fable even to a foot-traveller, which occafioned the Edinburgh poft due on Saturday night not to arrive till this morning; and the English poft has been full twentyfour hours later than ufual. The froft continues at prefent with great feverity, and without the smallest appearance of change of weather. MARRIAGES. Jen. a. 1784. At Thurfo Castle, Sir James Sinclair of Mey, Bt, to Mifs Jean Campbell, fecond daughter of the late Col. Campbell of Barcaldine, deputy-governor of Fort George. 9. At Hirfle, Col. Thomas Dundas younger of Fingafk, to Lady Elifabeth Eleonora Home, eldest daughter of the late Earl of Home. 27. At Edinburgh, Francis Ruffell, Efq; Advocate, to Mis Mary Bannerman, youngeft daughter of Sir Alexander Bannerman of Ellick, Br. BIRTHS. Jan. 2. At London, Lady Kinnaird, of her fourth fon. 10. At Belton, Mrs Hay of Belton, of a fon. 12. At Invergarie honte, Mrs Macdonell of Glengarie, of a daughter. 10. Mrs Campbell of Fairfield, of a fon. 21. At Edinburgh, Lady Pringle, of a fon. 48. At Edinburgh, Lady Haddo, of a fon. 39. At London, Lady Algernon Percy, of two fons. DEATHS. April 1783. On his march from Madras, Capt Athol Douglas, of the 1018 reg. of foot, fon of Lewis Douglas, Efq; of Garvald. April. At Madras, Capt. William Elliot, in the Eaft-India Company's fervice, Dec. 27. At Durham, at the house of Mr Mewburn, apothecary, Thomas Bowyer, Efq; of Tudhoe-hall, only son of the late worthy and learned printer; by whofe death, unmarried, 3000 1. reduced annuities bequeathed by his father contingently to the Company of Stationers, for the benefit of fix aged printers [See vol. 39, p. 623.; vol. 40. P. 322.] becomes fecured to them in perpetoity. He has bequeathed almost the whole of his property to Mi Mewburn. 19. At Coldingham-house, Berwickshire, Sir James Home, Bt. 31. At Murrayhall, Stirlingshire, Mrs Anne Haldane, daughter of the late John Haldane, Efq; of Lanrick, and relict of Thomas Forrester, Efq; of Denovan. Jan. 3. 1784. At Kirkmichael, Ayrshire, Mits Mary Kennedy, daughter of the deceafed David Kennedy of Kirkmichael, Esq. 5. At Garicadden houfe, William Colquhoun of Garicadden, Efq; 5. At London, Griffin Ranfom, Esq; father to Lady Kinnaird 9. At Edinburgh, Mrs Agnes Hunter, wis dow of Robert Hunter, Efq; of Thurston. 13. Lo-Gen. Jorden Wren, aged 90, col lonel of the 4ft reg. of foot. 11. At his houfe of Nefbit, John Carre, Efq: 13. At Glasgow, Dr William Craig, one of the minifters of that city. 13. At his houfe of Rofs, William Aikman, Efq; of Bromleton, in the 89th year of his age. 15. At London, in her Both' year, Countefs-Dowager of Home. the 16. At Aughtergaven, in the 66th year of his age, and 37th year of his ministry, Mr Andrew Williamfon, minister of that parish! 16. At Lauriefton, Sir Walter Riddell of Riddell, Bt. 18. Robert Rutherford, Efq; of Fairnilic. 2. At Edinburgh, Mrs Euphan Chalmer, widow of Mr Andrew Chalmer writer in E dinburgh. 22. At Elgin, Dr James Hay, one of the minifters of that town, in the 48th year of his age and 21ft of his miniftry. 23. At Edinburgh, Mrs Cecilia Lennox, filter to William Lennox of Woodhead, Efq. 24. At Hailes, Mrs Janet Clerk, relict of James Carmichael of Hailes, Efq; 25. At Craigbarnet, Stirlingshire, James Stirling of Craigbarnet, Efq; 25. At Inverary, in the 95th year of her age, Mrs Martha Brown, relic of Alexander Duncanfon, Efq; of Keils, late Provoft of Inverary. 26, At Stirling, Mrs Ifabel Murdoch, wife of Mr William Bryce of Bawton. 26. At London, aged 29, the Rt Hon. Amelia Baronefs Conyers, Lady of George Byron, Efq. She was the only daughter of the late Earl of Holderness; and was firft married, in 1773, to Francis Godolphin Ofborne, Marquis of Caermarthen, by whom fhe had two fons and a daughter, and from whom the was divorced, and remarried to the Hon. Capt. Byron. By her Ladyship's death the title of Baron Conyers defcends to her eldest fon by her first husband, George William Frederick (now Earl of Danby), born July 21. 