Abbildungen der Seite
PDF
EPUB

Memoirs of the Progress of Manu factures, Chemistry, Science, and the Fine Arts.

PROFE

ROFESSOR LESLIE has succeeded in freezing quicksilver by his frigorific process. This remark able experiment was performed in the shop of Mr Adie, Optician, here, with an air-pump of a new and im proved construction, made by that skilful artist. A wide thermometer tube, with a large bulb, was filled with mercury and attached to a rod passing through a collar of leathers, from the top of a cylindrical receiver. This receiver, which was 7 inches wide, covered a deep flat bason of nearly the same width, and containing sulphuric acid, in the midst of which was placed an eggcup halffull of water. The inclosed air being reduced by the working of the pump to the 50th part, the bulb was repeatedly dipt in the water, and again exposed to evaporation, till it became incrusted with a coat of ice about the 20th of an inch thick. The cup, with its water still unfrozen was then removed, and the apparatus replaced, the coated bulb. being pushed down to less than an inch from the surface of the sul phuric acid. On exhausting the receiver again, and continuing the operation, the icy crust at length started into divided fissures, owing probably to its being more contract ed by the intense cold than the glass which it invested; and the mercury having gradually decended in the thermometer tube till it reached the point of congelation, suddenly sunk almost into the bulb, the gage stand ing at the 20th part of an inch; and the included air being thus rarified about 600 times After a few minutes, the apparatus being removed, and the bulb broken, the quicksilver appeared a solid mass, which bore the stroke of a hammer. The ten

perature of the apartment was then 54° of Fahrenheit.

A valuable and simple process has lately been discovered by Edward Howard, Esq. F. R. S. for the refin ing of sugar, which promises to be of great advantage. The following is the outline of the process:

"Take brown sugar, sift it through a coarse sieve, then put it lightly into any conical vessel having holes at the bottom (like a coffee machine). Then mix some brown sugar with white syrup, that is, syrup of refined sugar, to the consistency of batter or thick cream, and pour it gently on the top of the sugar in the vessel till the surface be covered. The syrup will soon begin to percolate, and leave the surface in a state which will allow more syrup to be poured upon it, which is to be done carefully. The treacle will be found to come out at the bottom, having left the whole mass perfectly white. The first drop-, pings are to be kept apart, as the last will serve to begin anothera operation. The sugar is now in a pure state, except as to its com taining insoluble matter, which, may of course be separated by solution in water.-The clarification is to be performed by the best pipem clay and fuller's-earth, and the addition of neutral alum, if lime be previously contained therein; the, whole to be agitated together and, if expedition be required, it should be heated to the boiling point: the fæculencies will then subside. The brown syrup may also be much improved by means of tannin and the above earths. To make the sugar into snow-white powder, it is also necessary to evad. porate the clarified solution to dryness on a water-bath. To make loaves, the common methods may be resorted to, or the syrup drawn off by exhaustion, or small grains may be made aceording to M. Da

Trone's

[merged small][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small]
[blocks in formation]

Lord Liverpool presented a message from the Prince Regent, requesting that the usual assistance might be granted to Portugal.

Monday, March 16.

Lord LIVERPOOL moved the order of the day for taking into consideration the message of his Royal Highness the Prince Regent, on the subject of the subsidy to Portugal. In proposing an address to the Prince Regent, in answer, he paid a high compliment to the valour and discipline of the Portuguese troops, who had proved themselves capable of combating and conquering the legions of France.

Lord GROSVENOR said, he could not approve of the policy of the last year's campaign in Portugal and Spain. Unless we could strike some decisive blow at the power of France, the continued waste of our blood and treasure was highly impolitie. He should not, however, oppose the address.

April 1812.

After some remarks from Lord Darnley, who thought it would not be safe to disap point the expectations of Portugal, the address was agreed to.

Tuesday, March 17.

The committee of privileges sat this day, and proceeded with the further investigation of the claims of Sir James Innes Ker, to the honours and dignities of the Roxburgh peerage. The whole of the evidence referring to the pedigree of the claimant was gone through, and the committee adjourn ed till the first Tuesday after the Easter

recess.

Thursday, March 19.

Lord BORINGDON addressed the House upon the subject of the recent attempt to form a more extended administration. He entered, at large, into the situation of public affairs at home and abroad, and contended, that catholic emancipation could no longer be delayed without endangering the safety of the country. He concluded with moving an address to the Prince Regent, representing the necessity of forming an administration, so composed, as to unite the confidence and good will of all classes of his Majesty's subjects, which could not be enjoyed by an administration, the characteristic principal of whose domestic policy, as well as the bond of whose connection in office, is not only not to recommend, but to resist a fair and dispas sionate consideration of those civil abilities under which the Irish catholics still labour,

and expressing an anxious hope that his Royal Highness night yet be enabled to form an administration on a basis calcu

lated

[blocks in formation]

Lords Liverpool, Boringdon, Holland, Grey, and the Lord Chancellor, having spoken upon the point of order,

Lord GRIMSTONE again rose, and appealed to the successes atchieved under the auspices of the present administration, in proof of their competence to conduct the public affairs. Under this impression he proposed an amendment upon the motion, to the effect that the House acknowledged with gratitude the wisdom and prudence with which his Royal Highness had exercised the unrestricted powers which he now possessed, and assured his Royal Highness, that they felt the greatest satisfaction at the many and great successes which had recently attended his Majesty's arms; and that they relied entirely upon his constant endeavours to promote the honour and prosperity of the country, and to afford éffectual assistance to his allies."

