Of a confiderableLoadfone digged out of the Ground 
in Devonjhire .. 
T His Stone was lately fent up out of the faid County, and pre- 
fented to the R. Society by the Reverend Arch-deacon, Do- 
te Edw, Cotton , with this defcription, That it weighs 60 pounds *, 
and that, though it take up no great weight, yet it moves a Needle 
about nine Foot diflant. Some part of it being broken off, he hath 
fentupalfo, becaufe {faith he) being put in its proper place, it 
adds much ftrength to it, but without that addition it moves not 
much more than feven Foot. 
Care will he had , that Tryals he made of theVertue of this Stone, 
both of the two pieces clofed together : and of each piece fep ar at ely, and 
that uncapped as well as capped. 
Some Obfervables about hoadflones^ and Sea-Comfaffes. 
A Noble Perfon did upon a late occafion, affirm, T hat a Needle 
of a Sea-Compafs, put in a good Iron Mine {whichfe faid, yeilded 
23 pounds of Metal', out of 120 pounds of Ore) was not fenfibly 
moved thereby. 
Another Honourable Perfon defired,it might be obferved,whe- 
ther touched Needles move otherwife, when the Veins of Iron do 
not lie North and South , then wheni they do fo * 
It being inquired by a Note from forreign parts, Whether the 
Sea-Compaffes in England were brought to a greater perfections 
than in other Countries ? Anfwer was made by intelligent perfons 
here, Thatall the perfection of our Sea-Cotnpaflfes, as yet, con- 
futed in this. That the Needles be touched by good Load-ftones, 
and well librated,and that the Variation be truly placed : Though 
it wasfuggefted withal, that for the greater perfection of fuch Sea^ 
Compaffes,a way was contriving, to ffiew the Variation to Minutes 
and Seconds. 
It was alfo propos’d. That it might be inquired into, 
1 . Whether a Needle may be fo toucht upon any Magnet, as 
not to point to the true North and Souths to be tried in fuch places 
where there is no Variation known ? 
2,. Whether. 
