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SIR,

DR

ENGINE.

To the Editor.

R Darwin, in the eleventh note to the first part of his Botanic Garden, has informed us that Hero of Alexandria, who flourished about 100 years before Christ, has described an application of the force of steam, to produce a rotative motion, by the reaction of steam issuing from a sphere mounted upon an axis, through two small tubes bent into tangents, and issuing from the opposite sides of the equatorial diameter of the sphere. The sphere being supplied with steam by a pipe communicating with a pan of boiling water, and entering at one of its poles. Bernardinus Baldus Urbinatus in his life of Hero says Vir ingenio subtili, peracri, et primus, Vitruvio teste, spiritalium, quæ pneumatica à Græcis dicuntur, mirabiliumq; machinarum repertor.' But I do not observe that he notices such an application of steam as that which Darwin relates. This last has quoted no authority for what he relates. I should be glad to know if any account of the application in question is to be found in any ancient author.

In the first volume of Aiken's Athenæum, under the title of Omniana, it is said, that Pope Sylvester II. made clocks and organs worked by steam, between the middle and the end of the 10th century, and the following extract is given.“ Fecit arte mechanica orologium, et organa hydraulica,

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N some of the Edinburgh newspa

IN

pers there lately appeared an advertisement regarding the Crown-Glass manufacture in Scotland; from the tenor of which, those who are ignorant of the present state of the glass trade will naturally infer that Scotland is totally destitute of 3 Crown-Glass manufactory: and that Scots glaziers and glass-dealers cannot be supplied otherwise than by importation from England. It is a duty we owe to the manufactures of Scotland to undeceive the public in this respect; and not silently to suffer our country to be stigmatized for want of an article in the manufacture of which it excells. The reputation of the window-glass manufacture in Scotland cannot possibly be lessened by the very strange means thro' which it is now attempted to be undermined.

There is in Scotland, and almost aț our door, a window Crown - Glass work, not exceeded by any in the United Kingdom in extent and celebrity in the quality of its manufacture; from which, not only the Edinburgh glaziers, but the glaziers of Scotland at large, may have ready and ample supplies. Instead, therefore, of being destitute of an article so essentially ne cessary as that of window glass, we

*Probably for concavitatem.

have

have at home, in Dumbarton, a manufactory of that article ; which, besides its considerable exports to England, Ireland, and foreign parts, can furnish supplies to any extent our Scotch consumption may require.

Scots Crown Glass, altho' from the advertisement seemingly unknown in our own Metropolis, seems to be pretty well known in the capitals and chief torns of England and Ireland; and appears, from the Glasgow Commercial Advertiser, Greenock Advertiser, and the other newspapers which contain lists of the exports from Clyde, to be no inconsiderable article of commerce. If, then, those who are led to believe that Scotland is so far behind in manufactures, as to have no window Crown Glass work, will take the trouble of referring to these newspa pers, they will find lists of Scots Crown Glass exports from Clyde to London, Bristol, Liverpool, Ireland, America, and the West Indies: and that to such an extent, as appears to give employment to several thousand tons of shipping annually. This city is supplied with Scots window-glass alone; and if I mistake not, Mr Laird announced in a late newspaper, the arrival at Grangemouth, from the westward, of a vessel bound even to Leith with a cargo of Scots Crown Glass.

Scotland is recorded as famous for its Crown-Glass manufacture, and at this moment contains a considerable stock; and were the accustomed markets open as before the late American commercial restrictions, the Dumbarton works can produce, with ease, double the quantity. Edinburgh is recorded as a "hot bed of genius," but the utmost stretch of human ingenuity could not be more unhappily directed than in devising means to make the world believe that Scotland wants window-glass, or in detracting from its merit with regard to a manufactory of well-known magnitude and established reputation. In what a ridiculous light will such an advertise

ment be viewed by the numerous gla ziers and glass-dealers in England and Ireland who are accustomed to receive supplies from Scotland alone? An inherent national pride stimulates me not to be silent when I hear or see any thing which has the least tendency to tarnish the reputation of Scotland in regard to any of its manufactures. Newcastle may with equal justice be reproached for want of coal, as Scot land for want of window-glass.

The insinuations contained in the advertisement alluded to, are either intended to mislead, or, to say the least, the framer of it is grossly mistaken; and in order to remove the false impression which may be made on the public mind regarding the want of 2 window Crown-Glass manufactory in Scotland, I request the favour of your giving this a place in your next publication, which will much oblige, SIR,

Your most obedient Servant, 11th April 1809. Glasgow, Á Caledonian

}

Account of the Duke of ARGYLE's Descent upon SCOTLAND in 1685; by Sir PATRICK HUME.

From Mr Rose's Observations on the Histerical work of Mr Fox.

