Belfast Magazine and Literary Journal

Progress of the Arts and SciencesSource: The Belfast Magazine and Literary Journal, Vol. 1, No. 3 (Apr., 1825), pp. 288-290Published by: Belfast Magazine and Literary JournalStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/20495556 .

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283 Public Eventls.

PUBLIC EVENTS,

DURING the last month, our relations toI the different powers of Europe, have con tinued to be of the most pacific kind. As

we anticipated, the war in Peru has at length terminated in the- overthrow of Spanish tyranny, and in the establishment of liberty in the land of the INCAS. The recognition of the different South Ameri can Republics, has opened up new chan nels to British spirit and enterprise.

The intelligence from India is calculat.. ed to excite alarm. There has been not

merely a spirit of insubordination, but an actual mutiny in the native army. The, Government of thirty millionsof men sunk in the depths of superstition, and smart ing under the lash of conquest, requires a continuation of wisdom, vigour, and pru dence, united to an enlightened spirit of liberality.

In the United States of America, Mr. Adams has been elected to the President's chair, an appointment which has given general satisfaction.

In the West Indies the spirit of insurrec tion continues to prevail. An insurrection in the Island-of St. Thomas was discover ed, in time to prevent the atrocities to which it might have led.

With respect to Greece-that land of heroes' graves,-the last month has brought us -little additional- information. It has been generaUy reported that the Emperor of Russia has peremptorily refused his as

;ent, to any proposition acknowledging the ndependence of that interesting country..

We expected no less from the autocrat of ,he Russias. The Ottoman despots are

making preparations to renew their tyran nical campaign against the cause of liberty.

An attempt has been made on the life of the Grand Seignior;, and the splendour of the crescent has been dimmed by the blood of rebellious Janissaries.

France, occupied in all probability in the splendours attendant upon the coronation of Charles X., remains tranquil.

In England the mania for Joint Stock Companies is upon the decline. The Legis lature have wisely determined not to inter fere; and the recent speculations afford an additional proof of the growing wealth and increasing prosperity of the country. With respect to this portion of the king

dom-societies, whether Orange or Roman Catholic, have been quietly suppressed^ by the Bill respecting unlawful societies in Ireland. The leaders, in both instances, have wisely made their bows, addressed their supporters temperately and respect fully, and thenjretired.

At present, the proposed Bill for the Emancipation of our Roman Catholic brethren, the second reading of which is fixed for the 19th of this month, occupies the attention both of the friends and op ponents of that measure..

PROGRESS OF THE ARTS AND SCIENCES.

BELFAST MECHANICS INSTITUTE. IN the first Numbex of the Magazine,

we offered some remarks on the import ance of Mechanics' Institutions, and re commended the formation of one in Bel fast. We now feel pleasure in stating, that efficient measures have been adopted for carrying this important object into ef fect, a public meeting having been held in the Exchange,' on the 21st ult., at which the establishment of sucrh an association in this place was agreed on; and two -Com

mittees were appointed, one to draw up rules and regulations for conducting the affairs of the Institute, and the other to take steps for procuring the necessary funlds. The first Committee is to submit a draughtof the regulations to a General

Meeting, to be held in the beginning of May, when they will be adopted or amended as may appearbest to the members at large.

We trust that the wonted liberality of our townsmen, and of the gentlemen a round us, will be extended to this establish

ment, which seems likely to be of so much advantage to this town, and to the sur

rounding counitry. The gentlemen whoa are engaged in manufactures in particular, are fully impressed, we have no doubt,.

with the importance of having the meir whom they employ, intelligent and well acquainted with the principles and prac tice of the various occupations in which they are engaged: and we trust thesegen-' tlemen will contribute liberally to the ob jects of the Institute. One of the most important of these objects is the formation of a Library. To courses of lectures, the artisans in this place have already had ac cess, but we fear that few of them have had the means of consulting approved books.

A strong effort should bemade, tberefore, to raise a considerable sum of money for this purpose, and to procure donations of useful works, on Science and Art. Mo dels and apparatus should also be procured as soon as circumstances may permit ; and in respect to this, much may be done by the artisans themselves, many of whom

will be able to construct aiticles of this / kind, which they will doutbtless present to the Institute.

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Arls and Sciences

DUBLIN P11lT.OSOlPTCAr, JOURNAL, AND SCIENTIFIC REVIEW.

The first Nuimber of a new piiblicattion, of the above title, has just issued from the Dlublin press. We feel great pleasure in noticing any attempt that is nyade to call forth the literary and scientific energies of Otur country; and we wish every success to this publication, which is the first of an expressly scientific nature that has been attempted in Ireland.

