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PRINTED FOR RICHARD PHILLIPS,

By whom Communications (Post-paid) are thankfully received.

(Price Fifteen Shillings and Sixpence half-bound.)

ABLARD, Printer, 23, Bartholomew Close, and 39, Duke-Street, Smithfield,

,

THE

MONTHLY MAGAZINE.

No. 237.]

FEBRUARY 1, 1813.

[1 of VOL. 35.

As long as those who write are ambitious of making Converts, and of giving their Opinions a Maximum of Influence and Celebrity, the most extensively circulated Miscellany will repay with the greatest Effect the Curiosity of those who read, whether it be for Amusement or for Instruction.—JOHNSON.

Our Supplement, completing the 34th Volume, is published with the present Number.

ORIGINAL COMMUNICATIONS.

To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine.
SIR,

Experiments have been made before the following naval officers, whose unqualified approbation has been expressed in their certificates, now in my possession, recommending the invention to the immediate attention of the Admiralty, as of great national importance: Commodore Penrose, Gibraltar, St. Juan. The Hon. Cap. Fleming, do. Cap. Digby, Mr. Settle,

do.

Standard. Lavinia. Master of the

CCEPT the following easy method A of dispelling noxious air from large beer-backs, cist pools, the shafts of mines, and such like places. It may be done in any situation, and with very little labour; without any expense, and it is said to be effectual. The method is this Where it is known to be unsafe, or may be suspected of being dangerous for men to descend, it is only necessary for them to throw any cold spring or other water, which is not putrid, two or three pailfuls, into the place con- And by desire of the Lords of the Adtaining the noxious air, in such a man-miralty in the Downs, ner as to break the water into a very heavy shower: and, if I am rightly informed, that will dispel most of the suffocating gas, and correct the air so much as to remove every degree of danger. JOHN MIDDLETON.'

Lambeth, Dec. 17, 1812.

To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine.

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I am able to dispel the laudable anxiety expressed by your correspondent G. P. relative to the probability of means being found to ensure the safety of persons suffering the misfortune of shipwreck.

Admiral Martin,
Captain Inglis,

last,
Admirals Young,

Foley,
Ferrier.

do.

St. Juan.

Lisbon,

do.

Impetueux. do. Hoy Cap.

on 4th November

Lord A. Beauclerk,
Cap. McKenzie.

There are many other advantages too numerous to be detailed here; but, as a prospectus will shortly be published, your correspondents, as well as yourself, will have an opportunity of appreciating the value of this discovery, in all its bearings.

J. BELL. Maiden Lane, Battle Bridge.

To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine.

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A patent has within these few weeks been granted to a gentleman of Gib raltar, for the invention of rendering seamen's beds complete life-preservers. In one character, this gentleman has united two most important objects-a comfortable bed or mattress, possessing in every respect the same appearance, convenience, softness, and pliability, as those now in use, and at the same time having the extraordinary property of. floating the body for any length of time- Ledbury, the simplicity of the construction enables Tunbridge, a person to adjust them, in less their Bambrough, two minutes, without any risk of their Caneborg, being removed by accidents.

MONTHLY MAG. No. 237,

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Devon

Dorsetshire

Hants

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Wendover,
Hertford,
Southampton,
Town and County,

Yorkshire

Total 22.

....

Bucks

Herts

Rants

were among the boroughs which had dis. used the elective franchise; but have been restored to the exercise of it, as was also the town of Weoebly, after a discontinuance of 300 years.

Agmondesham, and the three next, had discontinued this privilege from 28 Edw. I., Anno 1300, to 21 Ja. I., Anno 1623, being 323 years; when a Search by Mr. Hakevill, of Lincoln's-inn, into the Farliamentary Writs in the Tower, terminated in the restitution of their suspended rights, in consequence of a petition to the House of Commons, and a report of their committee adopted by the House: upon which warrant from the Speaker, the Clerk of the Crown in Chancery was directed by his Majesty to issue Writs of Election for these several boroughs.*

I may probably trouble you hereafter with the state of the present population in some, at least, of these places.

It might be obviously possible greatly to ameliorate the present representation, by restoring and modifying the elective franchise in these boroughs, adding to .them (as in the case of Shoreham) a sufficient number of votes from the sur rounding hundreds, though I think it ought to be greater than in that instance, And, whether there be power by pre rogative of the crown or not, to create a new borough; the right of election once exercised cannot be lost by disuse: though, for the public good, Parliament may extend it to a greater number. As to the equilibrium secured to the Scotch and Irish nation by the Union, a simple application of the Rule of Three solves that difficulty, with addition of few members for each.

Troston. Dec. 6, 1812.

To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine.

SIR,

S your excellent Miscellany has an

nent of Europe, the information which I here transmit, may be likely, by its means, to meet the notice of the friends and family of the unfortunate ROENTGEN, whose fate this communication records.

He arrived at Mogadore in the Spring of 1811; and, in consequence of letters of recommendation from Sir Joseph Banks, Mr. Mitford, and Mr. J. G. Jackson, resided at my house. I was not at home at his arrival, and but a very few hours during his stay in Mogadore, as I arrived home on the Friday noon, and he set off on his journey for the interior early the next morning.

