Page:A Voyage of Discovery and Research in the Southern and Antarctic Regions Vol 1.djvu/47

Rh return to their former values in periods of very great and unknown magnitude.

The recent discoveries connected with the irregular variations of the magnetic declination, have given to this class of changes a prominent interest. In the year 1818, M. Arago made, at the Observatory of Paris, a valuable and extensive series of observations on the declination changes; and M. Kupffer having about the same time undertaken a similar research at Cazan, a comparison of the results led to the discovery that the perturbations of the needle were synchronous at the two places, although these places differed from one another by more than forty-seven degrees of longitude. This seems to have been the first recognition of a phenomenon, which now, in the hands of Gauss and those who are labouring with him, appears likely to receive a full elucidation.

To pursue this phenomenon successfully, and to promote in other directions the theory of terrestrial magnetism, it was necessary to extend and vary the stations of observation, and to adopt at all a common plan. Such a system of simultaneous observations was organized by Von Humboldt in the year 1827. Magnetic stations were established at Berlin and Freyberg: and the Imperial Academy of Russia entering with zeal into the project, the chain of stations was carried over the whole of that colossal empire. Magnetic houses were erected at Petersburgh and at Cazan; and magnetic instruments were placed, and regular observations commenced, at Moscow, at Sitka, at Nicolajeff in the Crimea, at Barnaoul and Nertschinsk in Siberia, and even at Pekin. The plan of observation was definitely organized in 1830; and simultaneous observations were made seven times in the year, at intervals of an hour for the space of forty-four hours.

In 1834, the illustrious Gauss turned his attention to the subject of terrestrial magnetism; and having contrived instruments which were capable of yielding results of an accuracy before unthought of in magnetic researches, he proceeded to inquire into the simultaneous movements of the horizontal needle at distant places. At the very outset of his inquiry he discovered the fact, that the synchronism of the perturbations was not confined (as had been hitherto imagined) to the larger and extraordinary changes; but that even the minutest