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age of the elephant when the accident took place. There are, however, no data from which this point could be correctly ascertained. The elephant certainly recovered, and from the situation of the spear-head, together with the quantity of bony matter afterwards deposited, it is probable that the animal lived a considerable time after the wound had been received.

Art. 10 Description of the Arseniates of Copper, and of Iron, from the County of Cornwall. By the COUNT DE BOURNON. Communicated by the Right Hon. Sir Joseph Banks, Bart.

K. B. P. R. S.

Art. 11. Analysis of the Arseniates of Copper, and of Iron, described in the preceding Paper; likewise an Analysis of the red Octaedral Copper Ore of Cornwall; with Remarks on some particular Modes of Analysis. By RICHARD CHEVENIX, Esq. M. R. I. A. Communicated by the Right Hon. Sir Joseph Banks, Bart. K. B. P. R. S.

The Count de Bournon, in the former of these papers, examines some arseniates of copper and iron as a naturalist; attending chiefly to their chrystallization and outward appearances. Mr. Chevenix investigates the same as a chemist, by a complete analysis of their constituent parts—the result tends to determine the degree of confidence which may be placed upon the chrystallographical arrangement, and to shew how far sciences, nearly allied, may receive new light and confirmation from reciprocal aid. Mr. C., in a note, justly reprehends the loose manner in which some chemists employ chemical terms. He says, "By potash, or soda, I mean those alkalis pure, obtained according to the method proposed by Berthollet. I know of no other. It is much to be desired that the epithets caustic, pure, saturate, &c, should be regarded as tautology, which they really are. There is no potash purer than potash. When it is not pure, we should say, instead of "I took so much potash," "I took so much of a mixture of potash, and whatever other substance is mixed with it."-Thus, instead of calling lapis causticus, caustic potash, or potash, as is often done, we should say, "I took so much of a mixture of potash, sulphate, muriate, carbonate, and sulphuret of potash; siliceous and aluminous earths, iron and manganese," for such I find, by analysis, lapis causticus to be. To all this is added, by apothecaries, a little lime. Yet this is the substance sometimes called potash -Mr. C. obtains his potash by treating Dantzic pearl ash with lime, and evaporating in a well plated copper vessel, a white mass is left. This mass, dissolved as far as it can be in alcohol, and the liquor distilled to dryness in a plated alembic, gives an alkali of a perfect whiteness. In this state it is dangerous to touch it, its action on animal matter is so sudden and so violent. It attacks all stones with the greatest ease and rapidity. Dissolved in water, it makes not the least cloud in barytes water, or in a solution of nitrate or muriate of that earth to be used as a very de

licate and sensible reagent, to distinguish it from strontian. By saturating with an acid, and then seeking silicia or alumina, by ammonia, no trace of them can be found, nor indeed of any thing else. I do not, however, say that the potash is perfectly free from every other substance. I believe it contains a little carbone, produced by the decomposition of the alcohol, and is therefore a subcarburet of potash; but carbone can be of no consequence in the generality of experiments in humid docimasia. The same method, employed with carbonate of soda is the only one to procure soda in a state of equal purity." (Concluded in our next.)

FRANCE.

The NEW PLANET discovered about a year ago by Piazzi, at Palermo, from the smallness of its size, and from its situation not having been ascertained with sufficient exactness, had escaped the researches of all astronomers, till Baron Zach discovered it at Gotha. Having announced this to Lalande, the latter communicated the intelligence on the 25th Jan. to the Astronomers of Paris; who have been since diligently employed in searching for it, and investigating its circumstances and laws. Mechain had already discovered it on the 24th Jan. and found it had 188° 16' of right ascension and 11° 52′ of declination. It appears not larger than a star of the seventh, eighth, or even ninth magnitude; and, of course, has not two seconds of apparent, nor 600 leagues of real diameter, and is five times less than the earth. From the observations hitherto made upon its orbit, there is reason to suppose that its revolution is performed in 41.2 or 5 years.

A commission appointed by the NATIONAL INSTITUTE to examine the phænomena of GALVANISM, and to repeat the experiments of Professor Volta, have communicated the result in a report, in which they explain the theory, and its identity with electricity.

