ment should be formed in each central fchool upon the compofitions offered for reward, which rewards, whether of palms or books, fhould be diftributed in a folemn manner at a public exercife. The works crowned fhould be afterwards addreffed to the minifter, who will appoint a jury of scientific men, men of letters, and artists, to examine all the works, to compare them carefully, and defignate the beft. By thus tying in one common knot of emulation the primary with the central fchools, and thefe with the specially eftablished ones, the interested in this grand national undertaking reckon upon a fuccefs never before witneffed in any undertaking of this nature.

The aftronomer LALANDE has lately published the following note on the difcovery of a new comet: "On the 5th Nivofe, (Dec. 26,) Cit. MECHAIN, to whom we are indebted for the difcovery of feveral comets, obferved another, at four in the morning, near the ftar Sigma; it may be diftinguifhed by the naked eye; its tail is about a degree; and it advances towards the fouth; this is the ninety-first, according to my aftronomical catalogue."

The Adjutant-general CLAUZEL, while with the army of Italy, was prefented by the King of Sardinia, at the moment of his abdication, with the celebrated picture of the Man in a Dropfy, by Gerrard Dow. He has made a prefent of it to the National Mufeurn.

CAVANILLES, the Spanish botanist, continues with equal success and perfeverance, his fine work upon plants, of which four volumes have been published already. He has now brought the fifth to a clofe; wherein, befides the rare plants, we find in this volume the description of a multitude of new fpecies, and ten new genera., The literary horizon of Spain begins to irradiate from more than one point, as it fhould feem from the laft annual prize queftion propofed by the Royal Academicians at Madrid, which was, "The influence which general literary inftruction might have on the happiness of a people."

In SCHAFFER's Travels through Ita-. ly, &c. 1788, the following paffage is deferving of notice:" When I visited the active, the indefatigable Höfer, I found him employed in the chemical examination of an alkaline water, which had lately been discovered in Tufcany, with the view to determine, whether with oil he might not make foap of it. On my return from Rome, he fhewed me an ounce of yery beautiful firm foap, perfectly fimilar

to the Spanish; and which he had obtained from a pound of this alkaline-water alloyed with a little lime."

MOZART'S compofitions have been publifhed lately at Leipzig by fubfcription, at the moderate price of about five fhillings per number, each delivery confifting of from 25 to 30 fheets. HAYDN's works are now publishing at the fame price to fubfcribers, under his own direction.

The following improvements in the Art of Hat-making have lately been published in the Journal Politechnique. The manufacture of Hats may be divided into four general proceffes, viz. felting, fulling, dying, and finishing. During the fecond of thefe operations the felt is repeatedly dipped in boiling-water, holding tartar in folution, which tartar requires to be occafionally renewed. The editor of the Encyclopédie attributes the use of the tartar to the alkali which it contains; this, however, appears to be a total mistake, for if a piece of blue paper be dipped in the tartar bath, it will be immediately changed to red, thus fhewing an excess of acid, which from the analysis of tartar is well known to be the cafe; moreover the tartar requires to be renewed in proportion as it lofes its acid. From this circumstance Cit. Chauffier was induced to fubftitute fulphuric acid (oil of vitriol) instead of tartar, and found it anfwer every purpose of the tartár, with the peculiar advantages of being much cheaper, lefs difagreeable to the workmen, requiring water of a temperature not higher than 70 deg. to dilute it with, and therefore faving much of the expence of fuel, and allowing a leaden boiler to be fubftituted in the room of the copper one. There is a ftill further fuperiority in this new method: the colouring mu cous matter of the tartar is partly abforbed by the felt, and beaten out with much labour. After the dying in this operation a vast quantity of black duft is difengaged, prejudicial to the workmen, and which being charged with colouring matter from the dye vat, caufes a confiderable wafte in dying materials, and prevents, in fome degree, the felt from taking the colour. By the fubftitution of fulphuric acid, a perfectly clear bath is prepared for the fulling of the felt, and all the above incon.veniences are entirely obviated. The finifhing of a hat confifts in impregnating the felt with mucilaginous matter, in order to make it retain its flape, and to be lefs permeable to rain. The fize commonly made ufe of is a mixture of glue and common gums; by this the hat is rendered hard and apt to crack. An important im

provement

provement in this refpect is to prepare the ize with linfeed jelly inftead of gum. Thefe alterations in the manufacture of hats have been for fome time introduced to great advantage in a large establishment in the department of Coté d'or

At Zell, in the Electorate of Hanover, a periodical work is publishing under the title of Monatsfrüchte des Brittischen Geistes (Monthly Productions of British Genius), containing felections from our beft magazines. The first volume is ornamented with the portrait of Sterne; and amongst others, contains fpecimens of Mr. Sothey's Tranflation of Wieland's Oberon.

