At a later date Evans devoted much attention to terrestrial magnetism . He compiled the magnetical instructions for the observers on board in 1872 , and delivered a lecture on the ‘ Magnetism of the Earth ’ to the Royal Geographical Society in 1878 . Evans was commissioned a staff-commander in 1863 , staff-captain in 1867 , and full captain in 1872 . In 1865 he was appointed chief naval assistant to the then hydrographer to the admiralty , Captain George Henry Richards , whom he succeeded in 1874 . He was invested as a Companion of the Order of the Bath , and promoted to Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath . He was vice-president of the Royal Geographical Society from 1879 to 1881 , and president of the geographical section of the British Association in 1876 . In 1881 he contributed a paper to the latter body on ‘ Oceanic or Maritime Discovery from 1831 to 1881 . ’ After resigning the post of hydrographer in 1884 , Evans was appointed one of the British delegates to the International Meridian Conference held at Washington , D.C. in 1885 , to fix a prime meridian and universal day
International Meridian Conference
International Meridian Conference
Frederick John Owen Evans