By the NATIONAL INSTITUTE, at its Sitting of Jan. 25, M. HAYDN was elected Foreign Associate to the Class of Literature and Fine Arts, having 323 votes, M. Klopstock 272, and Mr. Sheridan 251; Major RENNELL to that of Moral and Political Sciences by 334 votes, Count Rumford having 289, and M. Muller 278; and to the Class of the Mathematical and Physical Sciences Dr. MASKE. LYNE by 266 votes, Dr. Herschell having 246, and Dr. Priestley 219.

MENOU has addressed a letter to Bonaparte from Marseilles, in which he announces the return of the Institute and Commission of Arts from Egypt; and recommends by name the principal persons who composed these two societies; many of whom, he says, have brought home very valuable collections and designs.

The LIBRARY OF THE INSTITUTE, established at ALEXANDRIA, is arrived at Marseilles; and is, at present, deposited in one of the halls of the Museum. A catalogue of it has been made by order of the Prefect, for the

Minister of the Interior; but the inhabitants of Marseilles flatter themselves that the Minister will claim only the Arabic MSS. for the National Library; as the French, Latin, Italian, and English books, which are found in this collection, may be met with in all the Libraries of Paris, and the carriage of them to that place would cost a great sum; while they would be of real service to Marseilles, threefourths of them not being found in its Library. CHAPTAL, the Minister of the Interior, presented a Report to the Consuls on the 6th of February, containing the project of a MAGNIFICENT WORK UPON EGYPT, to be formed from the materials collected during the expedition to that country. The Report states, that the Antiquities, Manners, Industry, Government, and Natural Productions of the country, had been the particular subjects of observation; that considerable collections of its minerals, plants, insects, fishes, and birds, had arrived in France; that architectural plans and designs, perspective views and exact copies of the bas-reliefs which decorate the ancient edifices, had been formed; and that a great quantity of engraved stones, medals, precious MSS, and some other objects of art and antiquities, had been collected It is pro. posed to unite all these materials, and to publish them in one work, after the manner adopted by the different Academies of Europe. This collection will comprehend, I. A Description of the Monuments, and Memoirs upon the Antiquities: which will contain, 1. The plans of the places where they are situated; 2. Views of the country, and of the monuments taken under different aspects; 3. Plans of edifices, elevations, sections, and exact designs of the architecture and ornaments, and those of the obelisks; memoirs concerning the antiquities and designs of astronomical sculptures; 4. Designs of the most interesting basreliefs, engraved stones, medals and inscriptions, and copies of MSS.; 5. Descriptions of the burial places of the ancient Egyptians, and particularly of the tombs of the Kings at Thebes; and, 6. Results of the investigations entered upon to ascertain the construction and dimensions of the Pyramids, and the astronomical situation of these monuments. To this first part will be prefixed the results of the surveys which were made, in order to determine the respective situation of the two seas. II. This collection will contain, under the names of their authors, Memoirs, Designs, and instructive Notes, which relate to the Agriculture, Commerce, Arts, and, in general, to the Civil State of Egypt; and, III. The Works written upon subjects of Natural History, which will be accompanied with appropriate engravings. The whole will be preceded by an Introduction. The Consuls have published a Decree conformable to this Report.

GERMANY.

A Notary of Hamburgh has offered for sale a MSS. of MAIMONIDES, written with his own hand. The Jews regard this illustrious Rabbin, as the greatest man of their nation

after Moses. He was born in Spain, and lived long among the Arabiana, whose language he employed much in his writings.

A Bookseller of Brunswick proposes to publish the interesting correspondence of GEORGE FORSTER, with many of the most distinguished naturalists in Europe, as Camper, Sparrman, Thunberg, Lichtenberg, &c. PRUSSIA.

Dr. ACHARD, of Berlin, nominated by the King of Prussia to investigate the manner of extracting sugar from a species of the Beet plant, has published the following results obtained by the commission charged with the experiments. Fifteen hundred quintals of Beet plant yielded 5952 pounds of raw sugar, 400 quintals of residuum, and 111 of syrup. The residuum, taken like coffee, is excellent. It may serve for the distillation of aqua vitæ, and the food of cattle. If the culture of this plant and the extraction of its sugar gain a footing in Prussia, that state may save two million and a half of rix dollars, which it expends annually in the purchase of this commodity. Our readers may see a full discussion of the subject of the Beet plant, in a paper printed in the xviiith vol. of the Transactions of the London Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures, and Commerce.