His first intention was, to have remained one year at Mogadore; but, making a journey to Morocco about two months after his arrival, he soon after his return became extremely impatient to commence his very arduous undertaking. The plan which had been recommended by me was, to engage some trader going to Tombuctoo to take him under his protection, and bring him safe back for a stipulated sum; but this pro posal carried with it too much the air of restraint.

I had had in my service for about a year prior to Mr. Roentgen's arrival, a man born, at Beverly, in Yorkshire, of German parents. This fellow, when a seaman on-board a British ship of war, which put into Tetuan or Tangier, ran away, and turned Moor; had been a renegade some years, and was in my employ as gardener. With this man, Mr. Roentgen unfortunately contracted a very close intimacy; which originated, no doubt, from his talking the same language, and the fellow's parents being natives of the same part of Germany as Mr. Roentgen. He therefore deter, mined to take this renegade for his companion; and, on my arrival at home, Į found them ready to set off.

I endeavoured to persuade Mr. Roentgen to put it off for a few days, as I did not like his trusting wholly to a renegade; but he said things were gone too far; very the man was in possession of all his plans, and one day's delay might be fatal.

CAPEL LOFFT,

Mr. Roentgen was accompanied out, the first fifteen miles, by several Euro

Pref. to Glanville's Rep. lxxxix. xcvi. peans, who returned in the evening.

and the Reports 87-96,

Que remained the night with him, and

the

1813.]

Mr. Court on the Fate of Roentgen.

1

the next day until they reached the River Tansif, where Mr. Roentgen sunk his European clothes in the river, and put on the Moorish dress; and he then pursued his journey, accompanied only by the renegade.

They were provided with two good mules, a variety of beads, and other articles of merchandise; about five hun dred dollars in money, and each well armed with pistols, swords, muskets, and daggers. Mr. Roentgen was also well supplied with drugs to pass as a physician when it might be necessary in the interior. He carried with him also a very fine copy of the Alcoran, on vellum, which might be of service to him in gain ing the protection of some sheriff.

At parting, Mr. Roentgen promised we should bear of him by every oppor tunity, if only his name, date, and place, on a bit of paper. We, however, never

heard from him.

When they had been gone about three weeks, it was reported here, that the renegade and a Moor were seen passing the river at Azamore, a town to the northward of this; but, it appearing so improbable that they should have taken that route, no attention was paid to the report.

When Mr. Roentgen had been gone about seven weeks, accounts came from Morocco, that a Moor of the province. of Shedma had been stopped, offering for sale a watch and various other articles apparently belonging to an European; and the rumour immediately went forth, that they belonged to Mr. Roentgen, who had been murdered. The governor of this place sent for the articles from Morocco, and they were all identified as having been Mr. Roentgen's, by my brother, and the watch, as one which he always wore suspended by a ribband from his neck. There was now but too much reason to suppose this unfortunate traveller had been murdered, and that within three or four days' journey of this place; but still no one suspected the renegade. We sent to Morocco, to have the examination of the Moor taken. He persisted in declaring that he found Mr. Roentgen dead, and in a very putrid state, under a tree; and that he took from his person the various articles which be had offered for sale.

About seven months ago, I received intelligence that the renegade had been seen at Arzilla, a town about 300 miles to the northward, where he was working as a gardener, and that he was going to

Upon

Oran to embark for Europe. sending to Arzilla, however, I could not find him, or ascertain to a certainty that he had been there.

A month afterwards, a Jew who came from Moquinez told me, he saw him in that city, and spoke to him; and that the renegade was very shy of speaking to him.

There is, I think, little doubt but Mr. Roentgen was murdered by the man in whom he placed his entire confidence; and that man an European! The mules, the dollars, and the various articles with which the mules were loaded, were sufficient plunder, without taking the few articles from his person, which were of little value. It is probable, too, that although the wretch could murder his master when asleep, he might not have the courage to strip him afterwards. As Mr. Roentgen had taken uncommon pains to make himself fit for undertaking such a dangerous journey as to the interior of Africa; and, as he was a young man of considerable talents and of great perseverance of mind, it is very much to be lamented that he should have met with such an untimely end.

As a number of letters have been addressed to him at my house, the writers will have them returned, on signifying their wishes to that effect. Mogadore, A. W.COURT. October 20, 1812.

To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine,

SIR,

Hlation of the great solar eclipse

been engaged in a calcu

that will happen in 1820, and conceiving that some account of the same might not be uninteresting to many of your astronomical readers, I am induced to solicit a corner in your very instructive and entertaining Miscellany.

This eclipse will not be total, even where it is central, for, the moon being near her apogee, or at her greatest distance from the earth, her apparent semidiameter will be considerably less than that of the sun, leaving an annulus, or ring, of light, of nearly half a digit in breadth. The annular boundary will pass very near the eastern shores of En gland and Scotland; and, on the coasts of Norfolk and Suffolk, this eclipse will be almost annular.

The central tract will commence in latitude 81° 43′ N., longitude 1490 491 W.; passing over Mayne's Island, to the western coast of Norway, along the B2

Nort

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