[ 483 ] 
Obfervations for determining the Magnetic Variations at Prince of Wales’s Foit on the Nprlh-vveft Coall 
of Hudfon’s Bay, by W. W. 
The variation compafs, which I received from Mr. Robertfon, by order of the Royal Society, was, when I 
received it, a very good one, as appeared to me fiom feveral trials which I made of it in London, before it was 
put on board the (hip ; but when we arrived in Hudfon’s Bay, and were ready to make ufe of it, we had the 
mortification to find that the needle thereof had, by feme caule or other, entirely loft its magnetic virtue. As 
the cold was, by the time that we made this difeovery, much more intenfe than it probably was at the time 
that Mr. Ellis complains of a fimilar circumftance happening to him in thofe parts, I was naturally led to try 
whether I could not benefit by his experience, and accordingly removed the compafs into the room where we 
lived ; which was kept very warm by a large fire, and by the houfe ftove; and there it remained ever after, but 
without the leaft eftedl. 
In order to remedy this misfortune as much as lay in my power, I applied to Captain Richards, as foon as 
he arrived in the river this year; and defired he would fend me hisazimuth compafs on (hore, with which 
requeft he very kindly complied the next day ; but the cloudy weather prevented me from making any ob- 
fervations before the zzd of Auguft. 
The compafs is of the common form, and I judged that it wou'd be bell to make the obfervations about 
noon, when the Sun’s azimuths change the falleft, and to note the times by the clock ; which I did in the 
followin; 
1769 
y manner : 
Times by the 
clock 
Magnetic 
azimuth 
Varia- 
tion 
weft 
Auguft 
h 
/ 
// 
0 
/ 
0 
/ 
]) 21 
23 
40 
29 
1 
23 
w 
10 
6 
44 48 
2 
0 
V 
9 
17 
49 
35 
3 
20 
w 
•9 
2 
S3 
4 
30 
w 
9 
6 
S 22 
0 
6 
40,1 
23 
18 
•5 
15 
w 
9 
43 
25 
22 
1 5 
17 
w 
10 
3 
27 
8 
16 
39 
w 
9 
5° 
23 
28 
59 
2 
3« 
E 
9 
49 
31 
15 
I 
',0 
E 
9 
34 
5 
0 
47 
E 
9 
59 J 
42 
20 
2 
0 
V' 
10 
3i 
44 
10 
2 
38 
VV 
to 
4 i 
45 
40 
3 
1 3 
W 
to 
^ I 
/ z 
49 45 
4 
2 1 
V' 
9 
57 
52 
44 
5 
20 
W 
.9 
5 * 
54 
4 
5 
40 
w 
9 
50 
8 23 
0 
6 
38,6 
1 2 
43 
1 1 
25 
w 
9 
24 
25 
13 
15 
28 
w 
9 
18 
26 
26 
16 
7 
w 
9 
33 
28 
8 
16 
30 
w 
9 
22 
34 
38 
18 
40 
w 
9 
24 
3^ 
16 
19 
2 2 
w 
9 
:)J2 
^Thefe obfervatiens were made by Captain Richards; the compafs 
having been removed, and the card re-adjufted after the firft 
The Sun tranfited the meridian 
• By myfelf ; the compafs having been moved, and the card re-adjufted 
' The compafs placed as it was yefterday before noon 
> The compafs removed, &c. 
. Ditto 
The Sun tranfited the meridian 
The compafs removed, &c. 
J 
The mem is 
9 4' 
Ditto 
CLq q 2 
Such 