1775. This fucceflion pro duces a most remarkable circumftance; that of father, son, and grandfather, poffeffing peerages, and a right of fitting and voting in the Houfe of Lords at one and the fame time, in the perfons of the Duke of Leeds, his fon the Marquis of Caermarthen, and his grandfon the Earl of Danby. The young Earl is heir to three of the first estates in this country; that of the late Earl of Holderness, the prefent Duke of Leeds, and Lord Godolphin. 29. At Edinburgh, Sir George Clerk, Br, one of the commiflioners of the customs, and King': remembrancer in exchequer. 29. At Daldowie, George Bogle, of Dal dowie, Efq; 31. At Portsmouth, Sir John Hamilton,' 56 Preferments, Mortality bill, Prices, of Grain, Stocks, &c. Vol. 45. Bt, captain of the Hector guardship. He is fucceeded in title by his eldest fon Charles, a lieutenant in the navy. PREFERMENT S.. From the London Gazette. The King has been pleased, Dec. 31, 1783, to appoint the Earl of Ayles. ford, Thomas Lord Walfingham, and the Rt Hon. William Wyndham Grenville, to be of the Privy Council. - to deliver the custody of the feals of the duchy and county palatine of Lancaster to the Earl of Clarendon. Jan. 2. 1784 to appoint the Earl of Chefterfield to be Ambaffador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the King of Spain. to appoint Arthur Stanhope, Efq; to be Secretary of Embasy to the King of Spain. -to appoint the Earl of Aylesford to be Captain of the Yeoman of the Guard. to appoint Lord de Ferrars to be Captain of the Band of Gentlemen Penfioners. ➡to appoint the Earl of Galloway to be one of the Gentlemen of the Bedchamber. 6. to grant to the Earl of Tankerville, and the Rt Hon. Frederick Carteret, the office of Poftmaster-General. to appoint the Rt Hon. Sir George Younge to be Secretary at War. 7. to appoint the Earl of Chesterfield to be of the Privy Council. 9. to confer the honour of Knighthood on Lt-Col. Henry Auguftus Montague Colby. 16. to confer the honour of Knighthood on Barnard Turner, Efq; alderman and one of the sheriffs of London. 17..to appoint Samuel Eftwick, Efq; to be Secretary and Register to Chelsea Hospital. 20. to grant to George Auguftus Selwyn, Efq; the office of Surveyor of his Majesty's Caftles, Honours, Lands, and Woods, in England. 31. to grant to the following three perfons the dignity of a Baron of the kingdom of Great Britain, viz. His Grace Hugh Duke of Northumberland, during his natural life, by the name, style, and title of Lord Lovaine, Baron of Alnwick in the county of Northumberland; with remainder to his Grace's fe cond fon, Algernon Percy, Efq; (commonly called Lord Algernon Percy), and the heirs male of his body lawfully begotten. To the Rt Hon. Henry Frederick Carteret, and the heirs male of his body lawfully begotten, by the name, style, and title of Baron Carteret, of Hawnes, in the county of Bedford; with remainders to the Hon. George Thynne, fecond fon, the Hon. John Thynne, third fon, and the fourth, fifth, fixth, feventh, and every other fon and fons, feverally and fucceffively, of the Rt Hon. Tho mas Lord Viscount Weymouth, and the respective heirs male of their bodies lawfully begotten To Edward Eliot, of Port Eliot, in the county of Cornwall, Efq; and the heirs male of his body lawfully begotten, by the name, ftyle and title of Baron Eliot, of St Germains, in the faid county of Cornwall. To appoint Richard Gamon, Efq; to be one of his Majefty's Commiffioners for Salt Duties. To grant to Thomas Aftle, Efq; the office of Keeper of the Rolls and Records of the Court of Chancery in the Tower of London. War-office, Jan. 17. 41ft foot, invalids: Maj. Gen. Archibald M'Nab to be Colonel, vice Jorden Wren; and Col. William Roberts to be LieutenantColonel, vice Archibald M'Nab. War-office, Jan. 24. 1 Lt-Col. Andrew Gordon, of 10ft foot, to be Lieutenant-Colonel in the East-Indies only, dated 23d May 1781. Prices of grain at Haddington, Feb. 6. 1784. Wheat, Bear, Oats, Beft. zos. od. Second. 18s. 6 d. Third. 175. od. 205. od. 18s. od. 16s. od. 145. 6d. 12s. 3d. 155. od. | 135. od. Edinburgh, Feb, 10. 