Dr. HUNNIUS of Weimar, in Saxony, has published a Refutation of Brown's Syftem, of which feveral German literary journals fpeak in a very favourable man

The imperial order, in virtue of which all printing-offices in the Ruffian Empire, a few at St. Petersburg, Mofcow, Riga, and Reval excepted, were to be shut up, and all country-fchools, founded by Catherine II. abolished, has been repealed again.

No catalogue has been made as yet of the manufcripts, which from Rome and Venice were carried to Paris. MONGE, an excellent natural philofopher, but an indifferent antiquarian, who was appointed by the Directory to felect them, was obliged to rely intirely upon the judgment of others. VISCONTI directed his choice at Rome.

Geography.-M VON LIPSZKY,a learned Hungarian, is now engaged in the arduous task of preparing a new and accurate map of his native country, on a large fcale. Towards the publication of the first sheet, Count George Fefterits has generously contributed 2000 florins. But it is not by the liberality of individuals only that this undertaking of Von Lipfzky is promoted: the Hungarian Government, with a zeal for the fciences, which does honour to the members of it, have granted him their fupport. Accordingly, with the view of rendering the map as exact as poffible, they have ordered a lift of all towns, rivers, lakes, &c. of each district, together with the outlines of a map of it, to be fent to the different counties of the

kingdom, with the exprefs injunction to correct all errors that should be found in thefe lifts and maps, and to fupply whatever may be deficient. The greatest part of the perfons to whom this task is committed being men of cultivated minds, it is confidently expected that they will ful fil it with ability, and give the plan every affiftance in their power.

MECHAIN has calculated the aftral occultation obferved at Torneo in 1736; and thence finds the meridian difference between Torneo and Paris to be 1h 27′ 23′′: but, he fays, that from a great number of oblervations, the real difference were 1h 27' 28"; and that Pullingi differed in longitude 1' 27',6 from Torneo, Pello 34"He has likewife obferved, that, in this admeasurement of a degree towards the north pole, the height of the stations was, at Torneo 20, at Pullingi 160 toifes. "This difference," fays Lalande, "is fo fmall, that we cannot fuppofe the attraction of the mountains could have produced any great effect. It is probable then, that the irregularity of the form of the earth, which we found in measuring a degree in France, must be very fenfible towards the north pole, and that, from that cause, we may give up all hopes of a greater degree of accuracy."

From various observations and calculations by LALANDE, PIAZZI, VON ZACH, TRIESNECKER, &c. the longitude of Palermo from Paris appears to be 44' 6".5"; and of Naples 47′ 39′′.

The greateft digreffion of Mercury in its aphelium has been well obferved at Paris, by BURCKHARDT and LE FRANÇAIS, Lalande's nephew, during four days, in the obfervatory of the military fchool.-Carrection of Lalande's Tables-5′′ from three obfervations.

BOGDANICH, who has been making an aftronomical tour through Croatia, Tranfylvania, &c. obferved at Fiume, on the 21st of January, 1799, with a one foot and a half French quadrant, the meridian altitude of several stars, and thence obtained the polar, altitude 45° 20' 0".3 and 45° 20′ 14′′,9; on the 22d, 45° 20′ 0′′.3 ; 13".0; 11".0; 9"-Mean polar altitude from all these obfervations, 45° 20′ 12′′.3.

Carlobago. The polar altitude of this place Bogdanich found from feveral obfervations to be 44° 31' 40".2. At Carlobago a fog unluckily interrupted fome of his important obfervations; and he himself was in danger of being infulted by the fuperftitious inhabitants, because foggy weather is there very uncommon at that

feafon

LAW.

The Statutes at Large of the 39th Year of the Reign of George III. by Daniel Pickering, Efq. Vol. 42, Part I. gs. boards.

Ogilvy and Son. Hints on the Duties of Subordinate Minif terial Officers of a County, and the Clerk of the Juftice; a Comment on the Making of Wills, and Obfervations on Family Settlements and Tenures; on Contracts, Bills of Exchange, &c. calculated for a country reader. 2s. 6d. Treppafs. Proceedings against the Earl of Thanet, Robert Ferguffon, Efq. and others, upon an Information Plea, ex Officio, for a Riot, To which are added, Obfervations by Robert Ferguson on his own Cafe. 5s. boards. Ogle.

