FOREWORD

The Georg von Neumayer anniversary symposium

Da v i d M. Do dd

Project Officer, Royal Society of Victoria, 9 Victoria Street, Melbourne, Victoria 3000, Australia

In commemorating the centenary of his death on chaired by former Society President, Dr John 24 May 1909, the Royal Society of Victoria was Zillman AO, with Professor Rod Home, pleased to join with the Australian Bureau of Me- Professor Patrick Quilty AM, Dr Richard Gillespie, teorology (BOM), the Australia Meteorological and Dr Mark Williams, Mr Brian Greig and Mr David Oceanographic Society (AMOS), and the German Dodd (Project Officer) as members. Dr Cornelia Meteorological Society (DMG), to conduct this spe- Lüdecke, German Society for Polar Research, and Dr cial anniversary scientific symposium in Melbourne, Herbert Fischer, German Meteorological Society, as- Australia during 27-30 May 2009, to celebrate the sisted as corresponding members. achievements and legacies of this outstanding 19th century scientist, Georg Balthasar von Neumayer. The Symposium The Society especially wished to pay tribute to Georg von Neumayer as its former Councillor, Vice President and Honorary Life Member and in doing The Symposium was conducted in the Society’s Hall so, was pleased to provide an opportunity for the during Thursday 28 and Friday 29 May 2009. On broader scientific community to learn about his re- Wednesday 27 May 2009, the Chairman, Dr John Zill- markable achievements during his years in Australia man, welcomed delegates to a reception held at the and Germany. Victorian Regional Office of the Bureau of Meteorol- Georg von Neumayer was one of the most re- ogy, Docklands. On Thursday morning, invited guests spected figures of 19th century Australian and Ger- and delegates were welcomed and addressed by the man science. Born Georg Balthasar Neumayer in President of the Royal Society of Victoria, Profes- the Palatinate in 1826, he first visited Australia from sor Graham Burrows AO. The President then invited 1852 to 1854 as a seaman on the Reiherstieg and dig- His Excellency, Professor David de Kretser AC, Gov- ger on the Victorian goldfields. After study back in ernor of Victoria, to formally open the Symposium. Germany, he returned to Melbourne in January 1857 Greetings were given by Her Excellency, the German and established the Flagstaff Observatory of which Consul General to Victoria, Dr Anne–Marie Schleich, he served as Director from 1858 to 1863. Returning the President of the German Weather Service (DMG), again to Germany in 1864 he later became the foun- Mr Wolfgang Kusch and the Director, Australian Bu- dation director of the German Hydrographic Service reau of Meteorology, Dr Greg Ayers. and was subsequently Chairman of the Commission The Symposium was divided into a series of ses- which organised the First International Polar Year sions reflecting Georg von Neumayer’s scientific life 1882–83. He was ennobled as von Neumayer by the and times including his early work in Australia and King of Bavaria and in 1899 was elected as a Foreign his middle and later years in Germany. Member of the Royal Society of London. He left a The Symposium Keynote Address; Neumayer, remarkable legacy of achievement in Australian and Humboldt and the Search for a Global Physics, was German magnetism, meteorology, navigation, ocea- delivered by Emeritus Professor Rod Home FAHA. nography and polar science. During the two day event, the following sessions The planning and the conduct of the Sympo- were held and scientific papers delivered: sium was arranged by an Organising Committee Session ‘Von Neumayer in Australia’, chaired by Dr John Long, Head Sciences, Museum Victoria,