1784. Oat-meal,1 s. 1 d. Bear-meal, 9d. Pease-meal, gd. SCOTS MAGAZINE. FEBRUARY, 1784 C N T EN TS. Account of experiments made with AERO-Singular SENTENCE of the King of Prufha87. STATIC GLOBES $7. Plan for a New Order of MILITARY MERIT 60. Sketch of the Character of Dr ALEX. WEBSTER GI. Dean Tucker on the present INTERESTING -DISPUTES in parliament 63. ANECDOTES: King of Spain 64. A young Lawyer ib. PARLIAMENT. Commons on the Yorkshire petition for a more equal representation 65. Motions against ministry 67. Minister queAtioned, whether or not the parliament is to be diffolved 71. On the King's answer to the addrefs of Dec. 22. 72. Committee on the state of the nation 73. Motion for a union of parties 74. Mr Coke's motion against miniftry 75. Refolutions to be laid before the King 76. Lords on the refolutions of the Commons of Dec. 24. 79. Addrefs 82. Anfwer ib. Firft Report of Committee on ILLICIT TRADE, Concluded 83. Abstract of the New RECEIPT-ACT 87. NEW BOOKS. Obfervations on the paffage to India continued 88. Anecdotes of the Ruffian Empire 91. Poems by a Literary Society 94. Hoole's Trängation of Orlando Furiolo 95. POETRY. Hayley's Character of Ariosto 967 Stanzas by A. Thistlethwayte on meeting a man loaded with facks, and an oak, bough in his hat, on the 19th of May ib. Prologue and Epilogue: to Reparation ib. The Air-Balloon 97. HISTORICAL AFFAIRS. Turky: Treaty of peace with Ruflia 97. Germany: King of Prussia and the magistrates of Dantzick 98. Italy 101. France ib. Eaft Indies: Gen. Stuart arrested roa. England: Negotiations for a union of parties 104. Hodgson and Ld Grantham 106. Addreffes ro8. Scotland: Chamber of commerce, &c. 110. LISTS. Marriages, Births, Deaths, Preferments, Infirmary Tables, Mortality-bill, Prices of Grain, Meal, and Stocks 111, 12. Account of the principal Experiments late- tice whatever, but fhall merely confine ly made with Aeroftatic Globes. T [From the Monthly Review.] HE avidity of the public for authentic intelligence concerning the progrefs of aerial navigation, will, we hope, fufficiently juftify us for laying before our readers fuch well-attefted facts relating to that curious fubject as feem to merit attention. There is now scarce a town of any note in Europe, that has not repeated the first experiments in fome shape or other; and probably there will foon be none in any part of the globe but what will be entertained by fimilar exhibitions. Of these we shall take no no • Among the laft annual prefents fent by VOL. XLVI. ourfelves to fuch essays as are made with a view to improvement. The brilliant fucceffes of the Parifian Aeronauts gave no doubt fome countenance to the confidence of one of the original inventors, (the elder Montgolfier), who undertook to conftruct at Lyons a fire-balloon of an immenfe fize, with the King of France to the Emperor of China, were twelve balloons, with the neceffary ma terials, and directions to the miffionaries for launching them. menclature, we beg leave, for the future, to † As every new science requires a new nodiftinguish the globes fwelled by heat by the name of fire-balloons, and those filled with inAammable air by that of gas-balloons. We shall foon have to speak of lamp-balloons. H which, which, if he did not actually engage, it was at least given out by his friends, that he proposed to afcend himself, and eight more perfons, with a confiderable cargo of goods, and to perform a voyage of no lefs a distance than either Paris or Marfeilles, according as the wind should serve. A fubfcription was opened for this purpofe, which foon filled, and raised 1801. The balloon was formed of double canvas, inclosing three layers of paper. The upper part was afterwards, at the defire of Pilatre de Rozier, changed into a fim ple cotton cloth. It measured 126 feet in height, and 100 feet transversely, and weighed about 8000 lb. It received its name from M. de Fleffelles, the intendant of Lyons, a great promoter of the enterprise; and Pilatre de Rozier, the modern Dædalus, from whom we devoutly deprecate the fate of Icarus, was appointed captain of the expedition. Of the number who eagerly folicited to be the crew, the following were enlifted: M. Montgolfier fenior, the eldeft fon of the Prince of Ligne, the Counts d'Anglefort, Laurençin, and Dampiere, and M. Fontaine. The departure had been announced for the 10th of January laft; and