Magnetic north was an elusive creature, perhaps because it was, and still is, constantly on the move. In 1828 these men set out to find magnetic north. They only just missed out because three years later it was discovered by another naval man, James Clark Ross.
“Northern Scientific Expedition.–Towards the end of this month (April) Professor Hanstein will set out on his journey to Siberia. He will be accompanied by Lieutenant Due, of the navy ; and at St. Petersburgh they will meet Dr. Erman, from Berlin, who will go with them as naturalist and astronomer. They will proceed from St. Petersburgh to Moscow, Kasan, and Tobolsk, and northwards along the Obi to Beresow, in order to examine the hitherto imperfectly known northernmost branch of the Ural chain, and to observe the temperature of that tract. They will afterwards go from Tobolsk, by way of Tara, Tomsk, Krasnoiarsk, and Nischmei-Udinsk, to Irkoutsk, where they hope to arrive in time to pass the winter. Hence they mean to travel north-east to Jakoutsk, from which the most fatiguing part of the journey will be to Ochotsk, as there are 1014 wersts (676 miles) to go over, in a country entirely uninhabited, in which they must pass perhaps a thousand streams, bivouac in the night, and take provisions for the whole journey. It is calculated that the tour may occupy two years. The grand object of this important expedition is to observe the phenomena of magnetism, and to ascertain, if possible, the situation of the magnetic poles, &c,–Literary Gazette.”
The Stamford Mercury, 9th May, 1828.