Sydney Chapman and his early studies of magnetic disturbances

Sydney Chapman's 1918 and 1927 papers on magnetic storms and disturbances of lesser intensity and the background in which these papers were prepared are described from a historical point of view. In spite of the greatly limited availability of observations, the average characteristics of the magnetic variations during these disturbances derived by Chapman are remarkably accurate. An attempt is made to portray Chapman's rigorous and conscientious method of data analysis.