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were trained in each of the preceding methods; but proper objects were placed in different situations near them, with which their tendrils might come into contac.; and I was by these means afforded an opportunity of observing with accuracy the difference between the motions of these and those of the ampelopsis, under similar circumstances. The latter almost immediately receded from light, by whatever means that was made to operate upon them; and they did not subsequently show any disposition to approach the points from which they once receded. The tendrils of the vine, on the contrary, varied their positions in every period of the day, and after returned again during the night to the situations they had occupied in the preceding mormug; and they did not so immediately, or so regularly, bend towards the shade of contig kous objects. But, as the tendrils of this plant, like those of the ampelopsis, spring alternately from each side of the stem, and as one point only in three is without a tendril, and as each tendril separates into two divisions, they do not often fail to come into contact with any object within their reach; and the effects of contact upon the tendril are almost immediately visible. It is made to bend towards the body it touches, and, if that body be slender, to attach itself firmly by twining round it, in obedience to causes which I shall endeavour to point out.

The tendril of the vine, in its internal organization, is apparently similar to the young succulent shoot, and leaf-stalk, of the same plant; and it is as abundantly provided with vessels, or passages, for the sap; and I have proved that it is alike capable of feeding a succulent shoot, or a leat, when graited upon it. It appears therefore, I conceive, not improbable, that a considerable quantity of the moving Buid of the plant passes through its tendrils; and that theic is a close connection between its vascular structure and its

motions.

I have proved in the Philosophical Transactions of 1806, that centrifugal force, by operating upon the elongating plumales of germinating seeds, occasions an increased growth and extension upon the external sides of the young stems, and that gravitation produces corespondent effects; probably by occasioning the presence of a larger portion of the fluid organizable matter of the plant upon the one side than upon the other. The external

pressure of any body upon one side of a tendril will probably drive this fluid from one side of the tendril, which will consequently contract to the opposite side, which will expand; and the tendril will thence be compelled to bend round a slender bar of wood or metal, just as the stems of germinating seeds are made to bend upwards, and to raise the cotyledons out of the ground; and in support of this conclusion I shall observe, that the sides of the tendrils, where in contact with the substance they embraced, were com pressed and flattened.

The actions of the tendrils of the pea were so perfectly similar to those of the vine, when they came into contact with any body, that I need not trouble you with the observations I made upon that plant. An increased extension of the cellular substance of the bark upon one side of the tendrils, and a correspondent contraction upon the opposite side, occa sioned by the operation of light, or the partial pressure of a body in contact, appeared, in every case which has come un der my observation, the obvious cause of the motions of tendrils; and therefore, in conformity with the conclusions I drew in my last memoir, respecting the growth of roots, I shall venture to infer, that they are the result of pure necessity only, upinfluenced by any degrees of sensation or intellectual power.

AFRICAN INSTITUTION. Report of the Commissioners of African Inquiry relative to the present State of the Coast of Africa and of the Slave Trade.

The Slave Trade is at present carried on to a vast extent; and as the continuas tion or suppression of this inhuman traffic appears to be the great hinge on which the future welfare of Africa turns, we shall begin with stating its present condi tion, and the obstacles which prevent, and probably will long prevent, its being put an end to.

This trade having been carried on prin cipally by the English before the aboli tion took place, a vast diminution of the usual number of ships thus employed namediately followed the passing of the laws for that purpose; and, as America had passed some severe laws to the same effect, it was reasonably hoped, both in England and Africa, that a mortal blow had been struck against this traffic, as the only two great maritime people who could effectually carry it on, had now, accor●

ding to all appearance, willingly abandoned it.

The natives themselves began to enter tain the same opinion; the slaves which were brought down from the interior remained unsold, and were either sent back to the interior, or gradually dispersed as domestic slaves. As far as our inquiries have been able to discover, none of them were murdered in this part of Africa.

A cessation of the trade did indeed take place for several months; but this space was much too short to afford any criterion whereby to judge of the future indolence or exertions of the Africans, in the event of the Slave Trade being effectually done away.

The great advantages to be derived from occupying the openings thus left on the coast of Africa, by the retreat of the English, were soon perceived by the Americans, particularly those of the Southern States, who, setting the laws of their country at defiance, have boldly engaged to an immense extent in this trade, covering their vessels by a fictitious sale at the Havannah, Teneriffe, or any other of the Spanish colonies, where they are easily furnished with false papers. Lately this scheme has been extended, in a small degree, to Madeira and the Azores: the paltry island of St. Bartholomew also prostitutes the Swedish flag to similar purposes.

