THE

MECHANICS' MAGAZINE.

11

LONDON, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 1859.

THE NEW SCREW LINE-OF-BATTLE
SHIP VICTORIA.

The Royal Alfred, a 91-gun screw-ship, is to be laid down immediately on the slip vacated by the Victoria.

THE MAIN DRAINAGE OF THE
METROPOLIS.

METROPOLITAN people are beginning to awake to
a very alarming fact, viz., that the great main
drainage scheme is a gigantic blunder. Readers
of this Magazine will not be startled at this
circumstance, because we have all along ex-

quantity of material which in water is mere pollution, but which on the land would be inexpressibly valuable. Just now there seems to be a strong disposition on the part of the publie to see eye to eye with us in this matter.

The Victoria's keel was laid in the early part of February, 1856. She has been, therefore, but three years and ten months building. We recently had the satisfaction of inspecting her, and in justice to Mr. Abethell, the Master-posed the folly of pouring into our river a vast THIS magnificent ship which will be launched whose superintendence she has been built, we Shipwright of Portsmouth Dockyard, under on Saturday from Portsmouth Yard, in the mast state that as a specimen of sound and presence of Her Majesty and the Royal family, careful shipbuilding the Victoria cannot be deserves particular notice as being larger than surpassed. As Her Majesty the Queen will any line-of-battle ship now afloat, and also as attend the launch in person, it is generally exbeing the first three-decker that has been de-pected that her appreciation of Mr. Abethell's services in this respect, and of his eminence as signed expressly as a screw-steamer. Her one of the foremost naval architects of the actual displacement when at her load-line will country, will be marked by Her Majesty conamount to very nearly 7,000 tons, which is ferring the honour of knighthood upon him ou greater than that of every other ship of war by nearly 1,000 tons!

We have at present afloat five screw threedeckers-the Marlborough, Royal Sovereign, Duke of Wellington, Royal Albert, and Royal George. These were originally designel for sailing ships; the first three by the late Surveyor of the Navy, Sir William Symonds; the Royal Albert by the late Mr. Oliver Ling. The Royal George was built on the lines of the old Caledonia, and was launched at Chatham in 1827. To adapt these vessels for the reception of the screw, they were altered as follows:--the Marlborough was lengthened in midships and at each end, and was also increased slightly in breadth; the Duke of Wellington and Royal Sovereign were lengthened in midships and by the stern; the Royal Albert was lengthened by the stern; and the Royal

the occasion.

66

UNSINKABLE SHIPS.

We have received from Mr. Atherton a lengthy
communication respecting our last week's article
on the above subject, in which we are requested
to insert Mr. Atherton's "letter of the 11th ult.
"in full as it appeared in the Society of Arts'
"Journal." Why the request is made we can-
not divine; nor can we comply with it, for we
have no space to devote to matter which would
convey nothing novel or interesting to our
readers. Mr. Atherton in the letter on another
page implies, it is true, that we have put a
forced construction upon his statements, but as
he makes no attempt to prove the implication
he can have no claim upon us in the matter.
We might also, we think fairly, decline to insert
the communication now sent to us, for it throws
submitted to Mr. Atherton's consideration;
but little light upon the questions which we
it a place in our columns.

In the Nautical Magazine for the present month-a journal in which we should scarcely ject-we observe a paper by Captain Heckhave expected to find a discussion of this subford, setting forth a plan which he has submitted to the Metropolitan Board of Works, as the fruit of twenty years' acquaintance with the rivers of India. Captain Heckford proposes to obtain about twenty-four tons of salt erected on the sea-coast near Brighton, (or any water per minute by means of steam machinery more convenient site,) and to lead this water up to the Thames by means of pipes laid along a line of railway, these pipes branching off into two heads, one in the vicinity of Chelsea Bridge, the other at Blackfriars Bridge. Thus miles long, 670 feet broad, and 2 feet deep, a constant stream of salt water equal to one 6 would be forced into the Thames every month. "I need not point out," says Captain Heckford "the properties of pure salt water when river between Chelsea and Deptford, further "brought into opposition with that now in the "than that the salt water thus injected would "find its way to the bottom of the river, "thereby raising it, and consequently the sew"course of the tide is stronger on the surface age matter, to a higher level; and as the

George only had the screw aperture cut in her but, on the whole, we think it better to give than near the bottom, the putrid water now

deadwood, and was not lengthened at all.