Factitious Tractors, and Epidemical Convulfions; read to the Literary and Philofophical Society at Bath, by John Haygarth.

IS.

Cadell and Davie Effays on the Venereal Disease, and the Concomitant Affections; Part. II. by William Blair. 6s, boards. H. D. Symonds.

MISCELLANIES.

Outlines of a Philofophy of the Hiftory of Man, tranflated from the German of John Godfrey Herder, by T. Churchill. 4to. 11. 11s. 6d. Johnfon.

boards.

The true Caufes of the prefent Distress for Provifions, with an effectual Plan for the future Prevention of fo great a Calamity, and fome Hints refpecting the abfolute Neceffity of an increafed Population; by William Brockes, F. S. A. H.D. Symonds.

25.

A Letter to the Committee for raising the Naval Pillar, under the patronage of H.R.H. the Duke of Clarence; by John Flaxman, fculptor.

2s. 6d.

Cadell and Davies. The Union Dictionary, containing all that is truly ufeful in the Dictionaries of Johnson, Sheridan, and Walker. Crown 8vo. 8s./

Wilkie.

An Account of the Soup Society inftituted at Clerkenwell. 3d. Darton and Harvey.

The Porters' Fares for conveying Parcels, as directed by Act of Parliament, June 1799, with an Abftract of the A&t. IS.

H. D. Symonds. Irish Pursuits of Literature in A. D. 1798-9. 8vo. 7s. 6d. Wright.

Pizarro, or The Conqueft of Peru, from the German of J. H. Campe, and originally pub, lifhed by him for the inftruction of his pupils; tranflated by Elizabeth Helme. 3s. 6d fewed.

An Enquiry into the Powers folicited from the Crown under the A&t 39 Geo. III. for enabling His Majefty to grant a Charter of Incorporation to perfons under the ftyle of The Globe Infurance Company; containing Obfervations on the Tendencies of fuch Grants, and on the Effect of Charters on Commercial Undertakings; by G. G. Stonefhed, Efq. 2s. 6d. Walter.

Chalmeriana; or, a Collection of Papers Literary and Political, occafioned by reading a late Supplemental Apology for the Believers in the Shakespeare Papers, by George Chal

mers

Buonaparte's Reverie.

2S. Richardfons. Affectation, or the Clofe of the 18th Century, a Satire, by C. Parke; containing Strictures on Pizarro, Sh-r-d-n, P-tt, and the Great Nation. IS. Hatchard.

The Botanic Garden, by Dr. Darwin; a new Edition, in 8vo. 2 vols. 11. Is. boards. Johnfon.

The laft dying Words of the Eighteenth Century; a humourous Detail of remarkable Events, Fashions, Characters, &c. by Andrew Merry, Esq. Is. 6d.

IS.

Lee. A choice Collection of 'favourite Songs, on ferious, moral, and lively Subjects, written and carefully revifed by George Saville Carey. Weft and Hughes. Carmen Seculare for the Year 1800; by Henry J. Pye, P. L. 4to. 3s. 6d. Wright. The First Book of Titus Lucretius Carus on the Nature of Things, in English Verfe, with the Latin Text. 4s. boards. Faulder.

TRAVELS.

A Journey from India towards England in the Year 1797, by the route over-land, through many Countries hitherto unknown to Europeans; (with a Map and other Engravings) by John Jackson, Efq. 75. boards. Cadell and Davies.. IMPORTED BY H. ESCHER, Gerard Street. A whole library of claffical books, Greek and Latin, many of early editions. Further

Trois Femmes, nouvelle, par l'abbé de la Tour ; avec figures; fur papier velin; 145. Kotzebue's Kind der Liebe, 3s.

Die Sonnen-Jungfrau, 35.

Gottfched, Le Maitre Allemand; relié, 75. Wildenow, Species Plantarum, tom. Imus ; -et tomi adi pars Ima ;-in boards 11. 18s. Ejufdem libri tom. 2di pars 2da, in boards,

95.

Neubetis, Gefundbrunnen, ein gedicht, 4s. Catells, Dialogues Allemands et François de Mad. de Genlis, 4s.

Leben und Italienische Feldzüge von Su-. warow, 8s.

La Vie et les Campagnes d'Italie de Suwarow, 8s.

