Replies to Minor Queries.
Ancient Timber Town-halls.—Since my account of ancient town-halls (Vol. v., p. 470.) was written, one of these fabrics of the olden time noticed therein has ceased to exist, that of Kington, co. Hereford, it having been taken down early in November last, but for what reason I have not learned. Another, formerly standing in the small town of Church Stretton, in the co. of Salop, which was erected upon wooden pillars, and constructed entirely of timber, must have been a truly picturesque building, was taken down in September, 1840. A woodcut of the latter is now before me. Of the old market-house at Leominster I possess a very beautiful original drawing, done by Mr. Carter upwards of half a century ago.
J. B. Whitborne.
Magnetic Intensity (Vol. vi., p. 578.).—The magnetic intensity is greatest at the poles; the ratio may roughly be said to be 1.3, but more accurately 1 to 2.906. This is found by observation of the oscillations of a vertical or horizontal needle. A needle which made 245 oscillations in ten minutes at Paris, made only 211 at 7° 1′ south lat. in Peru. The intensity and variations to which it is subject is strictly noted at all the magnetic observatories, and I believe the disturbances of intensity which sometimes occur have been found to be simultaneous by a comparison of observations at different latitudes.
For the fullest information on magnetic intensity, Adsum is referred to Sabine's Report on
Magnetic Intensity, also Sabine's Contributions to Terrestrial Magnetism, 1843, No. V.
T. B.
Monument at Wadstena (Vol. vi., pp. 388. 518.).—I have received the following (which I translate) from my friend in Denmark, whom I mentioned in my last communication on this monument:
"It is only about a month since I saw Queen Philippa's tombstone in the church of Vadstena Monastery. It is a very large stone, on which the device and inscription are cut in outline, but there is no brass about it. King Erik Menved's and Queen Ingeberg's monument in Ringsted Church is the finest brass I ever saw, and I have seen many."
There is a good engraving of the brass alluded to, which is a very rich one, in Antiquariske Annaler, vol. iii.: Copenhagen, 1820. The inscriptions are curious, and the date 1319.