The following table, showing the comparative principal dimensions of these ships and of the Victoria, will be found interesting to those of our readers who regard with satisfaction and pride any addition to the naval resources of

the country:—

"in the river would constantly, though gradu"ally, be carried out to sea, and the offensive

admits the truthfulness of our suggestions on
It will be seen that Mr. Atherton entirely
the necessity of making the light material of
"substance on the bed of the river would be
which he speaks fireproof. He is, however, less tain Heckford also suggests that his system of
totally destroyed by its saline action." Cap-
explicit on the other and more important ques-pipes could be connected with all cesspools,
tion, viz., what the design of the unsinkable war closets, &c., and that by means of separate
ship is to be. We are really afraid he has taken
sewers the whole of the fecculent matter of the
no pains whatever to give a practicable form to Metropolis might be carried off to any fixed
his propositions even in his own mind. At the place, and its properties as a fertilizing agent be
first glimpse of the difficulties which we pointed preserved. The plan could also be applied, he
out he abandons, in point of fact, an important says, to the cleansing of the docks (which
part of his proposals, for he now tells us that materially help to keep the river in an offensive
"the property of being unsinkable does not condition), and to supply the place of fresh
"necessarily imply that such vessels shall have water, where the latter could be dispensed
no stowage below the level of the load water
"line which may be appropriated to machi-
nery." But the truth is, Mr. Atherton's first
ship should be, "up to the line of its load dis-
suggestion (made in January last) was that the
has nowhere until now repudiated this part of
"placement, a solid mass of material," and he
his plan.

But we need not pursue these considerations at present. Mr. Atherton's fundamental idea may be a good one; indeed we have ourselves a presentiment that unsinkable war ships, at least for purposes of home defence, will one day be devised. But the difficulty of producing them will lie as much in giving form to a light material as in procuring such a material, and we are sorry to find that Mr. Atherton is unable to add anything to our knowledge on either point. Nevertheless, good may arise from the introduction of the subject to public attention, and on this ground Mr. Atherton deserves praise. If the Council of the Society of Arts can adopt any means of hastening the realization of Mr. Atherton's ideas, they too will earn the approbation of the public.

with.

We advert to these proposals of Capt. Heckford, not for the purpose of discussing his plans

than he probably supposes-but with the view
which have less of novelty attached to them
they have elicited from the editor of the Nau-
of pointing out the expression of opinion which
tical Magazine, Captain Beecher, R.N. Hav-
ing always, he says, been averse to making the
Times the great receptacle for the sewage of
our Metropolis, and regretted that a more ap-
propriate application of it has not been found
than in the measures of the Board of Works
for their great main drainage scheme, he is not
sorry to record Captain Heckford's scheme in
his pages, since this, at all events in the long
run, would be productive of purity, while that
of the Board of Works will be productive of
impurity, and that to an alarming extent.
fact of a stream of sewage running into this
river during the half of every ebb tide must
infallibly occasion, he continues, a state of the
water in it between the middle of Sea Reach
and Barking that is fearful to contemplate.
"We tremble," he says, "for the effects of

The

poisonous exhalations to which the crews of "those ships will be subject that will have to ride " out the ebb in that part of our river, and for "the unhappy inhabitants of its banks. To us it seems to be bringing down upon them deli"berate destruction. The ships, it is true, << can avoid it, by not staying at anchor in "in such a filthy element; but towns are towns, and homes are not so easily shifted." Captain Beecher goes on to say that we must not be surprised hereafter to find that the port of London will see its shipping diminish in consequence, the owners finding some other port where the health of their crews will not be injured by the pestilential vapours which they would have to encounter on the Thames. Such are the opinions of an experienced naval man on this subject.

