by Mons. J. F. L. Haussmann, the observations of the author in Norway and Sweden tend to confirm the theory of Mons. von Humbolt. To detect the insufficiency and uncertainty of the process proposed by Mons. Vanquelin, for decomposing brass, or other compounds of copper and zinc, in the humid way, by Dr. C. F. Buckholz. The Dr. having to analyse a sulphat of zinc containing copper, attempt. ed it by immersing a slip of zinc in a solution of the sulphat. The zinc however, instead of precipitating the copper in the metallic state, acquired a coating of a blackish friable substance, which when separated, dried with blotting paper, and rubbed with an agate, had the colour and brightness of brass. Mons. Carnot has composed, by imperial command, for the instruction of the pupils of the corps of engineers, a work on the defence of fortified places; important for the principles laid down, and the manner in which they are illustrated by examples from ancient and modern history, concluding with the admirable conduct of Massena during the blockade of Genoa. He concludes with observing, that a good garrison, in a place fortified in the modern mode, may defend itself against an army of ten times its number, as long as it has ammunition and provision, and finally defeat it, or destroy it entirely, if it persist in its attacks. In an additional memoir, he strongly inculcates a new node of firing. Men firing horizontally over a parapet, are considerably exposed, and most of their balls are lost in the enemy's works. If, on the contrary, they fired at an angle of forty-five degrees, they might be completely under shelter, and would do more execution. From the establishment of the third parallel, when this mode of firing becomes applicable, to the opening a breach, at least ten days must elapse, and sometimes twenty or thirty: supposing only ten, and calculating at the lowest the effect of six howitzers loaded with musket balls, and thus fired, he reckons upon twenty-thousand men being killed or wounded by them. And he has before advanced, apparently with much justice, that in the defence of a breach, more may be done to check, discourage, and destroy the besiegers, than at any other period. The mode of firing here recommended, now makes a part of the exercises in the schools of artillery and engineers. Mons. Maximus de Choiseul Dail lecourt concludes his work, on the Influence of the Croisades on the State of the people of Europe, which obtained the prize from the French Institute, and is printed in one vol. Svo., in the following terms:-"Such have been the happy effects of the Croisades on one hand, and their injurious consequences on the other. If we be required to weigh in an accurate balance these opposite results, in order to solve a question long agitated in vain, namely, were the Croisades more beneficial than injurious to mankind?-we would answer, the permanent good produced by these expeditions, overbalances the evils they brought on those, who devoted themselves to their pursuit; evils, the severest of which are common to war in general. Do not these people, among whom the eruptions of volcanoes sometimes spread terror and devastation, gather rich harvests from the fields fertilized by those whirlwinds of ashes, which compensate their transient mischiefs by a lasting fecundity? If we reflect on the hostilities and robberies that ravaged Europe, before the trumpet of the Croisades was heard; if we recollect or Return of a Family of Emigrants to France; in which will be found every instruction necessary for building a country-house, furnishing it, and fitting up a chapel, library, la the just alarms of Christendom, threatened with subjection to the yoke of the Turks; assuredly we shall be permitted to repeat the words of a writer, who lived in the time of the Croisades, and seems to have anti-boratory, collection of natural bis. cipated the judgment of posterity on the holy wars: " They are rash, who condemn a novelty, necessary to a world bending under the weight of years, and on the verge of perishing from old age. the The indefatigable Madame de Genlis has lately published a small volume, entitled, Mythological Arabesques, or the Attributes of all the Fabulous Divinities, in 5 plates: with a history of the false gods, and their worship, and an essay on mythology in general, and on the influence which paganism must have had on the character, manners, and literature of the ancient Greeks and Romans. Some of the attributes are not to be commended for their accuracy, though well adapted to please eye: but the work has the merit of being unexceptionable as a schoolbook for ladies, for which it is intended. There is an edition on wove paper, with coloured plates. This lady has likewise composed an Historical and Literary Botany, containing all the Anecdotes and Superstitions relating to flowers, that are mentioned in sacred or profane history, with accounts of some singular plants, those named after celebrated persons, and those employed in the religious worship or civil ceremo nies of various nations and savages, with the devices, proverbs, &c., to which plants have given rise: with a novel, entitled, Flowers, or the artists. This forms one 8vo, volume. Another in three volumes, 8vo., is entitled, "The Country House," in tended for the education of youth, * Conradus à Liechthenaw, Chronicon, ad an. 