Der Dorfprediger von Wakefield, 6s. Kotzebue, Der hyperboreifche Efel, s. 6d. Gil Blas von Santillane; 4 bände, mit kupfern, 11. 23.

Iflands Schaofpiele, 6ter bis 9ten band,

11. 168.

Adelungs Deutfche Sprachlehre, 4s. 6d.
Gellerts Fabeln, 2s. 6d.

Dictionnaire de poche, François et Espagnol, 135.-&c. &c. &c.

59.

IMPORTED BY T. BoosEY, Broad Street. Petit Bruyeres on Caractères at Mœurs des Enfans de ce Liecle; par Mad. Genlis. Nouvelle Methode d'Enfeignement pour la premiere Enfance, par Mad Genlis. 5s. Shade's German and English Dictionary, a vols. 95.

PATENTS,

MESSRS. CHAPMAN'S FOR ROPE-MAKING, On the fixteenth day of July laft a patent was granted to William Chapman and Edward W. Chapman of Newcastle upon Tyne, for their invention of a method or methods of making cords and ropes and cordage, both twined and untwined, from the fpinning of the yarn inclufive to the finishing of the rope or cordage.

This invention appears, by the specifi. cation, to include material improvements in the fpinning of rope-yarn, and in the manufacturing of cordage. Rope-yarns are at prefent fpun by men, at an expence of from half a crown to five fhillings per day, according to the fituation of the place, whether in the out-ports or on the river Thames. Or it is wholly fpun by machinery.

In the practice of the first method rope- walks are neceffary, and the fibres of the hemp are drawn into the yarn of different lengths proportionate in a given degree to their polition in the outfide or infide of the yarn; accordingly, when this yarn is ftrained and its diameter collapfes, the infide fibres of hemp hear the greateft frain, and thus they break progreffively from the infide.

In the fpinning by a mill the fibres are all brought forward in a pofition parallel to each other, previously to their receiving their twift. They are confequently all of one length; and, when twifted, the outfrie fibres are moft shortened by forming the fame number of spirals round a greater axis than the interior, and thus they must confequently break the firft, on the fame principle that the outfide yarns of ftrands of ropes manufactured in the old method break before the interior yarns; and confequently with lefs ftrain than ropes of the improved principle, where the ftrands (or immediate component parts of the rope) have been formed in fuch a manner as that all the yarns fhall bear equally at the time of the rope's breaking.

Nevertheless yarns fpun by a mill have been found ftronger than common yarns, on account of the great evennefs with which they are fpun; the manual labour in manufacturing is much less than in the common method: but on the other hand there is the expence of machinery, and the greater waffe of hemp in preparing it for teing drawn out in the progreffive ftages of its advance to the spindle. MONTHLY MAG. No. 55.

The method invented by Meffrs. Chapman differs from both the preceding in having, by an eafy and fimple contrivance, the fibres of the hemp are laid in the yarn in fuch a manner as the yarns themselves are laid in the ftrands of the rope manufactured on the new principle.

Their machinery confifts only of a spindle, divided into two parts, the upper containing apparatus to draw forward the hemp from the fpinner with twist sufficient to combine the fibres; which enables them to employ women, children, and invalids, and alfo to appropriate the rope-ground folely to the purpofe of laying ropes.

The part we have described is only an improvement on the methods of spinning, granted to Mr. William Chapman on the eighth day of November 1798.

The remaining parts of their invention confift chiefly in the giving from a stationary power internal motion to a loco-motive machine, viz. to the roper's fledge, on which the ftrands and the rope itself are twifted, by which contrivance they are enabled to apply a water wheel or fteamengine to the whole procefs of making ropes of all kinds whatever.

MR. HUDDART'S FOR ROPE-MAKING.

For an improved method of registering or forming the ftrands in the machinery for manufacturing of cordage, granted to Mr. Jofeph Huddart of Iflington, on the twentieth of Auguft 1799.

Mr. Huddart has already obtained a patent for regiftering or forming the ftrands of cordage in order to obtain an equal frain upon the yarns. This he effected by an application of the following means :

First, by keeping the yarns feparate from each other, and drawing them from bobbins, which revolve, to keep up the twift whilst the ftrand is forming.

Secondly, by paffing them through a regifter, which divides them by circular fhells of holes; the number in each fhell being agreeable to the distance from the centre of the ftrand, and the angle which the yarns make with a line parallel to it, and which gives them a proper position to enter.

Thirdly, a cylindrical tube which comprefies the ftrand, and maintains a cylin drical figure to its furface, Fourthly,

1