But the Spanish flag is generally preferred, and covers not only Americans, but also (there is great reason to believe) a considerable number of vessels actually British property. The American master and crew generally continue on board after the nominal transfer, and two foreigners, under the denomination of captain and supercargo, are added to the ship. It frequently happens this nominal captain is some poor lad who has never been at sea before, but whose services to carry the papers can be had cheap.

The object of these Spanish Americans is to fill Cuba, Florida, Louisiana, and the southern deserts of North America, with slaves; an extent of evil, compared with which the former supply of our West-India settlements, sinks into a trifle: a vast field is also opening to them in South America, which will not be neglected. A letter (taken in one of the vessels lately condemned at Sierra Leone) from a principal merchant at Buenos Ayres, to his correspondent at Philadelphia, expresses his astonishment MONTHLY MAC. No. 235,

at the supineness of the Americans in not carrying thither cargoes of slaves, seeing how much they are wanted

By the autumn of 1809 the coast of Africa swarmed with vessels thus equip. ped and documented; and it was not until the arrival of a small squadron of his majesty's vessels early in the next year, that any interruption could be given to their proceedings.

Even then many doubts arose as to the legality of their detention; but, the officer commanding the squadron being resolved to put the business to the test, several of them were seized and condemned in the court of Vice-admiralty at Sierra Leone; since which, the decision of the Privy Council, in the case of the Amedie, (de livered by Sir William Grant,) seems to leave little doubt as to the legality of these sentences.

Most of these captures have been made on the coast and rivers adjacent to Sierra Leone; it being judged to be an object of primary importance to remove (if possible) such an obstacle to improvement from the neighbourhood of that settlement.

Some of these vessels had not yet received their slaves on board; but their capture had nevertheless deprived the slave-dealers of the means of carrying off about 2,800 Africans; and out of other captures 471 men, 196 women, and 421 children, have been released from slavery. A considerable number of the nearest and dearest kindred, husbands and wives, parents and children, brothers and sisters, who had been kidnapped or stolen at various times, and put on board different vessels, have been thus unexpectedly restored to each other at Sierra Leone; and whenever any of them have desired to return to their own country, and such return has been deemed practicable, they have been allowed to do so; being first provided with a paper under the hand and seal of the governor, certifying that they are to be considered as his people and under his protection, which is looked upon, according to the customs and law of Africa, to be a sufficient security against further molestation.

All the people thus returning home, must naturally be more than ever the enemies of slavery, as they cannot fail, in the last four eventful months of suffer ing and liberation, to have acquired some new ideas of freedom, which will of course be gradually diffused amongst their friends; and seeing that all white

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men are not their enemies, but that one European nation considers the Slave Trade as unlawful, and is determined, if possible, to put an end to it, the natives inay by degrees feel some encouragement to liberate themselves from this horrible thraldom.

The right of making slaves seems formerly to have been confined to the kings or chiefs; but on the west coast of Africa, where power is so diffused that it is difficult to say with whom any tolerable share rests, the constant practice at present is, for the people in general to kidnap each other, wherever one party is personally stronger than the other, and has connections sufficiently numerous to secure his victim.

The interruption and annoyance which the Slave Trade has lately met with between Goree and Sierra Leone, has given it a considerable blow. As long as it is carried on by vessels liable to seizure (such as the Spanish Americans), the coast from the latter place to the River Nunez, would be nearly free from this evil, were it not for the Portuguese settlement of Bissao, which, instead of furnishing, as formerly, a small number of slaves annually to Brazil, is now becoming the emporium of the Slave-trade in this part of Africa. There the ships lie secure from seizure, and thither the slaves are safely conveyed, along the shore in canoes and small craft, from the Scarcies, Pongas, Nunez, and other rivers in this neighbourhood. No good remedy seems applicable to this evil, but the direct interference of the Portuguese government.

But the great scene of the Slave-trade is on the coast of Whydah, the Bight of Benin, Gaboon, and the Portuguese set tlements in Congo and Angola. We have no means here of ascertaining the extent to which it is carried on: but, according to the general opinion of the best informed Spaniards and Portuguese, who have been brought into this port, the annual importation was (in the beginning of 1810) considered, at a moderate computation, to be 40,000 for Brazil, 40,000 for the Havannah and Cuba. The Portuguese part of this trade is carried on almost entirely in ships and vessels ac tually Portuguese. Some British merchants are supposed to be the real owners of a few; and the Americans of a few more. Very few real Spanish ships are employed; the great mass of vessels un der the Spanish flag on the coast of

Africa, are actually Americans; several are supposed to belong to British mer chants.