vi THE GEORG VON NEUMAYER ANNIVERSARY SYMPOSIUM vii with papers by Professor Patrick Quilty AM, Univer- Throughout the Symposium, delegates were able sity of Tasmania Neumayer in Australia: His Scien- to view a special display of historical drawings and tific Legacy and Dr Richard Gillespie, Museum Vic- pictures relating to Professor Neumayer’s activities toria, Georg Neumayer and Melbourne Observatory: during his years in Victoria. Of interest was the dis- An Institutional Legacy. play of rare drawings and sketches made by the cel- Session ‘Von Neumayer in Germany’, chaired by ebrated Austrian artist Eugene von Guérard who ac- Professor Fred Smith AM, Monash University, with companied Professor Neumayer during his magnetic papers by Mr Wolfgang Kush, Director, German surveys of Victoria. Also of interest was the display Meteorological Service, Georg von Neumayer: His of an 80 kg piece of the famous ‘Cranbourne Mete- Influence on Marine Meteorology and the German orite’ first examined by Neumayer in 1862 (see Mr Meteorological Service, and Dr Cornelia Lüdecke, Morrison’s paper, Neumayer and Magnetism in Vic- German Meteorological Society and German Society toria). This piece of the meteorite (Cranbourne-13) for Polar Research, Von Neumayer’s Impact on Mete- was only recently discovered (2008) at the meteor orology in Germany. shower site south-east of Melbourne and is currently Session ‘Magnetism’, chaired by Professor held at Museum Victoria. Patrick Quilty AM, University of Tasmania, with pa- At the conclusion of the Symposium on Friday af- pers by Mr Douglas Morrison, Australian Society of ternoon, an historic satellite telephone call was made Exploration Geophysicists, Neumayer and Magnet- to the Neumayer Station III, Atka Bay, Antarctica and ism in Victoria 1858–1864, and Dr Charles Barton, delegates including Mr Kusch, President of the Ger- Australian National University, The von Neumayer man Meteorological Service and the German Consul Legacy in Geomagnetism. General for Victoria, Dr Anne-Marie Schleich, were Session ‘Meteorology’, chaired by Mr Kevin able to exchange greetings with the Station Leader, O’Loughlin, Director, Altius Coaching Group, with Dr Gerhard Weigand. A Symposium Dinner was held papers by Dr John Zillman AO, University of Mel- that evening and guests were welcomed by Dr John bourne; Von Neumayer and the Origins of Australian Zillman. Dr Neil Williams PSM, Chief Executive and International Meteorology and Dr Mark Wil- Officer, Geoscience Australia, gave the After Dinner liams, Australian Bureau of Meteorology, The von Address, Von Neumayer: a Century Too Soon. Toasts Neumayer Legacy in Australian Meteorology. in remembrance of Georg von Neumayer and to our Session ‘Oceanography’, chaired by Dr Tom visitors were made and an enjoyable evening was had Beer, President, International Union of Geodesy and by all. Geophysics, with papers by Mr. Detlev Machoczek, On Saturday 30th May, delegates visited the German Maritime and Hydrographic Agency (BSH) Public Records Office of Victoria, to view the Neu- Hamburg, Georg von Neumayer: Marine Sciences in mayer Scroll and various other historic documents. Service of Sea Trade, (read by Dr Lüdecke) and Dr This was followed by a visit to the former site of the Neville Smith, Deputy Director (Research and Sys- Flagstaff Observatory (1857–1863), the Melbourne tems), Australian Bureau of Meteorology, Australian Observatory site at the Royal Botanic Gardens and to Oceanography Today. Neumayer’s original house nearby in Domain Road, Session ‘Polar Science’, chaired by Lieut. Col. South Yarra. The party then visited the site of the Richard Lightfoot (Rtd.), Royal Society of Victoria, former Williamstown Observatory. with papers by Dr Reinhard Krause, Alfred Wegener On behalf of the President and Members of the Institute, Bremerhaven, Neumayer’s ambitions for Royal Society of Victoria, the Organising Commit- Polar Research and His Role in the Establishment tee wishes to thank the Speakers, the Session Chairs, of First IPY 1882–83, and Dr Ian Allison, Australian Delegates and all who contributed to the success of Antarctic Division and Antarctic Climate and Eco- this historic centenary Symposium held to honour the systems CRC, University of Tasmania, The State of life and times of Georg Balthasar von Neumayer. Polar Research after the International Polar Year This volume includes the Welcome Address deliv- 2007–2008. ered by the President of the Society at the Symposium Session ‘Reflection’, chaired by Dr John Zillman opening on 28 May and all the Symposium papers AO, University of Melbourne, with paper by Profes- submitted for publication. Pictorial highlights of the sor Jörn Thiede, University of Copenhagen, Georg Symposium, displays and visits are included in the von Neumayer and his Traces in Germany. Appendices.