Lord GREY, in justification of the answer returned by himself, and his absent friend (Lord Grenville) to the overture lately made to them, entered into a detail of the political questions upon which they were at issue with the existing administration.

The amendment was opposed, and address supported, by Lords Lauderdale, Darnley, Holland, Mountjoy, and Erskine, and Earl Moira; and the original address opposed, and the amendment supported, by Lords Liverpool, Mulgrave, Harrowby, and the Lord Chancellor, who read the original question and amendment from the Woolsack; when there appeared for the riginal question (the address)-Contents, 65Non-contents, 172-Majority against the address, 10%.

[ocr errors]

Friday, March 20.

The Earl of Liverpool brought down a message from the Prince Regent, on the subject of provisions for the Princesses. Monday, March 23.

Lord LIVERPOOL, upon the order being read for considering the message respecting the Princesses, said, that as the law at present stood, his Majesty was authorised to appropriate an annuity of L.30,000 to the Princesses, to commence on his demise. Thus, supposing there were four of them, they would have an annuity of between 7 and L.8000 each. If the number should be reduced to three, it had been provided that the L.30,000 should still be continued, so that then they would have L.10,000 each. If the number should be reduced to two, the annuity was to be reduced to L.20,000, leaving still L.10,000 each. If the number were to be reduced to one, then the annuity was to be L.12,000. It was now proposed to give L.9000 a year each, in the first instance; and if the number should be reduced to three, to give L.30,000, according to the original plan; if to two, L.20,000; and if to one, L.12,000. The only difference between this and the former plan, therefore, was, that L.9000 each was to be given in the first instance, instead of between 7 and L.8000 a year; and that the annuity was to commence im mediately, instead of the period of his Majesty's demise. He concluded, with moving an address in answer to the message.. To a question from Lord Grosvenor, he replied, that the grant was to be paid out of the consolidated fund; and in answer to a question from Lord Essex, he said he had no commands with respect to any additional pension for the Princess of Wales.-The address was then agreed to.

Wednesday, March 25.

The royal sssent was given by commission; after which the House adjourned till the 8th April.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.

Monday, March 2.

The sum of L.125,000 was voted towards the building of a military college at Sandhurst.

Tuesday, March 3.

Mr BROUGHAM addressed the House at great length upon the subject of the orders

[ocr errors][merged small]

had been expelled in 1809 from the Stock Exchange for his nefarious conduct; that he had given L.5000 for his seat in Parlia

in council, to which he attributed the dis-
tresses and embarrassments felt in every
part of the kingdom, and concluded with
moving for the appointment of a commitment, and had actually put that sum a-
tee to inquire into the state of the com-
merce and manufactures of the country,
and more particularly as it related to the
system of licences.

A long discussion ensued, in which the only novelty was, that Mr Canning supported the motion, being apprehensive that the extent to which the licence system had been carried had, contrary to the original intention of the orders in council, made their pressure fall more heavily upon the neutral than the enemy.-Towards the close of the debate, Lord G. L. Gower and Lord Milton complained that an opportunity had not been afforded them of delivering personally to the Frince Regent, several petitions from their respective constituents, against the orders in council.-On a division, the motion was negatived by 216 to 144.

Thursday, March 5.

The Speaker having informed the House that he had received a letter from Mr Walsh, stating his inability to attend the order of the House,

Mr BANKES rose and addressed the House upon the necessity of preserving their honour and dignity by the expulsion of such characters as Mr Walsh. He quoted a variety of precedents, to shew that this course had been taken in cases which fell very short of Mr Walsh's in point of delinquency. He concluded with moving" that Benjamin Walsh, Esq. a Member of that House, having been tried for felony at the Old Bailey in January last, was convicted thereof; but for the reason of the opinion of the judges, that the act did not amount to felony, a free pardon had been granted him: but as gross fraud and breach of trust had been proved against him on the said trial, he is unworthy and unfit to continue a Member of this House."

Sir A. PIGOTT opposed the motion, and contended, that none of the precedents cited are applicable to Mr Walsh.

Mr WHITBREAD, and several others opposed the motion, on the ground that Mr Walsh had been virtually acquitted in the eye of the law, and that the precedent of his expulsion might be dangerous.

Sir F. BURDETT, the CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER, and others, contended that the moral turpitude attached to Walsh's conduct demanded his expulsion. Sir F. Burdett, in his speech, stated, that Walsh

mong the assets of his estate given in to the commissioners under his bankruptcy! and that, in consequence, the parties implicated, had settled his debts, and hushed up the matter... An honourable Member had stated, that if Parliament voted to expel Mr Walsh, on the circumstances before them, they might go on to inquire into the moral conduct of three-fourths of the coun. try. If that were true, they were living in a very extraordinary state of society indeed. It put him in mind of the dialogue in the play, between Lady Macduff and her son. The child inquires" Must they all be hanged that swear and lie ?” "Every one," says the mother. "Who must hang them?" asks the child. "Why, the honest men,' says the lady. "Then the liars and swearers are fools," rejoins the boy," for there are liars and swearers enough to beat the honest men, and hang them up!" (a laugh.)

[ocr errors]
[blocks in formation]
[ocr errors]
« ZurückWeiter »