The slave-vessels which are by far the most numerous, and of course must ob vious to the examination of our cruizers, are Americans, commonly under Spanish, but in some few instances under other false, colours. The decision of the Privy Council, on a case of appeal, has deter. mined that vessels so circumstanced, are liable to confiscation. But the difficulty of producing the necessary proofs, ren ders their detention generally hazardous; and the increasing experience of those traders rendering detection more and more difficult every day, nothing is to be expected from our cruizers in any degree commensurate to the extent of the evil.

But allowing that no vessel be per mitted to pass which is liable to good ground of suspicion, still, it is to be feared, that without some great restric tion by Spain and her colonies, and some further limitation on the part of Por tugal, no effectual means are in the power of Great Britain to stop such an extensive and lucrative trade. It is also extremely difficult even to catch the ves sels which are supposed contraband most of them sail extremely well, are perfectly on their guard, and have the advantage of directing their voyage to too many distant ports across the At lantic, to allow of any important molestation from our cruizers.

The cruizers, at present on this station, have lately made four distinct sweeps along the coast down to Prince's Island. Out of many slave-ships which were boarded, only one has been caught under circumstances which would admit her being brought up for adjudication.

Upon a careful review of the whole case, it would seem that the following conclusions may fairly be drawn:

That we have not sufficient means to prevent the Slave-trade in general from being carried on; but, if instead of op posing it generally, we confine ourselves for the present to some one branch of it, there is a great probability of our success there, and of a constant gradual exterision of that success at a more remote period.

No difficulty can occur in choosing the particular part to which we should con fine our exertions. The leeward coast, all that part which is generally called the Bight of Benin, is too unhealthy to adinit much cruizing, or the formation of a new establishment

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establishment on some of the islands, if
Portugal would cede one of them for
that purpose. As to the Gold Coast,
we have already as many forts as can be
desired there; but little benefit is to be

expected from their co-operation in the extinction of the Slave-trade, as they do not possess authority or influence enough to prevent its being carried on, even under their guns.

PATENTS LATELY ENROLLED.

Communications of Specifications and Accounts of New Patents, are earnestly solicited, and will always command early Notice.

MR. ROBERT BILL'S, (RATHBONE PLACE,)
for an Apparatus to facilitate the Ope
ration of Washing Clothes, and other
Processes necessary in Family and other
Establishments.

THIS

HIS invention includes a boiler of a quadrangular form, made of sheet iron, or other metal, of any required size; say from twenty-four to fifty inches in length; from twenty to twenty-four inches wide, and about eight inches deep. Round the exterior edge is soldered a water groove, about two inches deep. A cock is inserted to draw off the water when wanted, and a feeder-vessel is attached, which communicates with this vessel within an inch of the bottom. This vessel is cased on the outside within a tin covering, leaving an interstice of an inch between the case and the boiler. A steaming vessel must then be adapted to the boiler, which may be of copper, and about ten inches deep. The bottom of the steamer rests on the top of the boiler, and a projecting piece fits into the water-groove of the boiler, so that, when the groove is filled with water, no steam can escape but through certain openings in the bottom of the steamer-vessel. The steamer is divided into compartments, in order that the covers may not be too heavy or cumbersome, but each of the divisions communicates with the others. The plates which form the divisions not being closed at bottom, the top edges of this vessel, and each divi sion, are furnished with water-grooves, so that the rims of the covers may rest in the grooves filled with water, and prevent the escape of the steam. Double covers are fitted to these divisions, the interior of which is metal, soldered to rims, which project sufficiently to rest on the bottoms of the water-grooves. These rins receive the exterior upper covering, leaving, as in the boiler, a space from the sides of the interior vessel of about one inch. This space, both in the boiler and steamer, is filled with cotton, or some non-conducting substance, to prevent

the escape of heat. To the end of the steamer is attached a metallic box, three or four inches deep, twelve or fourteen inches long, and six inches wide. On the top, holes are made to receive saucepans fitted tight in them. An opening, of about an inch, is made from the steamer to this box, for the steam to pass into it, and another opening at the other end of the box for the steam to pass away; to which is fixed a metal tube to conduct the steam wherever desired. Proper vessels, fit for holding the object intended to be operated upon by the steam, must be placed in the steaming vessels; whether that object be to cook meat, or aid in the operation of washing clothes, the end will be answered. For washing, let the clothes, not made of animal matter, be well soaked in a strong lixivium of alkali; or well soaped, if ani mal, and laid in the vessels supported above the entrance steam-tubes, wooden racks; let the steam operate upon them, the longer the better; and it will be found on taking them out and rincing them in water, that, on their being operated upon by hand in the usual way of washing, at least half the labour will answer the purpose of cleaning clothes.