in fact, all being ready, an attempt was made to fwell the globe; but whether from the crowding of 100,000 fpectators who had flocked to the fpot from 100 miles round, whether from the inclemency of the weather, or from fome fault in the conftruction, the defired object was not obtain ed, the globe fwelling only partially. Repeated trials were made during feveral fucceffive days, but they always failed; and in one of them, the fire having been confiderably increased, part of the canvas and cloth were burnt. These repeated difappointments had fo far difheartened the people, that they began to defpair of fuccefs, and accounts had already reached Paris that the project had been laid afide. The projectors, however, were not fo eafily daunted. They foon repaired the damage occafioned by this and feveral other untoward accidents, and were ready for another effay on the 19th of January. The 100,000 fpectators re-affembled. The feven navigators afcended the gallery, in fpite of the remonftrances of P. de Rofier, who wished to imbark only two or three. The fire was lighted at forty-five minutes after two P. M. the globe fwelled in about feventeen minutes, and actually a. fcended amidst the acclamations of the multitude. It firft took its course with the wind to the S. W. but fortunately it foon after turned to the N. E.; for had it continued in its firft direction, it would infallibly have dropped into the Rhone. Its greatest elevation was vaguely eftimated at about 5oo toifes. It floated, fome accounts say fifteen, and others only five minutes. It then defcended with a velocity that alarmed the fpectators, and alighted in a field not very diftant from the place of its departure. This sudden defcent was afcribed to a rent near the top of the machine. None of the navigators were hurt. The crowd arrived in the field: feveral ladies who came in coaches, refigned their places to the adventurers, who entered the town in triumph. Montgolfier and Rosier appeared in the evening in the box of the intendant at the play. Nothing could exceed the acclamations with which they were received, which were repeated in parts of the play that had fome diftant allufion to the glory of the day. Laurel wreaths were produced, one of which Madame de Fleffelles placed on the head of Montgolfier, who immediately took it off, and another on that of P. de Rozier; the latter fnatched off his, and placed it on the head of the former. How M. Montgolfier, who is reprefented as a calm and modeft perfonage, muft have relifhed this bustling frolic, we leave to fober minds to conjecture. Some of the other navigators. were discovered in the pit; crowns were handed to them, and they were invited into the box of the intendant. A concert fucceeded the play, and the whole night was fpent in ferenading, congratulations, and mirth bordering upon madness. Notwithstanding thefe extravagant demonftrations, which feem to imply that the expectations of the people had been fully answered, there are, however, accounts which speak in far more moderate terms of the fuccefs of the experiment; and fome there are (perhaps the partisans of Charles) who even attempt to throw a ridicule upon the whole *. Unprejudiced as we are, we confefs, that although we have collected this narrative The happy turn of the following epigram and not its farcafm, induces us to infert it here. Those who understand it will fee that it cannot be rendered into English: Vous venez de Lyon: Parlez nous fans myftere: Le globe?-il eft parti-Le fait eft il certain? Je l'ai vu-dites nous, alloit-il bien grand train? S'il allois! ab parbleu! il allait ventre à terre. from from the beft authorities that could be obtained, we are not fatisfied that we bave given the exact truth; and indeed, at this distance, we fear it will scarce be poffible for us, or any one befide, to difcriminate accurately between the effufions of enthusiasm and the suggestions of party. This much however appears certain, that the fuccefs was by no means adequate to the fanguine expectations of the projectors; and indeed, if we recollea how rapidly the effect of fire decrea fes in proportion to the increase