In the last setting of the ROYAL ACADEMY of Sciences, GALVANISM was the chief subject of attention. The Counsellor Herhard demonstrated that nickel in contact with zinc, produced the same effects as silver and leather. The Counsellor Klaproth

cated some Galvanic experiments mmuni

upon

a large scale by Van Marum, at Harlem, and his counter-proofs upon Teyler's large electrical machine. These experiments confirm the theory of Volta, concerning the identity of Galvanism with electricity.

AMERICA.

The proprietor of the Museum of Philadelphia, on his return from a scientific journey to the interior, has brought with him a large and valuable collection of the bones of animals. Among these are a quantity of very large bones, out of which he has formed a complete skeleton of the animal called the Mammoth : a species which seems to have perished, but the existence of which has been supposed from some discoveries made in the North. This skeleton was found in Orange County, in the State of New York. Its height is 12 feet. The head is 4 1-2 feet long; the tusks 10 feet; and the other parts in proportion. Clef du Cabinet, No. 1798.

Dr. DWIGHT, of Connecticut, in a publick discourse printed in a New York paper, accused Pichon, the French Charge d'Affaires, of publishing a prospectus of a new edition of the works of Godwin. Pichon addressed a letter to the Secretary of the United States in the National Intelligencer, of the 5th of October, printed at Washington, wherein he denies the fact; and says that the object of his letter is to repel an imputation brought forward with the sole design of injuring him. The necessity which the writer felt for this vindication of

himself, indicates a degree of soundness in the public sentiment of the Americans, which we are happy to record.

A PUBLIC LIBRARY has been lately established at WASHINGTON, for the use of the members of the general government, and of the legislature of the United States. TURKEY.

In the Turkish Printing Establishment at CONSTANTINOPLE, which has existed for two years under the favour of the Sultan Selim, a Dictionary is now printing of the Turkish, Greek, Latin, French, and Persian languages, in three volumes folio; and ninety sheets are already printed. In Constantinople there are besides two Greek printing-offices, under the inspection of the Patriarch Neophytus; but in these, only church books are printed.

RUSSIA.

NICOLAI KALNGIN, of Moscow, who has presented to the Emperor an account of a method of giving a dark green colour to cloth, by means of burnt nettles, has received 500 roubles; and the Emperor has ordered that he may be appointed to a situation suitable to his knowledge and abilities in a royal manu. factory.

ITALY.

M. BRERA has recently ascertained by a variety of experiments, that Medical remedies

incapable of being taken in by the stomach, may be, with great advantage, applied by fric. tion over the skin, so as to affect the whole vital system in the manner desired

M. Lowitz, of St. Petersburgh, some time since, made many experiments to reduce honey to the state of sugar, by treating it with powdered charcoal. He could not fully effect his purpose. Yet, he succeeded so far as to form a syrup of honey, which might be used just as agreeably and usefully as honey in making either tea or punch. That, however, in which Lowitz failed, has been recently accomplished by M. CAVEZZALI, a chemist of Lodi in Italy. He took a certain quantity of the purest and whitest honey which he could procure. This he set to boil in mixture with pulverised egg shells As the boiling continued, he carefully skimmed the mixture. In the skimmings, there was some appearance of a peculiar acid which he could not then analytically examine. When this scum ceased to appear on the surface, he removed the liquor from the fire. The liquor when cool, was a rich saccharine syrup. He set a part of it aside in a close bottle. That part was, after some time, found to have deposited pure crystals of genuine sugar, somewhat reddish in colour. M. Cavezzali quickly made them, by alcohol, perfectly white.

HISTORICAL DEPARTMENT.

I. STATE AND PROGRESS OF RELIGION.

PROTESTANT MISSIONS IN THE EAST

INDIES.

WE conceive it will not be unacceptable to our readers to receive some account of the state of the Protestant Missions in the East Indies, conducted by the venerable Society for promoting Christian Knowledge. The account is taken from the Report published last year by the Society.