on

For a roasting apparatus, the patentee provides a cast-iron box, open on one side. A box twelve inches by nine, and thirteen inches deep, with sides projecting three or four inches from the open part, is large enough for the largest boiler. This box has a grate fixed in it, at six or seven inches from the top: a cast-iron plate is fitted upon it, with an opening, so that the top edge of the box. just passes through the plate. A flange, cast round three sides of the box, receives it. A cast metal the plate to rest upon front is provided with one opening, about an inch wider than the box; and another, wide enough to introduce whatever may require to be placed in the roaster: the ends and back may be made of bricks. The plate, through which the SY 2

fire

fre-boxes pass, covers the whole of this chamber, which is about thirteen inches deep, and stands on a platform of masonry, six or eight inches deep. The cheeks of the fire-box project through the front plate, leaving a space of half or three-quarters of an inch on each side. Through these openings the air passes into the air-chamber, and not only heats but tentilates it, so that any thing placed in it is effectually roasted. A tube is inserted in this chamber, under the covering-plate, at the end opposite the fire, and thus a current of hot air is established through the roasting apparatus, and during the whole time of roasting, a door, of any fit kind, is adapted to the mouth of the box.

When this part of the apparatus is Bsed as a house-warmer, the boiler is removed, and a plate of cast-iron substituted, resting on the frame in the same way the boiler did. Upon this plate is fixed a box, six inches deep, which covers the whole plate. Openings are made for the passage of the air, which, sweeping over the hot surface of the plate that covers the fire, passes through the opening into a tube placed in the upper hole; and the air, thus heated, may, by means of tubes, be conducted where it is wanted. By this construction, nearly the whole quantity of heat generated by the combustion of any quantity of fuel, is prevented from passing up the chimney, a more effectual circulation of air is effected, and all the inconveniences of cold currents of air guarded against.

MR. RICHARD WATER'S, (FORE-STREET, LAMBETH,) for a new Method of Manufacturing Pottery-ware.

This method consists (1) in the fabrication of various articles, particularly of such as are of considerable inagnitude, by forming the clay into sheets or extended flat masses; which masses are placed and applied upon moulds adapted to give the first shape or figure of the intended ar. ticles. When needful, the shape or figure is finished and completed, by beating or pressure, or by turning while in a revolving state: by these means, goods of a more even substance and better quality are manufactured than can be by common methods. (2.) Delft ware pots, and other articles, are formed by compression of the clay between suitable moulds, which affords greater ac

curacy of figure than has heretofore been obtained. (3.) The wares, denominated Welsh-ware, are marked or clouded, by using a number of pipes or tubes at once, instead of one pipe or tube, through which the colouring slip or material is made to flow, by which means the ope ration is better and more speedily per formed. (4.) Of earthen-ware, the janibs, or pieces of chimnies, and tiles for fronting houses, or for paving, and hearths for fire-places, &c. are made. All are severally veined, coloured, or variegated, either by the process for Welsh-ware, or by putting together masses of clay, differing from each other in the composition and in the admixture of stony or metallic, or other mineral, substances, so as to differ in their colours and appear. ance when baked. The whole is to be kneaded, or worked up together, until the whole mass shall be moderately, but not too intimately or minutely, blended. For if the mass be not sufficiently kneaded or worked, then the colours, after bak. ing, will appear in coarse lines, veins, or patches: and, if the kneading be continued too long, the several colours will either be seen in minute and indistinct marks, or will be confused. But the proper degree of working may be known by baking a small proof, or trial piece, by the appearance of which the manu facturer will be enabled, without diffi culty, to produce that variegated body which shall be most acceptable to the taste of his employers. (5) By the processes now described, large figures, sta tues, ornaments, armorial bearings, and the like, are fabricated, coloured, and duly burnt: and (6.) In the same manner are formed fine stone mortars and pestles, and cisterns for various uses, coffins for the dead, and spiral pipes or worms for distillers' use, consisting of a spiral excavation made in a cylinder, and covered with an hollow spiral cover, united to the same. "I do also make tiles for covering roots, The patentee adds, with a hook on the back instead of a knob, in order that the same may be sc curely placed and suspended upon any surface, in every position or slope, from the level or horizontal position to the perpendicular. And I do make the said tiles with a higher edge, and much deeper return than usual, in order that the wea. ther may be the more effectually ex cluded."

VARIETIES,

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