The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-05-12
Annular Eclipse or the San OF 18th June,
IsO6 and goth NIaY. ISL.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE NEW YORK HERALD.

Annulnr Eclipse OF the San OF 18th June,
1906, and Goth May, Is54.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE NEW YORK HERALD
sIR-As the accompanying remarks on the annuar
eclipse Of the sun on the 10th June, 1905 which we're
prepared to be read before the American Association for
the Advancement of Science did not reach Washington
in time to be acted upon before its adjournment on We'd
nesday the third Instant and another annular eclipse
of the sun, of Goth May is at hand, have
deemed expedent to make these remarks and sugges
tons public through your paper in order that attention
may be drawn to the extraordinary fact that the magne
tic needle which had progressed annually from the vest
towards the north at the rate Of tire minutes of de-
gree for than hundred years prior to the an
nular eclipse Of the OF 10th june 1906 did within
week from that date recede from the north towards
the west forty five minutes of degree which Is equal
TO the whole distance had advanced from the west to-
wards the north in the fifteen wears precedinp that
eclipse That for at least six or eight after that
eclipse the needle remained stationary and that between
the 1917 and 1925 II receded still further from the
north towards the west al the rate of minutes OF
degree per annum with the reasonable expectation that
persons who can command the OF good surveyors
compass win be pleased to follow the suggestions
tanned in these remarks as to the establishing Of true
meridian and taking the thereof that they will
ut least take the between some two fixed points
daily for at least week before, and week after,
the eclipse of Goth May instant being careful to place
the compass where II viii not be affected by local atrac
ton ascertain whether change, and, II any,
the amount and the direction OF the change which may
then take place in the magne tic needle.
Very respectfully JOHN RANDEI, Jr.
New York May 10, 1864
To TIE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT or
SCIENCE
Remarks the annuar eclipse Of the sun OF 10th of
June 1906 and the variation OF the magnetic needle as
observed at Albany in the State Of New York BY John
Rndel Jr now of the city of New York civil engineer
and member OF the American Association for the Advance
ment Of Science
present at the Smithsonian Institution on satur.
day 18th April when Prof Alexander, of Princeton
made suggestions relative to the observation of the
nulnr eclipse of the of May 90 1854" and rs no
suggestion was then made $50 far as recolle:t as
to the eSpedency of noticing whether the mag
netic needle would in any way be affected thereby am
induced to submit for the consideration of the associa
ton the following statement of facts in relation the
variation Of the needle which took place at the city of
Abany, within two weeks viz. week prior aud sub
sequent TO the annular eclipse of the SUM- 10th June
1900, and subsequent thereto.
While student OF engineering in the Office of the late
Simeon De Witt of Albany Surveyor General Of the State
OF New York, | was employed by Chancellor Lansing
OF that CITY, to survey and lay out into streets and city
lots piece of ground Of about forty acres in the lower
part Of that CITY, which, at that tme was than a
fourth Of mile from any builiing, other local at
traction
About week before the annular eclipse of the SUM-
lth June, 1906, surveyed that piece Of ground taking
the and length Of lines along IFS outer bouni
with great care, ind made map Of the same with the
plan for streets and lots TO be subsequently laid out
the ground AS at this time requested by General
De Witt 10 aid in making preparations for observing this
eclipse and after its occurrence to make duplicate cal
culatons Of the results derived therefrom did
sumo my survey until about week after the eclipse
when was surprised to find that the of every
of those lines taken by me- only two weeks previous
thereto, dlored 40 minutes that
netc needle had receded from the north towards the
that distance; whereas its previous annual variation
from tie earliest settlement of country had been
taken nj only three minutes OF degree, and that too
in contrary direction viz from the west towards the
north.
Upon the discovery of this strange occurrence sopped
my work AID returned TO the Surveyor General whom
] communicated this fact. We Immediately examined
the compass used by me in this survey Gt was one of
David Ettenhouse's best make and had been used by
General De Witt in the Revolution, whilst geographer
under General Washington and found the nonius or
,ernier screwed firmly to its proper place. the centre pin
was well pointed the cap of the needle was clean and
the needle traversed freely usual and settled to its
state of rest by vibrations of regularly decreasing dis
tances and all its parts were in perfect working order
and repair.
While wondering what could have caused the
needle thus to have recedsd this great distance from the
north towards the west in short time, and contrary
to its former direction General lie Witt ventured sug
the suns passing the MOON and carrying some
OF It's particles to our atmosphere.
have not now any distinct recollection of either Gen.
De Witt or myself having made any special observations
TO verify this variation Of the needle until the year 1907
But in September of that year exnned the course of
several lines OF streets in the city of Albany well the
General De Witt had surveyed established in the
Western Turnpike Road-runnng from Albany to Cherry
Valley and Coopersown--as well the Albany and
Schenectady Turnpike Road both OF which had been sur
Neyed 10y myself in 1900 and found in every instance
that by making the usual allowance of three minutes
degree for the annual variation Of the needle from the
towards the north from the date OF such surveys
up 10 the time of this eclipse of 1906 II would give
the same result, within very small fraction thereof
viz leaving As minutes OF degree for the receling of
the needle from The north towards the west which to
my mind verified the variation noticed by in the sur
yey Of Chancellor Lansing's Albany property.
in the autumn OF each year. for period OF six
eight years after this eclipse of 1906 jointly
mined the variation Of tho needle and It appeared
to remain about staonary-that is to remain at about
the same distance west Of north that it in 1907
and after the eclipse OF 1906.
In October, 1877 assisted General De Witt in esab-
fishing meridian line across the public in the
city Of Albany (the particulars of which contained
in the second part OF the 4th voame of the Transactions
of the Society for the Promotion of the Useful Arts
the needle was then found to point. deg Al min.
TO the west Of north An observation
made the LIST OF August, 1915, showed it
and on the 9th April 1926, between
o and 10 O'Clock a. NJ, it was exactly. 90 "
all Of which showed that there had BEEN from 1917 to
1925, retrograde motion OF the needle Of about two
minutes year.
About the winter of 1907 General he Witt communi-
Gated to the Legislature OF the State OF New York the
fact that sudden change lad taken place in the direc
ton of the magnetic needle; and that large portion
OF the lands belonging to the State well others,
had been laid out by the compass and that ncalcuable
mischief might ensus II the annual amount Of such
variation could not be correctly ascertaine he recon-
mended that the steps should be taken in the
different counties TO establish true merdians, and to
observe and record annually the course thereof, &c.
The Legislature authorized the Surveyor General to
have this done but making appropriation TO meet the
expense thereof he could only issue circulars to his
deputies and to some other surveyors in different parts
of the State instrucng them to the best mode OF
tablishing meridian no and requesting them to exa
mine and take the course OF it. and Of other weestab
lshed lines previously surveyed by themselves and by
others in WHOM they had confidence and to furnish his
office with the results.
This service performed by several Of his deputies
among whom ] recollsct the names of Judge Stephen
Thorn of Essex county and George Webster, Esq, OF
near lake George, Judge Amin OF near Cayuga Lake
Charles {. Brodhead, ESQ. OF Utica and William Cock
burn, Of near Catski (a Of whom are now deceased)
and some others. The results Of Their observations
went to confirm tho~e made by General De Witt and my
SELF and especially of my made within one week
Of the annular eclipse Of the of 10th June 1900 when