The names of the Missionaries employed by the Society, with their stations, are as follows:

Rev. Christian William Gerické, at Madras. Rev. Charles William Pezold, at Madras. Rev. Christian Pohle, at Tirutshinapally. Rev. Joseph Daniel Joenicke, at Palamcotta. Rev. John Caspar Kolhoff, at Tanjore. Rev. Immanuel Gottfried Holzberg, at Tanjore.

On the 27th of December, 1799, Mr. Gerické was about to set out for Tanjore, with an intention to visit the churches beyond it, which the late Mr.

Swartz had planted, and Mr. Jænicke had watered; but which, on account of the long continued sickness of the latter, had not for several years been visited. After a long journey, by way of Vellore, Arnee, Cuddalore, Tranquebar, and Negapatam, in all which places he had found much to do, he prevailed,at Tanjore,upon Mr. Jænicke, though ill in health, to make the journey with him to Ramanadaburam, where a new church was to be opened. From Ramanadaburam they went to Tuttocorin, Manapâr, and several other places, where there were congrega. tions, catechists, chapels, and schools, as far as Palamcotta, where Mr. J. formerly resided for several years, and laboured with great success. Having finished their business there, they set out for Madura, whence Mr. J. proceeded to Ramanadaburam, and himself to Tiruchinapally, and thence by

were made to them, as arrangements which Mr. Swartz had not judged needful. To such objections they replied, that during Mr. Swartz's time, his presence and word had been instead of all regulations; and that some individuals of the Tanjore congregations were no more that good people they had been, previously to his death. Mr. G. here adverts, with serious and af fecting lamentation, to the calamity brought upon the missionaries and mission of Tranquebar, by the bad behaviour of a new missionary;* and observes that much might be done by faithful and zealous men, particularly in the Southern parts of that coast. Cuddalore there is a new church, and another at Ramanadaburam; there is a church too at Palamcotta, and yet at none of these places is there a missionary; they are, therefore, anxious that some good men should come out to make a proper use of them.

Tanjore, Tranquebar, and Cuddalore, to the Christians at Tanjore, objections back to Vepery, near Madras. Mr. J.'s health was much improved; so that, although he could not yet venture to preach, yet he could speak in private with every one that came to him; and hope was entertained, that this journey would be the means of his recovery. At Ramanadaburam, however, he got a severe fit of the hill fever. From this he recovered; but soon after his return to Tanjore, he was seized with an apoplectic fit, which, on the tenth day of May, 1800, put a period to his very useful, though on account of his sickness, for many years, very uneasy life. His company on the journey had been of great advantage to Mr. G., as he was intimately acquainted with the congregations they visited, some of which had been of his own forming; and as he assisted in framing the regulations for enabling the country priest and catechists to keep the congregations in good order, at least for some time, without the presence of a missionary. All that was proposed and done by Mr. G. in this respect, had given Mr. J. much pleasure, and revived his dejected spirits. At Ramanadaburam, he was particularly happy to see the church, which had been built under his direction, opened with much solemnity.

In the way between Madura and Trichinapally, there was no congregation to visit; and in a visitation of three congregations between the latter place and Tanjore, Mr. G. was assisted by Mr. Kolhoff. They consulted how to get catechists and school-masters for these congregations; to build chapels; and how also to meet the objections which the heathens would make. The road between Trichinapally and Tan-, jore had formerly been very unsafe, the inhabitants being chiefly collaries, or professed thieves; but since the late Mr. Swartz had been amongst them so often, and had formed congregations in those parts, they had heard nothing of robberies. These people thankfully accepted certain regulations made during the visit of the missionaries, which regulations had also been well received in the more southern congregations; but when they were proposed Christ. Observ. No. 2.

At

The Society, however, have not yet been able to comply with the wish of their worthy missionaries, by sending out to them new fellow-labourers.

* Sent out, not by this Society, but by the Mission College at Copenhagen.

(To be concluded in our next.}

CHINA.

ON the 27th of October, the Abp. of Canterbury sent to the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, accompanied with a note, a copy of the Memoir, lately published by the Rev. W. Mosely, "on the Importance and Practicability of Printing the Sacred Scriptures in the Chinese Language, and circulating them in that vast Empire;" which, being read, was ordered to be taken into further consideration on the 3d of November. The Bishop of London taking the chair on that day, the Memoir was again read by the Secretary; and, upon a motion made by the Bishop of Durham, it was unanimously resolved to refer it to the East India Mission Committee, to make a further report to the board as early as possible.

