Article V.
General Theory of Terrestrial Magnetism. By Professor Carl Friedrich Gauss, of the University of Göttingen.
[Translated by Mrs. Sabine, and revised by Sir John Herschel, Bart.]
The unwearied zeal with which, in recent times, endeavours have been made to examine the direction and intensity of the magnetic force of the earth, at all parts of its surface, is the more worthy of admiration, as it has been prompted by the pure love of science. Great as is the importance to navigation of the most complete attainable knowledge of the lines of declination, more than this is scarcely required for its purposes. Whilst science delights to render such useful services, her own requisitions have a wider scope, and make it necessary that equal efforts should be devoted to the examination of all the magnetic elements.
It has been customary to represent the results of magnetic observations by three systems of lines, usually termed Isogonic. Isoclinal, and Isodynamic lines. In course of time these lines undergo considerable alterations both in position and in figure, so that a drawing of them represents the phænomena correctly only for the epoch to which it corresponds. Halley's Chart of Declination for 1700 is very different from that of Barlow for 1833; and already Hansteen's Dip Chart for 1780 differs greatly from the present position of the Isoclinal lines. Doubtless, in course of time, similar alterations in the lines of intensity will be manifested; but observations of this nature are altogether too recent to furnish such indications at present.
In all these maps there exist spaces either blank, or in which the lines are but indifferently supported by observation. The inaccessibility of parts of the earth's surface renders perfection in this respect impossible; but a rapid progress towards it may be confidently hoped for.
Viewed from the higher grounds of science even a complete representation of the phænomena after this manner is not itself the final object sought. It is rather analogous to what the astronomer has accomplished, when, for example, he has observed the apparent path of a comet in the heavens. Until the complicated phænomena have been brought in subjection to a common principle, we have only building-stones, not an edifice.