On the other hand, the present week has brought us the testimony of an enlightened agriculturist upon the question. Mr. Alderman Mechi, of Tiptree Hall, in a letter to the leading journal, says he considers it a public duty to direct attention to a danger of great magnitude which threatens British agriculture, and through it the nation at large-meaning the gradual but sure exhaustion of the soil of Great Britain by our new sanitary arrangements, "which permit the excrement (really the food) "of 15,000,000 people who inhabit our towns "and cities to flow wastefully into our rivers." The continuance of this suicidal practice must ultimately result, he says, in great calamities to our nation. Science has shown us that the land, to the depth at which it is ordinarily cultivated, contains but a limited and measureable quantity of the elements of our food; that these elements may be readily exhausted, and that they can only be profitably restored by the application of human and animal ordure such as we now waste. A century of abstraction without replacements has reduced the old and once fertile States of the American Union to comparative barrenness, and although by extensive purchases of guano, bones, and feeding stuffs, we are trying to mitigate the evil, we are warned by that great man Baron Liebig that these attempts are but as a drop compared with what we waste. By a false delicacy and a want of knowledge we have been accustomed to deprecate as indelicate the very mention of our excreta, but the stern requirements of a rapidly increasing population imperatively demand of us the only profitable and available means of providing food for the people. Increase of population would, but for our sewer system, bring with it increased means of production. Such has been the case in China, where the commercial value of human excrement has ever been most wisely appreciated and availed of. Of course our Boards of Health very properly consider their only duty is to cleanse our towns and cities. It is for our

landlords and agriculturists to associate their will and means to convey to the land those precious streams which now exhaust our soil, contaminate our rivers, and impoverish our agriculturists, and those dependent upon them. It may be said we are producing more food than we used to do; no doubt we are, by enclosing wastes, removing trees and fences, cleaner and deeper cultivation, &c., but by these very means and by the application of stimulating substances we are more rapidly hastening the exhaustion of our country. A very large proportion of our population would be starved but for the enormous importations of foreign food.

This is the testimony of Mr. Mechi, and although it contains nothing more than we have many times said, it is desirable to repeat it Once more, also, we would

here once more.

66

reiterate Baron Liebig's words :-"In the year enbalmed and entombed. In his astronomical
1855-1856 above ten million cwt. of guano studies, the earth on which he dwells will stand
were imported, of which the greater portion forth in space a suspended ball, taking its place
"remained in England. In the course of half- as the smallest of the planets, and like them
a century above sixty million cwt. of bones pursuing its appointed path-the arbiter of
"have been imported into that country, yet all times and seasons. Beyond our planetary sys-
"this mass of manure is not worth mentioning tem, now extended by the discovery of Nep-
"when considered in relation to the arable sur- tune to 3,000,000,000 miles from the sun, and
face of Great Britain, and is but as a drop throughout the vast expanse of the universe,
"when compared to the sea of human excre- the telescope will exhibit to him new suns and
"ments carried by the rivers to the ocean." systems of worlds, infinite in number and
It often happens in English life that, in re-variety, sustaining, doubtless, myriads of living
ference to some subjects, our only privileges beings, and presenting new spheres for the
are to pay and protest. This Metropolitan exercise of Divine power and beneficence.
drainage question is an example of this kind of
thing. The fewer our privileges, however, the
more mindful we must be of them; hence these
observations. Hence also the Times' tardy
action in the matter. "Everybody must feel,"
the leading journal now tells us, "that it is folly
to waste a substance which is urgently
needed, and to pour prodigally into our own
"rivers what, at a heavy cost, we go to South
"America to fetch.
We are burning the
"candle at both ends. We are paying heavily
to lose what we can very ill spare." May we
not yet hope to see our river unpolluted and
our soil enriched with the waste of this Metro-
polis?

66

THE STUDY OF SCIENCE.

