' 1802 . 
Lat. 
Long. 
Course. 
Var. 
Diff. 
April 
22.. A.M. 
39 c 
1 38' S. 
144° 40' E. az. 
W.S.W. 
11°52'E. > 
3 °53' 
24. 
39 
38 
144 1 
s. 
7 59 J 
July 
15. P.M. 
34 
5 
135 9 
S.E. b E. 
1 S3 W. i 
5 39 
— 
34 
6 
135 9 ampl. 
S.W.5W. 
3 56 E. J 
28. 
25 
0 
153 23 
N.W.6N. 
9 39 I 
3 6 
29. 
24 
43 
153 27 
S.E. 1 S. 
6 33 j 
After such a coincidence, the fact of the varia¬ 
tions depending greatly on the ship’s course, cannot 
possibly be called in question, though it is certain¬ 
ly surprising that it has not been sooner attended to 
in the way that it deserves, by other navigators; 
for it did not altogether escape their observations. 
Mr Wales, astronomer to Captain Cook’s ship, the 
Resolution, had made the same observations in a 
pretty accurate manner; and M. Entrecasteaux, 
though without assigning any cause, says, that the 
Compass shewed differences of several degrees in 
variation at sea, though observed with the greatest 
care, and within the space of a few minutes.” 
After a more enlarged series of observations shall 
have been taken, and after the attention of astrono¬ 
mers is directed to this fact, we may confidently ex¬ 
pect a most important improvement in the science 
®f Navigation, 