Of this Committee the Bishop of Durham is chairman; and the interest, we understand, his Lordship takes in S

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the object, will not fail, we trust, to secure an attention to it equal to its magnitude.

SOUTH SEAS.

ON board the Royal Admiral, a convict ship, which arrived at New South Wales, in the month of November, 1800, went eight missionaries, belonging to the London Missionary Society, with an intention of proceeding thence to the island of Otaheite, to join the mission which has been attempted there by that Society. One of their number had fallen a victim to an infectious fever, which had raged on board the ship, and proved fatal to

numbers of the convicts and seamen. Another had deserted them at New South Wales. The remaining six expected to sail for Otaheite in about fourteen days from the date of their letters, (20th of February, 1801.) They complain of the improper behaviour of some missionaries, sent out by the same Society to Otaheite, in the year 1796, who had quitted that station, as they allege, without any just cause, and repaired to New South Wales, where their conduct has been such as to fill them with sorrow, and make them ashamed to appear in the colony under the name of missionaries.

II. A VIEW OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS.

FRANCE.

In the month of December last, twenty-two ships of the line, seventeen frigates, and eight corvettes, making in all forty-seven ships of war, divided into five squadrons, sailed from the ports of France, with 25000 troops on board. The avowed object of this expedition is the reduction of St. Domingo, and Guada. loupe, to the obedience of the mother country, which they appear, in some measure, to have cast off. A previous communication of the force and destination of this very powerful armament had been made to the British government, which had consented to its sailing. Smaller squadrons have since followed from different ports upon the continent.

A Treaty was concluded between France and Spain, on the 21st of March last, but it has only recently been published. The most important article in this treaty is the cession of Louisiana to France, by which acquisition, it would appear, that the French will not only be able to supply their islands with lumber and provisions, but will gain, in some measure, the command of the Mississippi. The other articles of the treaty respect the renunciation, in favour of France, of the duchy of Parma, and the isle of Elba, and the making of the prince of Parma king of Tuscany. The Chief Consul stipulates that he shall cause him to be acknowledged in that capacity by the other powers of Europe.

A Treaty between the Dey of Algiers and the French has also been published; in virtue of which, all the political and commercial relations which existed between the two nations previous to the rupture, are re-established. No Frenchman, on any pretext whatever, is to be detained hereafter as a slave in Algiers. The most important intelligence, however, which has been received from France during the last month, respects the issue of the Italian consultations at Lyons. The deputies of the ci-devant Cisalpine, now the Italian Republic, having been joined at that place by the Chief

Consul, proceeded to the formation of their Constitution, which was finally agreed upon on the 25th of January. This Constitution is exceedingly complex, and appears to us to be composed of such heterogeneous materials, as to promise little permanence. The three electoral colleges of the Possidenti, Dotti, and Commercanti, are to appoint the members of the Consulta, of the Legislative Body, of the Tribunals of Appeal, and of the Censurate. The seat of government and legislation has ever been productive of jealousy in such states as possess a number of great towns, the population of which is nearly equal. The First Consul, has taken care that no cause for envy on this account should exist among the cities of the Six Nations, or Italian Republic. He has posted the Possidenti at Milan, the Dotti at Bologna, the Commercanti at Brescia, and the Censurate at Cremona His colleges are, as he himself once said of the Austrian army, éparpillé en bouquets, disseminated all over Italy; and are so posted and marshalled, as to answer any purposes rather than those of legislation. There is little fear of plots and conspiracies among them; every principle of union is guarded against, and even communication is nearly impracticable.

The government is to be entrusted to a President, Vice-President, a Consulta of State, consisting of eight citizens; a Legislative Council, consisting of ten; and a Legislative Body, composed of seventy-five members. The President is to exercise his functions for ten years, and may be re-elected. He has the initiation of all laws and negotiations, as well as of all affairs proposed in the Consulta. His salary is fixed at 500,000 livres. The Roman Catholic religion is declared to be the religion of the state; but liberty of conscience is allowed. The most extraordinary circumstance, however, attending this transaction, is the nomination of Bonaparte himself to the presidency, on the avowed ground that no person was to be found in this New Republic of suffi

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