Record

RefNoAP/9/21
LevelFile
TitleUnpublished paper and letters, 'On the variation of the compass' by John Ross
Date[1818]
DescriptionRoss describes the history of compass variation and then recounts his own experiments and observations on compass variation and terrestrial magnetism undertaken aboard HMS Isabella from May-July 1818 and aboard HMS Alexander in July 1818. Preceded by a covering letter from Ross to Sir Joseph Banks and followed by a letter providing further observations from HMS Alexander.

Subject: Geodesy

Communicated by the President [Sir Joseph Banks].

The Royal Society did not publish this paper as Ross planned to include it in a published narrative of his voyages. Ross' narrative was published in 1819: Ross, John. A Voyage of Discovery, made under the orders of the Admiralty, in His Majesty's Ships Isabella and Alexander, for the purpose of exploring Baffin's Bay, and inquiring into the probability of a North-west Passage. Vol. 1. London: Printed by Strahan and Spottiswoode, for Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown, 1819.
Extent14p
FormatManuscript
PhysicalDescriptionInk on paper
Digital imagesView item on Science in the Making
AccessStatusOpen
RelatedMaterialRoss, John. A Voyage of Discovery, made under the orders of the Admiralty, in His Majesty's Ships Isabella and Alexander, for the purpose of exploring Baffin's Bay, and inquiring into the probability of a North-west Passage. Vol. 1. London: Printed by Strahan and Spottiswoode, for Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown, 1819.
Ross' narrative available in the Royal Society Library: RCN27713
RelatedRecordAP/9/21/1
AP/9/21/2
AP/9/21/3
AP/9/21/4
AP/9/21/5
AP/9/21/6
Fellows associated with this archive
CodePersonNameDates
NA8116Banks; Sir; Joseph (1744 - 1820); naturalist1744 - 1820
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