of the diftances; and that in this inftance, affuming the effect of the fire at the diftance of one foot to be as unit, it could at the top of the balloon, when diftended, be no more than of that unit, we shall not be surprised at the difficulties that offered, nor at the fudden defcent after the globe had reached a cold and rarefied ftratum of the atmosphere, (even though there had been no rent), in which the neceffary dilatation of the internal air would have required a fire much more intense than would have been compatible with the fafety of the apparatus. In the next experiment we have to defcribe, an apparatus was to be applied to a gas balloon, for fteering it both horizontally and vertically, and even against a current of air. M. Blanchard, an artift of Paris, had fome years fince announced that he was preparing wings with which he meant foon to take a flight. The late discovery seemed to haften the execution of his project. He constructed a globe fimilar to that of Charles [See vol. 45. p. 650.], only two feet more in diameter, i. e. fourteen feet two inches. To this he fufpended a car; and between the globe and the car he fixed an umbrella twelve feet in diameter, the intention of which was to break the fall in cafe of an accident; it was hence called para chute. To the car were adapted four wings, two on each fide, and behind a rudder, all made of taffeta, distended by means of whalebone-ribs. All this was to be worked by a machinery of M. Blanchard's invention. He was to afcend himself for the purpose of navigating the machine, and Dom Pech, a Benedictine, was to accompany him, with a view of making various aerological observations and experiments. Every thing was ready on the 2d of March, in the Champ de Mars. A party of M. Blanchard's friends had repaired to a certain country-houfe, where he had promifed to meet them through the air. The navigators were embarked, and ready to foar, when behold a young man, a pupil of the Ecole Militaire, rushed from among the crowd, threw himself into the car, and infifted upon fharing in the expedition.-Remonftrance availed nothing, force was used; but he drew his fword, and in the fcuffle wounded Blanchard in the hand, deftroyed the parachute and the wings, and thus defeated the purpose of the experiment. At length he was overpowered and fecured. Notwithstanding this cruel difappointment, the two adventurers determined to take a chance flight. They rofe; but their power of afcenfion was not fufficient to carry them to any height; they therefore foon landed. Dom Pech alighted, and Blanchard immediately afcended very rapidly. The wind being eaft, he was carried to the weftward. The account he gives of his navigation is, that he rose above two thousand toi fes, (we presume this to be much exaggerated); that he found himself at times ftationary in a perfect calm, during which the heat of the fun was fcorching; that he at different times felt currents of air in different directions, in fome of which the cold was intense; that during these cold intervals he felt an almost uncon querable defire to fleep; that clouds collected under his feet, and that it appeared to him that he was at different times carried towards different parts of the compass. He continued in the air about one hour and a quarter; after which he landed fafely near Seve, on the road to Verfailles, about five miles from the spot whence he afcended. The failure of this experiment hath, we hear, by no means difcouraged M. Blanchard from farther attempts; and indeed we learn that he is already conftructing another machine on the fame principle, in which he and an affiftant, M. Affier Perica, are to ascend as soon as it can be got ready. This profpect hath induced us to be more particular in our account of the prefent experiment than its fuccefs may perhaps feem to juftify. We may probably have occasion to refer to it hereafter. It may be neceffary to apprise the perambulators of St James's Park, that M. Charles is faid to be actually, by order, and at the expence of the King of France, conftructing a gas balloon forty feet in diameter, which is to confift of three Ha coats, |