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IX. On the Magnetical Results of the Voyage of H.M.S. “ Penguin,” 1890-93. 
By Captain E. W. Creak, R.N., F.R.S. 
Received May 8,—Read June 20, 1895. 
In the recent magnetic surveys conducted in different countries, the details of which 
have been published, one point stands out prominently from the rest, that the more 
minute the survey, the more surely do the observations show that the needle is 
subject to “ local ” and “ regional ” magnetic disturbances, varying in amount from 
the normal values of the magnetic elements, as deduced from extended observations 
made over the whole country. 
A reference alone to that recent and most valuable contribution to terrestrial 
magnetism, “A Magnetic Survey of the British Isles,” by Professors A. W. 
Rucker, F.R.S., and T. E. Thorpe, F.R.S., is quite sufficient to show the certainty 
of these disturbances. 
Our knowledge of the magnetic elements on land and their disturbances is con¬ 
stantly being added to, but there is a much larger area for exploration, which, whilst 
leaving the dry land to the observers on land, seems specially to belong to those 
whom we may term the seagoing magneticians, namely, the broad sea, the coasts 
washed by the sea, and what is equally important to science and navigation, the land 
under the sea. It is a fact that as yet we have not obtained anything like an exact 
knowledge of the form which the “isomagnetics” may take on going from the 
assumed normal lines, passing from over the deep sea to cross depths of water under 
100 fathoms, until the dry land with its known disturbances is reached. 
Although along those parts of the coasts of great continents more commonly 
visited, several series of observations of the magnetic elements have been made by the 
war-vessels of various nationalities, for the coasts of Australia, from Adelaide 
westward round north to Cape York, there were, previous to 1 885, only some three 
or four stations at which either Dip or Force had been observed. 
To remedy this defect as far as possible, Admiral Wharton, F.R.S., Hydrographer 
to the Admiralty, caused H.M. surveying vessel “ Meda ” to be furnished with the 
necessary magnetic instruments, with which the elements were observed at twelve 
stations, distributed between King George’s Sound and Cossack, in N.W. Australia, 
by Navigating-Lieutenant Dockrell, of that ship. 
Unfortunately the continuance of this series was cut short by the close of the 
MDCCCXCVI. — A. 2 Y 18.5.96. 