But, it must be remembered, objects like
these will not be beheld without deranging the
thoughts of untutored minds. When first pre-
sented to a mind thirsting for knowledge they
are apt to disturb its complacent equilibrium
and unsettle its convictions. But, said Sir
David to his hearers-Should this be the men-
tal condition of any of you, be not alarmed for
its results. This species of scepticism is the
infant condition of the uncurbed and generous
intellect. There can be no firm convictions
where there have been no perplexities and
doubts, and that faith which comes in the train
of early scepticism will finally rest upon an
immoveable foundation. Credulity, on the con-
trary, is the disease of feeble intellect and ill-
regulated minds. Believing everything and
investigating nothing, the mind accumulates
errors till its overgrown faith overmasters its
untutored reason. Such a facility of belief
may, in some cases, claim the sympathy even
of philosophy, but when it spurns the strict
demands of inductive truth, and plants imagina-
tion at the door of the temple of science, it
cannot be too severely reprobated or too sternly
shunned. "In the present day, indeed, when
"religion and philosophy are assuming such
"novel aspects; when the mysterious in reve
"lation is subjected to the scrutiny of philoso-
"phy, and philosophy herself straying into the
"labyrinths of mysticism, and claiming kindred
"with the supernatural; when the apostolic
simplicity of Christian worship is marred by
"superstitions, it is necessary to warn you
"against speculations morally and intellectually
degrading. In the blue heavens above, in the
"smiling earth beneath, and in the social
"world around, you will find full scope for the
"exercise of your noblest faculties, and a field
"ample enough for the widest range of inven-
"tion and discovery. Science has never de-
"rived any truth, nor art any invention, nor
"religion any bulwark, nor humanity any boon,
"from those presumptuous mystics who grovel
"amidst nature's subverted laws, burrowing in
"the caverns of the invisible world, and at-

IT is well that we who have to deal daily with
the rough applications of science to common
life may sometimes raise ourselves to that
higher sphere from which alone the greater
revelations of science are visible. Frequent
opportunities of doing this are afforded us.
The inaugural addresses delivered at the annual
meetings of our scientific societies-the Royal
Society, the British Association for the Advance-
ment of Science, and others-usually are made
the occasions for comprehensive surveys of the
whole physical universe, so far as it is at pre-
sent known to us; and we, for our part, are
always inspirited and rejoiced by the contem-
plations thus occasioned. In the address with
which Sir David Brewster opened the winter
session of Edinburgh University a few days"the glitter and the mummery of exploded
since, we are furnished with so splendid a re-
presentation of the spectacle which the natural
world presents to the mind of the man of
science that we cannot fail to win the attention
of our readers to it.

What are the subjects which the student of the natural sciences has to explore? Sir David eloquently answers,-Creations of boundless extent, displaying unlimited power, matchless wisdom, and overflowing beneficence, will at every step surround him. The infinitely great and the infinitely little will compete for his admiration. And in contemplating the great scheme of creation which these inquiries present to his mind, he will not overlook the almost superhuman power by which it has been developed. Fixed upon the pedestal of his native earth, and with no other instrument but the eye and the hand, the genius of man has penetrated the dark and distant recesses of time and space. The finite has comprehended the infinite. The being of a day has pierced backwards into primæval time, deciphering its subterranean monuments, and inditing its chronicle of countless ages. In the rugged court and shattered pavement of our globe he has detected those gigantic forces by which our seas and continents have changed places-by which our mountain ranges have emerged from the bed of the ocean-by which the gold and the silver, the coal, and the iron, and the lime have been thrown into the hands of man, as the materials of civilisation, and by which mighty cycles of animal and vegetable life have been

tempting to storm the awful and impregnable "sanctuary of the future." This is true wisdom as well as true eloquence, whatever Dr. Cumming may think to the contrary.