EE got very encouraging re

WEE

turns from the Lowlands; and ernestly pressed the Erle that wee might divide, and some of us gos thither; he seemd satisfied, but withall told us that his son Char:, and other gentlemen, wer at Tarbot-castle, with 1200 men; and if we would saile the ships thither, & many boates wee had, he, with Sir John and a good pairt of the sogers, would take a land march throw Kantire, levie the whole country, and joine them; and that then we might goe to the Low lands with a considerable division of men (for it was not fit to goe too sin

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gle) and he with another considerable pairt, would stay theire, levie men, and act against Athole, or as occasione fell in. Sir John was for dividing and parting presently, but the Erle being wilfull, and the motion resonable he made, and the work but of 24 houres, we wer most of us of the Erle's opinion; so he marched, and we sailed; came to Tarbot, and found our friends at a rendevous here: We made, of horse and foot, 1800 men: Here the Erle, in printing a declaration concerning himselfe, and in modelling the men, spent more time than needed (as indeed he did likewise at Cambleton) for all wee could doe to haste him on Here also he got accounts of the oppressions that Athole's men did about Inverary, and tooke the fancie, the unluckie fancie of beating Athole and his men from that place, before wee should goe to the Lowlands: This vexed us exceedingly; we told him, that Athole having the castle, might keep it till he got succoures in despite of us; that his men would sculke and keep from fighting of purpose, till the inland forces and militia should get together, and incapacitate the best places of the country from joining when wee came; and very likely either hinder our landing, or give us no time to gather, but force us to fight too soone. He answered that our shipes might sail to Lock Fine, and ly before the castle of Inverary to molest them with our guns, and the army might march by land, and fight them out. It was replyed, that the ships with our armes and amunition, could not goe; for the English frigates (of which we then had heard that they wer at Aire) would easily come to Lock Fine, and catch our shipes and stores, so as there could be no escaping; and for fighting Athole's men, it was sure they wold retire from us, of purpose to keep us up in that place: He, finding so great aversion from that motion, both in gentlemen and seamen, said he was willing to

goe altogether to the Lowlands, but the Highland gentlemen could not be inclined to leev their country under the enemies feet, and goe with us :Wee took what paines wee could with them, and desired the Erle that it might be proposed to themselves; who getting them together proposed it to them, as a motion from the Lowland gentlemen: They desired to goe apairt to talk among themselves of it, and very soon returned againe, and unanimously agreed that it was the best to goe to the Lowlands; and de. clared they would leev that country and their intrests, to what hazard so ever; for they doubted not that wee could see their damages repaired, if wee prevailed in the Lowlands; which was the place indeed to be reckoned upon for the support of our bussiness, and not the Highlands ; Wee wer well pleased at this answer, and assured them of what they expected, if we should prevaile: The Erle said litle, but seemed determined, and being late, they parted. Next day he made a new motion, that he thought wee wer so many men as might serve both to goe to the Lowlands with us, & stay with him in that countrey, as he inclined; wherby he might get more men ther, chase Athole's men out, or at lest protect the countrey, and put the inland forces, or pairt of them to be sent that way; whereby wee in the Lowlands might levie with the more ease: Wee condescended heartilie to the motion, sate with him, agreed what men, armes and amunition should go and what ship: He made a step out from us, and in half an houre after called out Sir John, and retreated from all condescended to; which so madded Sir John, and the rest of us, that every one discernd great dissatisfaction amongst us; but provisiones falling scarce, wee wer almost forced from thence; so put all aboard ships and boats and sailed towards Boot: On the way tooke a timber ship, who had

seen

seen the English frigate the Fisher. In the evening we landed at Rothsay in Boot, & lodged there; next day people wer sent out to drive in kowes for meat, and some partyes to severall places in the isle, Sir John Cochrane and I went in the Sophia and David, up Clide to Greenock, intending to get meat there for the camp; wee discerned a strong party of horse coming toward the town; when they came at it, I caused fire 2 guns, which put them from their ground; they marched up the hill: Sir John was for landing men, but I was against it because wee had but few, and only 3 ship boates, that could not cary above 20 a piece, at most, rowers and all; yet Sir John sent two boats full with a person I had a great kindness for, Mr Fullarton, comanding; I seeing this, sent a boat full, and went myself in a litle pinace with other 6, all it would hold; Fullarton's boate only was landed, when the pinace came ashoare: he drew up 12 firelocks in a little yard, seing as many horsemen coming towards him; Jhonston of 'y' Jlk younger comanding the partie, held up a hankerchief; wherupon Fullarton with 3 went out to parly, but while parlying, Jhonston fired on them, then ran off; the other fired after him, and as some other of the horsemen came up to fire, the other 3 with Fullarton fired, and beat them off: By this time other two boates with men landed, and wee came, & joining Fullarton, drew up the whole pairty together; but our great gunes played over us, as I had ordered, came near the body of horse, and made them reell; so they marched off over all the hill, & left us: then Sir John landed, and we went in, the towne, and tooke some meal out of a girnull, and a pretty barque out of the harbour, and returned to Roth

зay.