Thiis Nuimber coinmences with a paper on the method of findina the longitude from the culmination oifthe moon and stars, by Dr. Brinkley,-an auspicious niamne to place at the beginning of a scien tific periodical. There is also part of a paper fromn Dr. Lloyd on Pity,-rather a strange subject for the first contribution from one ot the most distinguished mat he

maticians in Ireland, to such a work. The

portion of the Essay here given is only pre lirniniarv to the author's main object. In the reniainider of the paper, he proposes to ascertain, First, the principle of the moral

constitutioni affected when our compassion is excited, and the means by which its seis sibility is awakened; anid, Secondly, the nature of the representation by wlhichl the original affection is made to receive the particular form of pity. It would be pre inmature to say any thing of the Qbject of his inquiries, till the details are laid before us, which cannot be before November next. The present paper contains some good observations in favour of the exist ence of disiniterested benevolence,-a sub .ect wlhiclh has long ago been nearly ex

luasted, but which must remain for ever interesting to the moral inquirer. His strictures oni lIume's account of pride seem to us to be acute and decisive.-Dr. Lloyd's style is clear and unaffected, anid often combines simiiplicity with elegance.

We wvish, wlsen he gives quotations, that he would cite his authorities more particis larly.

Besidees these papers, the Jouirnal also contains articles from Mr. Lardiner, Dr. Jacob, Sir Charles Giesecke (oni the Mli neral Slubstances fouind in the vicinity of the Gianit's CauiseNvay, and on the Beryl found in the County of Down), Mr. Mlac kay, iAIr. Nimiio (on Railways), anid tihon others. Besides these, there are several articles extracted from the Transactions of the Royal Irish Academy, and other souir ces, particularly from French works. This practice we caninot approve, unless it be resorted to very sparingly, or in peculiar circumstances. A journal which is to be published only once in the six or eight

months, should be able to bring forwardl new articles, or at least old ones in a new garb. We find also Reviews of several books. That of Venituroli, we consider good: those of "1 the Young Brewer's Mo

niitor," and of Brown on the Differential Calculus, but indifferent. Nothing dis

pleases more thiani ani unsuccessful attempt at wit and ridicule; anid such expressions as " scientifico-lexicographico-competen cy," "b bravo !" and " Heaven shield us !'" are, to say the least, below the dignity of a

work of science. The review of Daniell's 'Meteorological Essays, we consider one of

the best articles in the book. It is evi dently written by a person Who understands the subject; and the reader is not only

made acqluainited with the merits, and in a considerable degree withl the substance of the work reviewed, but he derives new in struction from the article itself. We find, also, a pretty full analysis of the " Annales de Mathematiques" for 1824; the ques tions in Mathematics proposed at the last

October Examinations, in the University of Dublin; an analysis of the Transactions of the Royal Irish Academy; and a great variety of interesting scientific information. On the whole, we think favourably of the work; and we trust it will Ineet more cen courageinent than is generally extended to Irish publications.

PRT7ZE ESSAYS. The Royal Irish Academy will give, ].

A premium not exceeding g,50, to the au thor of the best Essay " On the Compara tive State of the Poor, among the Ancient and Modern Nations:" 2. A premiuin not exceeding 30 guineas, for the best Es say "' O)n the Origin and Progress of Go thic Architecture, with reference to tile

Ancient Elistory and Present State of the Remains of such Architecture in Ireland: " 3. A premium not exceeding 30 guineas, for the best Essav in answer to the fol lowing queries-" What are the general indications of Aletals being in any given place, the lines of direction, extent, and dipping of the veins, deduced from the ap pearance of the surface, anid the occurrence of different snetallic substances found com bined or associated lifeins or beds ? What is the medium per centage of the value of the ores hitherto founid i ij8reland, and the average cost per ton of w6Ing and smelt ing them, with the expeuis4f land andt

wvater carriage t It will be n4essAfy that any popular Tejiinologv tused by: miners he added and cilained, atnd that a; section of a regulary wdiked mine be suibjoined." Essays on any of these subjects to be sent, post-firee, to the Rev. J. H. Singer, D. D. Secretary, at the Academy House, 114, Grafton-street, before the 1st of Novem ber, 1S25; each Essay to be inscribed witjh some motto, and accompanied with a sealed billct, superscribed with the same

mIotto, in which shall be written the au thor's name and address.

