expedition into the Antarctic 
regions, for the purpose of making observations and dis- 
coveries in various branches of Science, as Geography, 
Hydrography, Natural History and especially Magnetism 
with a view to determine precisely the place of the south 
magnetic pole or poles, and the direction and inclination 
of the magnetic force in those regions.” 
The Council of the Association assumed a very cautious 
attitude, reserving any action until they had seen the 
result of the report on magnetic intensity which they 
called upon Sabine to prepare. To this request he re- 
sponded with splendid effect, but during the two years 
while the Report was preparing he could not remain 
silent as to the pressing need for an expedition, and we 
know that he discussed the matter earnestly with Baron 
Humboldt, then the first man of science in Europe. On 
April 22nd, 1836, while the dispatch of an American ex- 
pedition was a matter of lively dispute in Congress, and 
while a great French expedition to the Pacific was form- 
ing as a dream of ethnographical research in the mind of 
Dumont D Urville, Humboldt under the strong impres- 
sion created by conversations with Sabine, addressed a 
weighty letter to the President of the Royal Society, at 
that time H. R. H. the Duke of Sussex. This letter ap- 
pealed for the establishment throughout the British Em- 
pire of a series of magnetic observatories similar to those 
which the Russian Emperor had established across 
Siberia. Committees were appointed to report upon the 