While wee wer away, the Erle had caused burn the castle, because a house of his had been burnt in Cowall; this

vexed us much, because it savoured of private revenge, and wee disliked these methods: Also he had sent Mr Charles into Cowall to get some more men, but getting few, and wanting amunition, was pursued by Athole's men ; and leaving his party too inconsider ately to fetch some amunition, they imediately run after him: Athole's men pursued, kil'd some, took a few prisoners, the rest escaping into Ey landgrig castle: This affront made the Erle more intent on nighting Athole's men, and backward of going to the Lowlands, so as wee wer put beyond all patience; so that meeting together, comission was given by the rest to Sir John and mee, to treat with the Erle perempterly on the point; the Erle would gladly have shifted, but being pressed, fell in great pas sion: Sir John ceded, but I insisted in high termes with him; so as he. came, as afterward appeared, to suspect that wee would comand the shipes, and goe without him: But he yielded not, only desired 24 hours delay, and he wold satisfy us all what he would doe; he went in boat imediately, and viewed Islandgrig castle; at his returne he told us, that the English frigates being on the coast, wee could not saile with our armes and amunition aboard to the Lowlands; for beside that they might fall on us at sea, and sinke us all, we could not get time for them to lever and take out our store: but he had found a strong place where to put our store, which was within so narrow rocky passages of sea, as no man of war durst adventer it; and the castle in an isle within the lock, that no cannon could be brought to it by land; and if we would saile thither to see it, he would take us by the Keiles of Boot, so as wee should have it in our choose still, whither to unloade, or goe loaded to the Lowlands; to which if we inclined, there wer such wayes of escaping among these Keiles, that in dispite of many shipes, we might saile whither

the

the frigates should not discerne. Sir John yielded; others advised to comand one or two of the shipes, and leev the admirall, and the two prises, and severall small barques with open boates, with Argyle; and indeed wee wer masters of the seamen, who wer ready to obey us, whatever the Erle should contradict; but I could not condescend to part in that manner. ---I persuaded them to comply with him for these reasones: 1st, That such a breach would be shamefull. 2d, That if we wer catched by the way, or not succeed in landing, or suffer in landing, the ruines of the affaire would be. charged upon us. 3d, I did really be lieve that he would oppose us by force; for he had comanded companies of Higlanders aboard all the shipes. 4thly, That his overtures' carried something of reason in its alternative, if his suppositions hold: By these arguments they wer diverted, but John Cochrane, who caried worthily all along, with the greatest diffi-, culty Her wee got returnes from Irland, by our messengers sent from Holland thither, very satisfactory.

:

Wee sailed near Eylandgrig, straite and difficult passages indeed, saw the castle which the Erle was so fond of, and being asked how wee liked it, some told the Erle it signified nothing; I, having advised with the seamen, who told mee that the frigates might come up if well piloted, indeavoured to dissuade the Erle to put the store in the castle, as certainly being safer in the shipes; he said I had not skill, but was much mistaken: This question was quickly decided by the frigates their blocking up the two passages wherby only our shipes could get out; they being at the first piloted in, whither the Erle thought they durst not adventer; yet he said still, they could not come the lenth of the castle, the passages being much narrower; and indeed our shipes, tho' far less than they, could hardly get up: Here was all the amunition & good

arms put up, the castle garisond, and an earthen fort built, on which our best ships gunes wer planted, none be ing above 5 or 4 pounders; on a fan. cie, but a foolish one, that if the frigates should get up; these guns would cut their shrowdes and tackling, at greater distance, than their 30 or 28 pounders would batter the earthen new made fort.

While the shipes were unloading, and fort making, the Erle comanded Collonell Rumbold with the horse, & Major Henderson with 300 foot, who marched by land to the side of Lock Fine over-against Inverarie, and so up the lockside to Arkinlas; some 500 of Athole's men came marching about the Lockhead, a short way towards them; they engaged, and our men did well, killed severall of them, but could not force them to a closs fight, or from their strong grounds, where they made a show of salying and skirmishing: Notice came to Argyle, who immediately comanded the army to march to Inverarie ward, for assisting our men, who wer said to be engaged and need aide. The voluntiers that came from Holland had chosen mee to leed them as a modelld company, yet wer very averse from marching thither, (though I ernestly pleaded to persuade them, alleadging plainly, that it was but a trick of the Erle to engage us against Inverary; and that our pairty was not engaged; yet I prevailed with them, by promising that if they wer not engaged already, who wer there, and that Athole's men would not fight us at our coming, I should instantly returne with them, and take what course they should resolve upon : The Erle hearing of their aversion, and not expecting them along with him, but that they intended to pairt for the Lowlands; gave an order to the comander of the castle, and ordered of the fort and shipes in his absence; that if any persons should goe away, he should disarme them; but this wee knew not till wee returned. All

marched

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