The Academy of Sciences at Paris will give, l. A gold mnedal worth 3,000 francs, (?I25) for the best Essay on the following subject; " to determine, by multiplied ex periments, the density whlich liquids ac quire, and especially mercury, water, al

2 o

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290 Arts and Sciences. cohol, and sulphutlc ether, by compressions equivalent to tb e weight of mllany atmos

pheres; and to measure the effects of the heat produced by these compressions." This subject was proposed before, but nonle of the Essa-ys was considered worthy of the prize. 2. A medal of the same value will

be given for " a method of calculating the

perturbations of the elliptic motion of comets, applied to the determination of the next return of the comet of 1759, and to the motion of that whiuh has been observ ed in 1805, 1819, and 1822." 3. Aiothier

medal, worth 300 francs, (L12 10) will be given for the best Essay on "thte changes whict the circloation of the blood of frogJfs

undergoes in their dejerent metamorpho ses ! / The Memoirs on these subjects

must be sent to the Secretary of the Insti tute before the 1st of Jan. 1 b26.

IMPORTANT INVENTION. A person of the name of Rtoberts, a

collier, in England, has lnivented an ap paratus to enable persons to enter, wi-ith safety, roorns filled witlh stWffocatingt smoke. This apparatus consists of a leatelm heal piece, wlhich completelv cov,ers the lbeadl and face of the wearer, and, bnckh:s tiglht round the neck. Before thl eyes thle-re .s a piece of glass; and opposite to thle mnoutlh, is inserted one end of a lealtern tnbe, tthe

other end of which hangs nearly to tile ground, and has attached to it a tin fun nel, which is filled wit), noistetied sponge. Now, suppose the apparatuis to- be used in a room on fire, the pure air which enters from without being colder, and consequent ly heavier, than the air already in the room, remains next the floor, and is thus inhaled through the loing tube. It is also freedi from impure and gaseous matter, wllich is stopped or condensed by the water in the sponge; and thus the wearer of the ap paratus inhales air whicis is almost pure. In putting this apparatus to the test of trial, the inventor and aniother person wenit into thie stove of a f'otundry iu Manchiester, in whichl a quanitity of cotton waste m`xed

with sulphur was burning, so that persons without the appar:atus wvotld ha1ve0 been instantly suffocated. Of tlle two indivi duals provided wvith the apparatttus, how ever- one staid in teni minui-tes, and thin other twenty, and camne otit in saf.?ty; atoi similar experimeritslave Cbeen several tiniels iuade witl equal suLcess. ''hiS illventio onay he of gr-eat utility, not ouily in saving

arttcles in case of fire, huLt eveni frequenltly in affording the means of etiinguishing the fire, if it be resorted to before the devour. inig element lhas gainiedt a comilete zscelu

dancy.

AGRICULTURAL IREPORT, FOR MARCH. TIE tunusually fine weather, durinig a

great part of the month of February, ena bled the farmer to complete his sowing of

Wheat, under very favourablc circumstan ces. There seems to be a fair average of ground, under that important crop; and the appearance, both of the early and late sown, is remarkably promising. The first half of the present month was extremely unfavourable for agricultural pursuits; but for some time past, the weather has been very fine, and the sowing of oats is proceed ing under the happiest auspices-the seed receiving a dry bed, and the ground har rowing with, wlhat is technically called, a round clod.

This is, unquestionably, the most import ant season of the year for the agrictultur ist; as the success of his harvest almost in variably depends upon having his ground sown in good order, anid with good seed. We regret, indeed, to learn, that far too little attention is generally paid to the important article of seed. Too many seem to consi der that coneenience and chieapniess are the principal considerations; and consequent ly sow what has been growing on their own farms for a series of years *or what they can obtain for the lowest price in their own vieinity, cr in the nearest market town. No error can be more fatl to the agricultural prosperity of a cou-ntry: for, besides dimi

iishing the quantity produced, it also dete riorates the qualituin a ver y remarkable de

gree., We liave tak-en pains to converse with several most initelligent fhrmers, fromi diflerent parts of the country, uiponi thi,s subject; and the result of our inqtiries has been, that no seed growni upon any farm ouight to be sown upon it fur more ban a second crop; and that in changing seed,

mnuch care should be taken, to obtaini it, both from a soil and climate, differing frorn those in which it is to be sown. The qua lity of the seed is another most important consideration: hearty grain can never he raised from inferior seed. These observa tionrs are made, principally as affecting

Wheat, Barley, and Oats. With regard to Flax-seed and Clover-seed,

other considerationsmingle with the above. The farmer should not only take great care to obtain a good quality of the kind he buys, but he slhouild also be very cautious respect ing the kcind itself. We state it on the al thority of most respectable practical agri culturists, both in the counties of Down and Antrim, tllat in almnost all cases, it would be moa-e profitable, in the end, for thefarmer to pay for Dutch or Itiga Flaxseed, than to sow Armericasfseed, if it were bestowed to him. The same may be said with regardl toEnglish.Cloverseed, which we know, troni experiment, to be superior, both to Ameri cani and Dutch. MV e hope these observa tions may not he altogether unprofit,ible, at this seasoI oif the year.

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