1099. tory, botanical garden, &c.; with every particular respecting the building of a farm-house, domestic economy, and every branch of agriculture. To this work also is subjoined a novel, founded on the real history of a descendant of one of the oldest families, who at the beginning of the Revolution settled on a farm near Boston, and now holds one of the principal places under the French government. The late Mons. Paignon Dijonval had made one of the most complete collections of prints and drawings in Europe; having employed the sur plus of an ample fortune for this purpose from the age of 16 to that of $4. They were all mounted, bordered, covered with gauze-paper, pasted down on one edge, and carefully arranged in port-folios. His grandson, the present possessor, Mons. Morel de Vindé has now published a descriptive catalogue of them, with two indices, one of painters, the other of engravers. It appears too, that he was willing to part with the collection, if he could meet with a proper offer for the whole, from one who would be likely to keep it together. Mons. J. B. Salgues bas composed a curious, instructive, and amusing companion to Brown's Vul gar Errors, under the title of Errors and Prejudices diffused. among mankind (dans la société). Mons. J. J. Victorin-Fabre has published a literary picture of the 18th century, or a history of the great writers of that century, and the progress of the human mind in France; to which is subjoined, an eulogium of la Bruyère; with notes and dissertations. These two works obtained the prizes of eloquence from the French Institute last year. The first of them gives French literature its full share of credit for every improvement that took place in any part of Europe. A vein of tin ore, in the state of crystalized oxide, has lately been discovered in France. It has been analysed by Vauquelin, who obtain, ed from it tin of excellent quality, and it is supposed, that it will be worth working. DISCOVERIES AND IMPROVEMENTS IN ARTS, MANUFACTURES, &c. Specification of the patent granted to Peter Durand, of Hoxton-square, Middlesex, merchant; for a method of preserving animal-food, vegetablefood, and other perishable articles, a long time from perishing or becoming useless. Communicated to him by a person residing abroad. Dated August, 25th, 1810. TO all whom these presents shall come, &c. Now KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I the said Peter Durand do hereby declare, that the nature of the said invention, and the manner in which the same is to be performed, are particularly described and ascertained as follow; that is to say:First, I place and enclose the said food or articles in bottles, or other vessels of glass, pottery, tin, or other metals, or fit materials. And I do close the aperture of such containing vessels, so as completely to cut off and exclude all communication with the external air; and as to the method of closing, I do avail myself of the usual means of corking, wiring, cutting, or cementing: and in large vessels, I make use of corks, formed of pieces glued together, in such a manner as that the pores of that substance shall be in a cross direction with regard to the aperture into which such corks are to be driven. And I do also, in such vessels as may admit of or require the same, make use of stoppers, fitted or ground with emery or screw caps, with or without a ring of leather, or other soft substance between the faces of closure, and also of cocks or cross plugs, or covers of leather, cloth, parchment, bladder, and the like. Secondly, When the vessels have been thus charged and well closed, I do place them in a boiler, each separately surrounded with straw, or wrapped in coarse cloth, or other wise defended from striking against each other. And I fill the said boil. er, so as to cover the vessels with cold water, which I gradually heat to boiling, and continue the ebulition for a certain time, which must depend upon the nature of the substances included in the vessels, and the size of the said vessels, and other obvious circumstances, which will be easily apprehended by the operator, without farther instruction. Vegetable substances are to be put into the vessel in the raw or crude state, and animal substances partly or half-cooked, although these may also be put in raw. The food, or other articles thus prepared, may be kept for a very long time in a state fit for use, care being taken that the vessel shall not be opened until their said contents shall be wanted for consumption. And, lastly, I do declare, that although the application of the waterbath, as hereinbefore described, may be the most commodious and convenient, I do likewise avail myself of the application of heat, by placing the said vessels in an oven, or a stove, or a steam-bath, or any other fit situation for gradually and uniformly raising the temperature of the same, and suffering them to cool again. And farther, that I do, as the choice of the consumer, or the nature of the said food or other article may render preferable, leave the aperture of the vessel, or a small portion thereof, open, until the effect of the heat shall have taken place at which period I close the same. In witness whereof, &c. Observations by the Patentee.