A great inventor and disco verer himself, it was not to be supposed that Sir David Brewster would miss from his ken, in an address like this, the triumphs of the mechanical and useful arts. The advances which have recently been made in these arts, he tells us, have already begun to influence our social condition, and must affect still more deeply our systems of education. The knowledge which used to constitute a scholar and fit him for social and intellectual intercourse will not avail him under the present ascendancy of practical science. New and gigantic inventions mark almost every passing year-the colossal tubular bridge, conveying the monster train over an arm of the sea; the submarine cable, carrying the pulse of speech beneath 2,000 miles of ocean; the monster

us.

heat.

Literature.

Ure's Dictionary of Arts, Manufactures, and Mines.
New Edition. Chiefly re-written and greatly en.
larged. Edited by ROBERT HUNT, F.R.S., F.S.S.,
Keeper of Mining Records. Illustrated with nearly
two thousand Engravings on wood. Part. I. Lon-
don: Longman, Green, Longman, and Roberts.

1859.

ship, freighted with thousands of lives; and
the huge rifle gun, throwing its fatal charge
across miles of earth or of ocean. New arts
too, useful and ornamental, have sprung up
luxuriantly around us. New powers of nature
have been evoked, and man communicates with
man across seas and continents, with more cer-
tainty and speed than if he had been endowed
with the velocity of the racehorse or provided
with the pinions of the eagle. Wherever we Ir is with the greatest satisfaction that we re-
are, in short, art and science surround us. They ceive the first part of a new edition of the late Dr.
have given birth to new and lucrative profes- Ure's great work, and our satisfaction is height-
sions. Whatever we purpose to do they help ened by an examination of its contents.
In our houses they greet us with light and Robert Hunt is exceedingly well fitted to be its
Mr.
When we travel we find them at every
stage on land, and at every harbour on our general editor, and he has associated with him a
shores. They stand beside our board by day, staff of gentlemen thoroughly competent to help
and beside our couch by night. To our thoughts him with the details of his great undertaking. No
they give the speed of lightning, and to our one can know better than ourselves how invaluable
timepieces the punctuality of the sun; and, Dr. Ure's volumes have been to manufacturers and
though they cannot provide us with the boasted
men of science generally; but it must be acknow-
lever of Archimedes to move the earth, or indi-ledged that of late years the progress of science
cate the spot upon which we must stand could had carried us beyond it in many respects, and a
we do it, they have put into our hands tools of new edition, bringing its articles up to date, was
matchless power by which we can study the greatly needed. The part before us proves that
remotest worlds; and they have furnished us the need is being most satisfactorily supplied.
with an intellectual plummet by which we can The 192 pages of this part carry us only to the
sound the depths of the earth and count the article "Artesian Wells," which was reached on
cycles of its endurance. In his hour of pre- the 87th page of the edition of 1853, so that the
sumption and ignorance man has tried to do new matter is more than twice as voluminous as
more than this; but though he was not per- the old. This arises, to a great extent, from the
mitted to reach the heavens with his cloud-capt introduction of entirely new articles; but it is
tower of stone, and has tried in vain to navi- mainly the result of the extension of the former
gate the aerial ocean, it was given him to articles with modern matter. Among the many
new articles the more remarkable are 8 pages on
ascend into Empyrean by chains of thought Acidimetry, 2 on the Air-engine, 2 on Algae,
which no lightning could destroy and no comet 4 on Aluminium, 74 on Chloride of Ammonium,
strike; and though he has not been allowed to and 24 on the colouring material named Arnatto,
grasp with an arm of flesh the products of Arnotto, or Annotto. Among the extended articles
other worlds, or tread upon the pavement of the principal are, that on Acetic Acid, which
gigantic planets, he has been enabled to scan, is extended from 12 to 19 pages, others on
with more than an eagle's eye, the mighty Alcohol and Alcoholometry, enlarged from 15 to
creations in the bosom of space to march 23 pages; on Aldehyde, from 7 lines to a page;
intellectually over the mosaics of sidereal on Alkali and Alkalimetry, from 13 to 18 pages;
systems, and to follow the adventurous Phaeton on Alloy, from 4 to 11 pages; on Alum, from 8 to
in a chariot which can never be overturned. 18 pages; on Amalgam, from 2 lines to a page;
This is Sir David Brewster's language, not
on Ammonia, from 1 to 10 pages; on Anchor,
ours; we are content to repeat it, and commend from 4 to 9 pages; on Aviline, from 10 lines to
it to our readers.
2 pages; on Anthracite, from 20 lines to 3 pages;
on Antimony, from 1 to 3 pages; and on Arsenic
and its compounds, from 4 to 8 pages. We give
in which the new edition is being revised. Nor is
these details to show the comprehensive manner
any expense being spared in the "getting up" of
numerous, are exceedingly well engraved, and
both the paper and the type are superior to those.
of the '53 edition. We find great reason to
believe also, from a careful examination of this
part, that perfect impartiality will be observed in
the new and the re-written articles. The chief
editor himself, Mr. Hunt, has not scrupled, we
observe, to remove from the article on Actinism
passages complimentary to himself, which formerly
appeared in it. Dr. Ure gave Mr. Hunt credit for
being the first discoverer of the actinic principle.
Mr. Hunt "remits" it-to use the French Empe-
ror's term-to M. Berard. Again, in the article
on Anchors we find a fair and honest account of
the various improvements which have been pro-
posed in anchors from time to time, and are not
(for once) surfeited with intemperate praises of
the Trotman anchor. Indeed, the writer candidly
"Although for convenience Trotman's
anchor is, as we have already stated, largely used
by the merchant steamers, we cannot but feel that
the separation of the fluke from the shaft, although
it may be in many cases unobjectionable, is
attended with the risk that when, in an emergency,
the anchor is required, the means of connection
may be at fault." According to the announcement
the work is to be completed in fourteen parts,
forming three volumes; the intervals at which
the parts are to appear are not stated-probably
are not known, as they may be dependent upon
the opportunities of some of the authors. Each

