The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-11-19


ments, that The source Of local disturbances and
its hvs are psriscaly veil known; that the dis
turbsncs can be neutsalized by wen kaown means
70 the greatest exaotneks; AMI that this neutrahza
place, until the sSip herself undergoes an or
game change. In the next place, protest strongly
against 'the system, pos In use Il believe( in the
Royal Navy, Of using table Of errors, end thns con
making mechanical correction l. II II battling to
the mariner. q II is liable 70 exactly the same err
Tors, In the event Of change In the sings supper
manent magnetism, as the system OF relying on the
mechanical correction. 8. IL 10 liable TO errors pc
culiar to iAef which would be entirely avoided by
the use of mechanical correction In Illustration OF
the last remark Twill refer to the table in page l04
oftte late Captain Johnson's book 90 the " Devi
atoms OF the Compass" second edition, Q work in
many respects highly valuable. Captain Unison
has given the observed devations OF the compass on
board tn ee iron steam vessels in different parts of
the world, ard seect the last (the Trident) be
atoms in the Thames ranged from 20 deg Is min E
TO FL deg. IL min. w. The deviations of the same
compass Q. Malta ranged from Is deg 30 min. Z. to
IA deg: Il min. w. Now the proportion OF the ter
restral horizontal magnetic forces In the Thames
and at Malta is 50 to IS very nearly Therefore,
If the ships sub permanent magnetism rem aoed IN.
altered the tango nts OF the angles Of deviation in
the Thames and at Malta would have been in the
pro cOrtiOn Of 70 to So. On computing the Malta
devations from those in the Thames by this proper
ton, we obtain Is deg so min. and Is deg. min.
agreeing with those observed more nea ly than OBJ
servati0Ds can be made with ships compass The
whole Of the deviations recorded by Captain John
for the Blood d. the Jackal and the Trident
at Lisbon, Constsntin0pe, the Pn@us, and Malta,
can be computed Ia the same way from those la
England, aud TIE results are equally ssc0:daut.
The terIest. ial horizontal fore On the same sea
OF proportion are Lisbon GO, Constantinonie ~,
PiI8us 76.) II follows from tais that the ships sub
permanent magnetism in each case was unalsered,
and It's effect would have been exactly compensated
tae cap ain OF the Trident, using Captain Johnsot's
table, would have had errors Of nearly seven de
g1ees; whereas, II he had used my Correcting mag
nets he would have lad no psrceptble error In sue
whole voyage po;D-el out this result to Captain
JohDsnn--l know not with what effect. az In
extreme cases it cannot be used 1t all: thus in the
Greenland seas the compasses would sometimes
turn round with the ship; whereas there in che
Greenland seas several iron ships with my correct
ing magnets efecsing their purpose Il am informed)
su cessfully. (5) In cases not SO extreme, the in
convenience is ntolerable; thus, in one instance
which came under my own eyes, the compass
the Snip and the directive intensity in position
only one tenth Of what it was in another posi-
zion; these inconvenience are entirely remedied
by my correcting magnets.
On considering the whole matter, am led to
give the following as my opinon:-For voyages of
moderate Duration as for instance, no furtherthan
to the Mediterranean or to the northern parts OF
North America, do not think that any impr we
i
details, to which l have alluded. The end on"
position of the magnets ought to be forbidden and
some attention ought to be given to the ships sub
permanent magnetism in the direction perpend.cu-
r to the deuk. For voyages of greater duration,
rs to the Plata, the Caps of Gooi Hope, &C.,
think it desirable tina. means should be provided
f"r enabling the captain to make the small changes
ich may be required in the correcting magnets.
eou-se by which this can be effected; and am sa
tisfed that width the sanction Of one bs raj ship.
owner, the aid Of one Intelligent captain, and the
command of one ship for few days, can arrange
everything with good hope Of complete success.
1t might, think, be advantageous that some gen.
erous supervision should be exercised by the Board
Of Trade over the correction of the cOmpasses in iron
SHIPS and at no preceding time could reliance be
more place the friendly intentions and
judicious aid Of tnat Board than a. present. 1t
might also be advantageous that the Marine Board
of Liverpool should, as b,dy interest themselves
il the matter. Whatever course may seem best,
shall be happy to give any assistance in my po
6. The remarks above are Intended by me to ap-
ply only to iron built ships, in which the sensible
part of the disturbance of the compass is produced
almost entirey by the ships suo.permanent mag.
magnet ism is the principal distur oipg power, tne
rules Of correction are necessarily different. Ga
these, at present, have only to make the S
general remark which have made alb ove-that I
disspprove of the use Of table of errors, and that
prefer the use Of me ,hanical corrections, the ma
ture of which, applicable to the naturalization
nc uced magnetism, is perfectly und 'rstood.
G. 3. AIRY.
The Arctic ExpIorIng Expeditions.
FATE OF SIR JOHN FRANKLIN AND CAPTAIN COLLI
From the London Times, Oct 26)
The Arctic intelligence thckens upon US at mo
men when the public anxiety is keenly directed 20
another qua, ter. But tor teis the ews brought by
DIR. Rae would have re ceived degree of attention
more commensurate with its importance. II it was
worth while to send ont so many expeditions at 90
terrible risk to human life, and at 30 great an out
lay Of money, when we we entirely in the dark IS
IL she fate OF Franklin and his unfortunate c0mpa-
ulons certainly the impulse, whether it be one Of
homanity, curiosity, justice, should not be d.
inished now that We have before US s,metiing like
sidence Of the fate Of the missing voyagers. We
return TO the subject for two rea:ons-fnt, bee use
we have something to tell Of the position Of Cap an
Collinson aud the company of the Enterprise; and
secondly, because we would give some expression
q the surm ses and suspicious which are agitatiug
- public mind as to the fate Of Franklin and his
npanions. On the wboe, It would appear a
lnJugh there were unreasonable cause for a1prehen
sion "a to the fate Of the Enterprise or her crew.
We have positive news from them, under Captain
Collinsons signature, up to the 27th Of August,
1852. 1t would be idle in remarks OF this kind, in
tended a. suggestions to the general rea ier to enter
into the inthcacies of Arctic navigation. The sum
~ the information with regard to the Euterpze is
,-st conveyed in the simple phrase, that until the
date named Captain Collinson had unconsciousy
followed in the track of Captain Mcclure.
strait separates the tvo nhosptable blocks OF land
10 which Arctic navigators have given the names
respectively Of Barring leland and Prince A'5,rt
Land. This strait is called the Prince Of v les
Strait. In the year 1850, Captain Mcclure, who had
shaped course to the northeast from Cape Parry,
passed up this strait to the northward As far Is
Princess Royal Islands, where be passed the wiater
Of lS50-5l. In July Of the latter year he was re-
leased and proceeded up the strait till he was STOP
ped by an mpenstrsbe barrier of ice, and was there
by prevented from making his way i1to Parry
Sound, and to . region with which our Arctic navi
gators are now tolerably familiar. As is no we'll
known, he returned on his track, cirou maavigated
the leland and passed the winter Of 1852 in Mer
cy Bay, which = separated from Sir Edw ard Parry
fpithest point by not many miles Of ice or water.
We return to Captain Coliinson. The Enterp.izs
reached the east end Of Prince of Wales STRAIT on
30th of August, 1851, aud fonnd toe ice close
ly packed OIL the mouth of 1t that she was obliged
to return. Now, just about the same year the In.
vessigator YVES at the same spot, and the two ships
must all but have crossed each other. Such are the
difficulties Of Arctic research SO mere . matter OF
ch ante does it appear whether or no two ships