The Providence Journal, And Town And Country Advertiser

We understand that a third edition of the Magnetic Atlas, with important improvements, is soon to be published. It seems this new work is much simplified, and intended to show by inspection, at a single view, the magnetic variation in different parts of the world, at the commencement of the new century, so necessary to be known and allowed for by navigator and land surveyor; demonstrated on the same plan of the former edition with the addition of curve lines drawn through different places where the variation is the same, thereby avoiding the trouble and difficulty of measuring angles. To render this edition as perfect as possible Mr. Churchman, the author, has been engaged making observations of the variation in different places on our coast. And recent experiments prove the possibility of making observations with more accuracy than was apprehended, even by some eminent navigators. The following shews the attention this subject has met with in France:

Bureau, for the encouragement of the Sciences in Paris, the 26th Frimaire, and 4th of the Republic.

The Minister of the Interior to Citizen John Churchman, of America.

Citizen,

There has been sent me by the Executive Directory a memoire, in which you announce that you presented to the National Convention, near the close of their last session, a work written in the English language, on your method of finding the longitude at sea, by the variation of the magnetic needle, and the knowledge of the magnetic points, and you demand a nautical expedition to prove that discovery.

This object is without doubt of sufficient importance to merit the attention of government, and I had already decided that your work should be submitted to the examination of the Institute National, whom it particularly concerns, when an arrettee arrived from the Directory confirming the same decision. I enclose you a copy of the arrettee, which I shall at the same time transmit to the Institute National, where you are requested to send your work.