THE PATENT OFFICE LIBRARY.

WITH reference to our last week's article on the Great Seal Patent Office Library we are enabled to state that Mr. Edmunds, the Clerk to the Commissioners of Patents, avows himself most anxious to obtain a suitable Library for inventors and patentees, and is likewise desirous that this Library should occupy a central position in preference to any other. It appears that Mr. Gladstone, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, is responsible for the present suspension of the arrangements which were in progress in the earlier part of the year. It is only fair for us to state further that we find the land agency mentioned in the article referred to consists in nothing more than certain friendly offices confined to the transactions of a single estate. We offer these explanations with much satisfaction because we find in them ground for hoping that the Library which is so much needed will ere long be obtained. We need hardly tell our readers that this is our only desire and object in connection with this subject, and that we have no reason whatever for speaking of the gentleman beforementioned with anything but respect.

The trial of the new (French) field-pieces, to which the grooved principle has been applied, went off to the great satisfaction of all parties. The experiment took place in the exercise ground at Saint Maur. The distance allowed for trial was the enormous one of 2,000 metres-the target, consisting of a pole, surmounted by a little flag, was scarcely visible to the naked eye, and yet, in spite of the high wind, every shot told-Morning Star.

the new edition. The new woodcuts, which are

says:

part will, however, be most valuable in itself, and
manufacturers and others will be glad to secure
each as it appears.

Journal of a Voyage to Australia and round the
World for Magnetical Research. By the Rev. W.
SCORESBY, D.D, F.R.S., etc. Edite by ARCHIBALD
SMITH, Esq., M.A., F.R.S., &c. London: Longman,
Green, Longman, and Roberts. 1859.

THE disturbing influence which the magnetism
of iron ships exerts upon their compasses has been
illustrated by an amazing display of mathematical
symbols, but until the establishment of the Liver-
pool Compass Committee in 1854 very little indeed
was done in the way of experimental inquiry into
this important subject. This committee, which
has rendered valuable services in this respect, was
to a great extent due to the labours of the late
Dr. Scoresby, and for this, as well as for his own
individual exertions, we owe him a great debt of
gratitude. The latest and most distinguishing
act which he performed in connection with this
compass question was that of making the voyage
to Australia and round the world of which we
here have the narrative. The ship in which the
voyage was made was the Royal Charter, of which
little now remains but melancholy memories.

