in Ceti 24 19 0 0 D in conj. with in Oph 1 sec. 6300 in conj. with v in Pisces moon 4 sec. 7600 in conj. with μ 8000 Stationary 8 14 0 0 (in conj with long. 29 25 0 0 0 Clock before the 2 min. in Aries, lat. 442 S. ŏ lat. 49 S. diff. of lat. 33 in conj. with y in Taurus in conj. with a in Taurus 28 400 0 Eclip. conj. or new moon 8 19 00 91 00 9 18 51 10 0 0 before the clock 1 min. 6 sec. 25 21 00 in conj. with d in Sagitt in conj. with in Taurus in conj. with long. 14 in Cap. (lat. 45 N. H, lat. 41 S. diff. lat. 1 26 28 20 00 in conj. with 2, tong 20 in Cap. lat. I N. 2, lat. 41 S. diff. of lat. in conj. with 8 in Cancer Clock before the 1 41 6 sec. 3 min. in conj. with λ in Aqua rius 30 13 00 in conj. with p in Aqua rius. J. LEWTHWAITE. The waxing moon D.-the waning moon ( METEOROLOGICAL JOURNAL, For April and May, 1831. The extreme cold of the night of the 6th or morning of the 7th, is worthy of particular remark. Since the year 1774, the period at which the Meteorological Journal was commenced, of which the above is a continuation, there is no instance therein recorded of the mercury in the thermometer having fallen to so low a degree; the month of January last was particularly cold, nevertheless the thermometer on the 6th or 7th inst. was 11,9 degrees below the mean height for the said month. The result of the effect produced upon vegetation, which has been so severely arrested in its progress, is extraordinary, and is in some cases attended with a considerable defalcation of fruit. Edmonton. Charles Henry Adams. Latitude, 51 deg. 37 min. 32 sec. N. THE London JOURNAL OF ARTS AND SCIENCES. No. XL. [SECOND SERIES.] Original Communications. VI. ON THE EMPLOYMENT OF MACHINERY. To the Editor of the London Journal of Arts. SIR, I once more obtrude upon your liberal indulgence, anxious to convince of their error, if possible, the discontented few, who, though ever most easy and careless in our prosperity, are always more ready to complain and find grievous fault in the hour of our adversity, rather than cheerfully put their shoulder to the wheel, and lend a valuable assistance, when danger demands from all, at least the service of an honourable example. A class of people this, who never discover any thing to be wrong until a summer's sun no longer shines upon them, and then like pettish wasps buz round, and sting the harmless flower, because bees have previously sucked the honey. VOL. VII.-SECOND SERIES. 2 B Ingratitude to a kind benefactor is at all times odious; but particularly so when exercised in return for former generosity, the author of which has been reduced to suffer under inability. Such a return for past favours is unworthy human nature, disgraceful, detestable, and base. Is machinery, the means by which thousands have amassed abundant wealth, the generous distributor to the wants of millions, upon the slightest reverse of fortune to be discarded as a mischievous production? As a willing and faithful servant it has ever been ready to obey our call; but because grown poor in our service, not from its own vices and excesses, but from the mismanagement of its masters, is it to be rejected, slandered, and suppressed? And because most able, even in its infirmity, to bear its share of the burdens of our country, are the weakness and misrule of half a century to be ungratefully heaped upon its exhausted frame? Already have its energies been sufficiently cramped by the paralyzing attacks, originating from repeated indiscretions on the part of those who ought to have been its greatest friends and warmest supporters: to wit, an expedient, judicious, liberal metallic currency has been applied as a safe and wholesome remedy to invigorate its weak and debilitated, not to say total, state of inaction. This is administering lowering drugs to the faint and starving sufferer. Treatment worthy of, and in perfect accordance with, the abortive ideas of those who now proudly fancy that their wisdom has suggested this correct and decisive conclusion, viz. that machinery is an unnatural production, and consequently adopt such an unnatural method of restoration. When we for a moment consider to what extent machinery has benefited-what an exhaustless resource it has ever proved in the hour of difficulty-the supposition of advantage to be derived from its destruction, which some have formed, and would wish to experiment, strikes us as most extraordinary. Is it not absurd to cut off this our only and last resource in a time of increasing difficulty? Return to hand labour. What will constitute the great advantage proposed to be reaped by such expensive delay in production? The buyer must give double the price for a scarce and inferior article, because the time and labour taken to produce it will be increased in that proportion. All must be aware that great difference exists between the returns of fixed and circulating capital employed in business. Where circulating capital preponderates, its proceeds must either be sold for a price considerably more than the proceeds from a fixed capital of equal total amount, or else it must be much oftener reproduced with the addition of profit. For instance, if A. should employ 1507. fixed capital, and 50%. circulating capital, with profits at ten per cent. his proceeds from that capital must sell for 791. 8s. If B. employs 150l. circulating capital, and but 50%. as fixed capital, with the same rate of profits, his proceeds must realize the sum of 1731. 2s. 7d. All money expended in wages comes under the denomination of circulating capital, whereas that vested in machinery is rightly considered as fixed capital, and applies more strictly according to the durability of the machine. If hand labour be chiefly used, the circulating capital must preponderate; therefore the rent of the manufactory, and the capital to manufacture with, must be more frequently reproduced to enable the manufacturer to preserve his original amount. Take away his machinery, the means of quick production, and it is evident that his capital must waste from a very insufficient reproduction. It may be said, let him employ more |