-When I received from a friend abroad, more than a year ago, a communi-, cation of the discovery above described, I perceived that there was still a great deal to be done to render it perfect, and to produce a fit substitute on board ship for salted provisions, which are usually preserved by means of spirits and acids. In consequence, I employed myself in making experiments upon a much larger scale than had hitherto been done. I substituted tin-cases instead of glass jars or bottles, and prepared to the extent of thirty pounds of meat at once. Being convinced that the operation was as sure in large quantities as in small, I wished, be fore offering my services to my countrymen, to have the approbation of those who might inspire them with confidence. I therefore requested Sir Joseph Banks to do me the favour to receive some cases of meat, of different sizes, as well as of milk and soup. These several boxes he had the goodness to have opened in his presence, and the contents were found perfectly preserved, though several months had elapsed. A number of scientific gentlemen, both of the Royal Society and of the Royal Institution, having at his request examined and analyzed the different provisions, found them perfectly preserved. Two cases that had been preserved during six months, and for four months on board, of one of his ma jesty's ships, were brought on shore: one of them was opened, and every thing found as fresh as if packed but the day before. The other case is reserved to be opened some months hence. In fine, all the experiments are so decisive, that I presume that no one who goes to sea, whether in the navy or merchant service, will hesitate to adopt the process, which will contribute to their health, and procure them in long voyages every kind of provision as fresh as on shore, and with a trifling expesne. Composition for preserving weatherboarding, and all other work, liable to be injured by the weather. Lime it is well known, however well burnt, will soon become slacked by exposure in open air, or even if confined in a situation not remarkably dry, so as to crumble of itself into powder. This is called air slacked lime in contradistinction to that which is slacked in the usual way, by being mixed with water. For the purpose of making the present useful composition to preserve all sorts of wood works exposed to the vicissitudes of the weather, take three parts of this air slacked lime, two of wood ashes, and one of fine sand, pass them through a fine sieve, and add as much linseed oil to the composition as will bring it to a proper consistence for working with a painter's brush. As particular care must be taken to mix it perfectly, it should be ground on a stone slab with a proper muller, in the same manner as painters grind their white lead, &c. But where these conveniences are not hand, the ingredients may be mixed in a large pan and well beat up with a wooden Spatula. Two coats of this composition being necessary, the first may be rather thin, but the second should be as thick as it can conveniently be worked. This most excellent composition for preserving wood when exposed to the injuries of the weather is highly preferable to the customary method of laying on tar and ochre. It is indeed every way better calculated for the purpose: being totally impenetrable by water; and so far from being liable to injury by the action of the weather, or heat of the sun, that the latter, though such a powerful enemy to tarred and ochred pailings, &c. even hardens; and consequently increases the durability of the composition. Another receipt for the roof of a house, to defend it from the weather and from fire. Take one measure of fine sand, two measures of wood ashes well sifted, three of slacked lime ground up with oil; laid on with a painter's brush; first coat thin, second thick. I painted a board with this mixture; it adheres so strongly to the board, thick on a shingle resists the operation that it resists an iron tool, and put of fire. I used only a part of the mixture; what remains continues in mixture for some time without pean iron pot, water has lain on the netrating the substance, which is as hard as a stone. National Intelligencer, Washington. LIST OF NEW PUBLICATIONS. A EDUCATION. NALYSIS of a new System of General Education; in which the Lancasterian principles are discussed and enlarged, in a project for the erection of a public Academy at Glasgow; 10s. 6d. half bound. A New Elementary Grammar of the English language; with an Appendix, containing a Scheme for Teaching Grammatical Composition on a new Principle; by John Fenwick, 2s. 6d. MEDICINE AND SURGERY. A familiar Treatise on the Causes, Prevention and Treatment of Asthma, Wheezing, and Consumption of the Lungs ; containing explicit directions for the use of the different preparations of the Stramonium. To this new Addition, the Author has added several remarkable Cures of Consumption of the Lungs, and Asthma, by the pepared Stramonium; by J.T. Fish er, Surgeon, 2s. 6d. A Practical Treatise on the different Species of Pulmonary Consumption, with an account of the morbid appearance exhibited on Dissection: to which is added, observations on the nature and cure of Cancer; by Richard Reeves, M.D. 5s. boards. Essays on the Charges of the Human Body, at its different ages; the diseases to which it is predisposed in each period of life; and the physiological principles of its longevity; by Thomas Jameson, M.D. Member of the College of Physicians in London and Edinburgh, 9s. bds. |