The volume before us comprises three parts. The first consists of an able paper from the pen of the editor, Mr. Archibald Smith, forming an introduction to Dr. Scoresby's remarks. In this introduction the editor sets forth the objects of Dr. Scoresby's inquiries, and then takes up and elucidates the nature of the differences which are well

known to have existed between Dr. Scoresby and the Astronomer Royal, and which had reference chiefly to the mathematical, or, to speak more exactly, to the theoretical phases of the compass question. The second part consists of an elementary exposition of magnetical principles, and of the phenomena of magnetism and compass-action and disturbance in iron ships by the rev. doctor. The third part is the journal of the voyage.

In so far as the compass question itself is concerned we shall deal with the results of Dr. Scoresby's voyage in the Royal Charter at another time, and shall therefore avoid the discussion of them here. We must not omit, however, to express our sense of the great ability and admirable spirit manifested in the remarks of Mr. Archibald Smith. The question with which he had to deal required thoroughly scientific treatment; having was an intricate and difficult one, and therefore also been the subject of a warm controversy between the Astronomer Royal and Dr. Scoresby it required impartial as well as careful discussion. In neither respect has the editor failed. His paper, though short, is a very important one, and will have the effect of restricting future controversies, which must occur, to the considerations which are really the subject of dispute-a very necessary thing.

But the volume before us has an interest altogether apart from the question of the magnetism of iron ships. Strange as the assertion may appear, we have found more amusement in this book than in any other which we have read for a long time. Dr. Scoresby appears to have been one of those men who, while great upon some one subject, are small upon almost every other. In magnetical science, and indeed in some other branches of science also, he seems to have been a strong, clear, original thinker. But this volume abundantly proves that in ordinary matters he was of the Lilliputian type. His account of the manner in which he came to embark on board the Royal Charter, and of the arrangements connected with that proceeding, is full of tiny details which no man can peruse with gravity; and throughout the voyage we have glimpses of him which are enough "to shake the midriff of despair with laughter." Seven days after the ship had sailed from Liverpool (on her first voyage) she was found not only to be in bad trim, but also to admit water through her sides and decks with a most pernicious degree of freedom. The captain was sick, and in

Patents for Inventions. Abridgment of Specifica. tions relating to Electricity and Magnetise, their Generation and Applications. Printed by order of the Commissioners of Patents. London: Great Seal Patent Office. 1859.

WE have here the most bulky, and perhaps the most important, of that series of abridged specifications of patents which the Commissioners of Patents are so wisely publishing. It comprises no less than 850 pages, and contains short descriptions of all the inventions ever patented in connection with electricity and magnetism, together with a summary of the progress of knowledge in reference to them up to the time of the commencement of the patents. The summary also embraces any discoveries, inventions, or applica. tions that are not treated of in the body of the work, at whatever date they may have been invented or brought into use. We are not, however, we must honestly confess, perfectly satisfied with the manner in which this volume has been edited. Very many of the abridgments are much too long -much longer, that is, than they need have been to answer their purpose, and to stand side by side with those put forth in previous volumes. We observe one abstract occupying very nearly ten pages, and three and four pages are frequently occupied with single patents. The consequence is the volume costs a considerable price-8s. 6d. Such lengths are altogether unnecessary for the purpose of these volumes of abridgments, which can never serve of themselves any other object than that of acquainting readers in a general way with the nature of the inventions. We also observe that the editor has made either more or fewer verbal emendations than were necessary. It seems to us to be a little pedantic to make formal corrections of small and manifest misprints, and yet to find one word spelt in four different ways without corrections (“gimble,” “gimboal,” "gimbal," gimbol"). But notwithstanding these small faults, we cordially accept this book from the Commissioners of Patents. They are doing a great and valuable work in issuing these and their other publications, and if they would only give us a proper library to consult them in, we should be doubly grateful to them.