Graphic Daily Record of the Magnetic Declination or Variation of the Compass at Washington

Abstract

I BEG to call your attention to the enclosed reprint from the May Pilot Chart of curves of magnetic declination as recorded at the United States Naval Observatory at Washington. This reprint admits of reproduction more readily than the curves as shown on the Pilot Chart, being in black and white, and only reduced to two-fifths of true size (the reduction on the Pilot Chart itself being one-quarter). It will be interesting to this Office to elicit expressions of opinion relative to the advantages of the prompt publication of these curves. The experiment is to be tried for three months, but it is not likely to be continued longer unless certain decided advantages develop. It may be of sufficient interest to NATURE to republish these curves, and thus assist us in giving them wide publicity.