LXVII. Some occasional Observations on the Structure, the Melting, and the Crystallization of Ice, made in Siberia. By A. ERMAN, Prof. Univ. Berol.2 | To John Tyndall, Esq., F.R.S.
DEAR SIR,
YOUR important experiments and observations on the physical properties of ice, of which I have read the report in the Philosophical Magazine, No. 108,3 remind me of some remarks on the same subject which occurred to me during my travels in Siberia.4 It seems that at present these remarks may become useful; for some of them agree perfectly with the results which you have already obtained, and therefore confirm them, and some others, like all phaenomena that are still waiting for an explanation, may be an inducement to new experiments. I think, therefore, that either yourself in the second part of your researches, or other observers who may participate in them, would like to take notice of my observations. If you are of this opinion, I should wish the description of what I have given to become known to English philosophers, by your publishing it in the Philosophical Magazine. I have endeavoured to have these observations quite verbally translated from the German volumes, entitled Reise um die Erde, u.s.w.,5 which I published in the years 1835 to 1849; and I hope you will convince yourself of this agreement by comparing these with the passages quoted from the German work. I may add that my translation of many of the passages in question agrees fully with that of Mr. W. D. Cooley,6 in his somewhat abridged English edition of part of my book entitled “Travels in Siberia”, &c., by A. Erman: London, 1848.7 The remainder of the annexed remarks, however, will be found in full accordance with the German only, whereas some particulars have been omitted in the English abridgement, perhaps as not being of interest to the public in general. I have nevertheless quoted at each of these passages the pages of the English, as well as of the German edition, when the phaenomena in question are either merely alluded to, or fully described.
Believe me, dear Sir, to be with the sincerest regard, | Your obedient Servant, | A. ERMAN.
Berlin, 122 Friedrichstrasse, | April 23, 1859.
A.Erman, ‘LXVII. Some occasional Observations on the Structure, the Melting, and the Crystallization of Ice, made in Siberia’, Phil. Mag., 17 (1859), p. 405.
From George Adolf Erman: George Adolf Erman (1806–77) was a German physicist and explorer.
LXVII. Some occasional Observations on the Structure, the Melting, and the Crystallization of Ice, made in Siberia. By A. ERMAN, Prof. Univ. Berol:. Erman’s letter was published as part of the article ‘LXVII. Some occasional Observations on the Structure, the Melting, and the Crystallization of Ice, made in Siberia’, Phil. Mag., 17 (1859), pp. 405–13, p. 405.
the report in the Philosophical Magazine, No. 108: Likely refers to Tyndall’s paper ‘Remarks on Ice and Glaciers’, Phil. Mag., 17 (1859), pp. 91–6.
during my travels in Siberia: Erman travelled through Siberia and North Asia in 1828, 1829, and 1830.
Reise um die Erde, u.s.w., which I published in the years 1835 to 1849: Erman’s book, Reise um die Erde durch Nord-Asien und die beiden Oceane in den Jahren 1828, 1829 und 1830 ausgeführt, first appeared in 1833.
Mr. W. D. Cooley: the geographer William Desborough Cooley (1795?–1883). Cooley was part of the early formation of the Hakluyt Society and edited several of the society’s publications (ODNB).
his somewhat abridged English edition of part of my book entitled “Travels in Siberia”, &c., by A. Erman: London, 1848: It was published in English in 1848, as Travels in Siberia: including excursions northwards, down the Obi, to the Polar Circle, and southwards to the Chinese frontier.
Please cite as “Tyndall1613,” in Ɛpsilon: The John Tyndall Collection accessed on