Skip to content

Please be aware that some material may contain words, descriptions or illustrations which will not reflect current scientific understanding and may be considered in today's context inaccurate, unethical, offensive or distressing.

The Royal Society: Science in the Making

Unpublished letter, on the variation of the magnetic needle from John Jas [James] Rorie to [John Frederick William] Herschel

Reference number: AP/12/21

Date: 1820s

Description

Rorie reports on his observations of magnetic variation in the west and east, providing data relating to latitudes and variations from his own observations. He then posits about the reasons for the variation, and provides a list of further stations where observations of variation should be made.

Subject: Geodesy

Written by Rorie at No. 12 College Street, Southampton [Hampshire, England].

Reference number
AP/12/21
Earliest possible date
1820s
Physical description
Ink on paper
Page extent
6 pages
Format
Manuscript

Use this record

IIIF manifest

View​ IIIF ​ manifest Opens in new tab

Open in Mirador viewer Opens in new tab

Export this record

Download PDF Opens in new tab

Citation

Unpublished letter, on the variation of the magnetic needle from John Jas [James] Rorie to [John Frederick William] Herschel, 1820s, AP/12/21, The Royal Society Archives, London, https://makingscience.royalsociety.org/items/ap_12_21/unpublished-letter-on-the-variation-of-the-magnetic-needle-from-john-jas-james-rorie-to-john-frederick-william-herschel, accessed on 24 March 2025

Link to this record

https://makingscience.royalsociety.org/items/ap_12_21/unpublished-letter-on-the-variation-of-the-magnetic-needle-from-john-jas-james-rorie-to-john-frederick-william-herschel

Embed this record

<iframe src="https://makingscience.royalsociety.org/embed/items/ap_12_21/unpublished-letter-on-the-variation-of-the-magnetic-needle-from-john-jas-james-rorie-to-john-frederick-william-herschel" title="Unpublished letter, on the variation of the magnetic needle from John Jas [James] Rorie to [John Frederick William] Herschel" allow="fullscreen" frameborder="0" width="100%" height="500px"></iframe>

Hierarchy

This item is part of:

Related Fellows

Explore the collection

  • Archived Papers

    The 'Archived Papers' collection is comprised of original manuscript scientific papers and letters submitted to the Royal Society which remained unpublished or were abstracted in the journal 'Proceedings of the Royal Society' published from 1830 onwards.

    Dates: 1768 - 1989

    View collection