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

Copy of letter, from Sir John Herschel to Edward Sabine, dated at Collingwood

Reference number: HS/22/85

Date: 27 April 1841

Description

Copy of letter, copied as part of the correspondence project led by Colonel John Herschel FRS following the death of his father. Provides examples to justify governmental support of various magnetic and meteorological observations. States that 'Terrestrial magnetism ... of all sciences of observation holds out the greatest present prospect of decisive reduction under ... exact theory.' Mentions work by N. L. Lacaille and Thomas Maclear at the Cape.

Reference number
HS/22/85
Earliest possible date
27 April 1841
Page extent
5 pages
Format
Manuscript
Also available on Epsilon
View Also available on Epsilon (external link, opens in new tab)

Creator name

John Frederick William Herschel

View page for John Frederick William Herschel

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

John Frederick William Herschel, Copy of letter, from Sir John Herschel to Edward Sabine, dated at Collingwood, 27 April 1841, HS/22/85, The Royal Society Archives, London, https://makingscience.royalsociety.org/items/hs_22_85/copy-of-letter-from-sir-john-herschel-to-edward-sabine-dated-at-collingwood, accessed on 25 April 2025

Link to this record

https://makingscience.royalsociety.org/items/hs_22_85/copy-of-letter-from-sir-john-herschel-to-edward-sabine-dated-at-collingwood

Embed this record

<iframe src="https://makingscience.royalsociety.org/embed/items/hs_22_85/copy-of-letter-from-sir-john-herschel-to-edward-sabine-dated-at-collingwood" title="Copy of letter, from Sir John Herschel to Edward Sabine, dated at Collingwood" allow="fullscreen" frameborder="0" width="100%" height="500px"></iframe>

Hierarchy

This item is part of:

Related Fellows

Map

Explore the collection

  • Herschel Letters

    This collection of nearly 10,900 letters, drafts, copies and notes is the largest repository of scientific correspondence from and to Sir John Herschel, leading figure of Victorian science.

    Dates: 1807 - 1875

    View collection