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The Royal Society: Science in the Making

Extract, 'Of a memoire read in the Society of Arts on the 6th of July 1732 relating to a new construction of the magnetick needle with three circles' by unknown author

Reference number: CLP/9ii/30

Date: 1735

Description

Extract from the memoir read which had been presented at the Royal Academy of Sciences on 12 May 1732, and referred to Count Maurepas [Jean-Frédéric Phélypeaux] on 20 June, who requested that M de Court, Lieutenant General of the Marines examine it on his voyage to the Levant [Middle East]. This particular magnetic needle was invented by the Sieur Le Maire Engineer for the Mathematical Instrument. The extract includes a series of experiments performed with the new needle and a list of individuals who tried the compass experiment abroad.

Subject: Navigation / Magnetism

Read to the Royal Society on 4 March 1735.

Reference number
CLP/9ii/30
Earliest possible date
1735
Physical description
Ink on paper
Page extent
14 pages
Format
Manuscript

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Citation

Extract, 'Of a memoire read in the Society of Arts on the 6th of July 1732 relating to a new construction of the magnetick needle with three circles' by unknown author, 1735, CLP/9ii/30, The Royal Society Archives, London, https://makingscience.royalsociety.org/items/clp_9ii_30/extract-of-a-memoire-read-in-the-society-of-arts-on-the-6th-of-july-1732-relating-to-a-new-construction-of-the-magnetick-needle-with-three-circles-by-unknown-author, accessed on 12 December 2025

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  • Classified Papers

    The 'Classified Papers' of the Royal Society are papers from British and international natural philosophers and scholars categorised according to subject areas.

    Dates: 1592 - 1741

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