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About 7 o'clock in the same even

Tuesday, October 7th. The planet VENUS is at present si-ing the second and fourth satellites of tuated in longitude 5..23°..11.54", and latitude 1°..27' north. Her declination is 4°..2′ north, and she will come to the meridian at 45 minutes after 10 o'clock in the morning.

On the same day, about 45 minutes after 6 o'clock in the evening, the second and fourth satellites of Jupiter will be in conjunction in the eastern side of his disc. The first is situated on the same side nearer Jupiter, and the third on the same side at a greater distance.

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On the same day the planet VENUS will be in conjunction with ß Virginis, a star of the second mag. nitude. The distance of their centers at the time of conjunction will. be 46 minutes 12 seconds, and the planet will pass to the north of the

star.

Saturday, October 11th.

The GEORGIUM SIDUS is situated in longitude 6..25°..30 .4", and la. titude 32 minutes north. Its declination will then be 9°..22' south, and it will south a' few minutes after 12 o'clock noon.

Monday, October 14th.

The first and third satellites of Jupiter will be in conjunction on the

western side of his disc. The second and fourth are situated on the other

side of the planet, the fourth being at the greatest distance.

On the same day the planet SATURN will be situated in longitude 6$..29°..52' 55".. and latitude 2o. 15' north. His declination will be 9°21′ south, and the time of his southing 12.30' noon.

Friday, October 17th.

The MOON will be in conjunction with JUPITER at 7 minutes after 1 o'clock in the afternoon.

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On the same day the first satellite of Jupiter will emerge from behind his shadow at 57'. 24" after 5 o'clock in the evening.

Jupiter will be in conjunction on the eastern side of his disc. The first is situated on the same side but nearer Jupiter, and the third is invisible, being between the Earth and Jupiter.

Saturday, October 18th.

The planet MERCURY will arrive at his superior conjunction with the sun at 3 o'clock in the morning.

Sunday, October 19th.

The longitude of JUPITER is at present 95..20..45'..4", and his latitude 6 minutes south. His dechnation is 23°. 32′ south, and the time of his southing 4..30' in the after

noon.

Monday, October 20th.

The second satellite of Jupiter will emerge from behind his shadow at 30 minutes after 6 o'clock in the evening.

Friday, October 24th.

The Sun will enter the sign Scorpio at 6 minutes after 2 o'clock in the D. B. morning.

Memoirs of the Progress of MANUFACTURES, CHEMISTRY, SCIENCE, and the FINE ARTS.

MM. von Humboldt and Gay-Lus

sac have published the results of some interesting experiments made at Naples, with the raja torpedo.They selected for this purpose large and lively subjects. They received a shock on touching with one finger a single surface of the electrical organs, or on laying both hands at once on both surfaces, the upper and the under; and it is a matter of indifference whether the person so touching the torpedo be insulated or not. If an insulated person touches the raja with only one finger, the touch must be immediate. No shock is felt if any conducting body, any metal for instance, intervene between the finger and the organ of the fish. And if a torpedo be laid upon a plate of

metal,

metal, it may be carried in one hand with impunity. The hand does not feel any commotion when another in sulated person irritates the fish, al. though convulsive motions of its breast-fins indicate the strongest dis. charges of its electrical matter. On the contrary, if the plate on which the fish lies be held in one hand, and the upper surface of the electrical organ touched with the other, a vehement shock is felt in both arms. The result will be the same if the fish be laid between two metal plates, the edges of which do not join, and the plates laid hold of with both hands at once. But if there be an immediate communication between the edges of the two plates, no shock is communicated. From experiments made with the elec. trometer and condensator, it appeared that flame is not a conductor of the electricity of the torpedo.

Gum Arabic is successfully used as a remedy in France for pulmona ry complaints.

M. Guyton gives the following as a sure specific against the effects of contagion:-Take four ounces of salt, six grains of oxide of manganese, water two ounces, and sulphuric acid two ounces. The manganese in pow. der is mixed with the salt in an earthen vessel, the water is then added, and afterwards the sulphurio acid. One fumigation is sufficient if the chamber be not inhabited; but if there be patients, it must be repeated three or four times.

Dr Westring, physician to the King of Sweden, has obtained excel lent dyes from different species of club-moss, lycopodium. The follow. ing is the method which he has found to be the most simple :-Take a quantity of this moss, dried and chopped, nearly double the weight of the cloth to be dyed. Put them into a proper vessel, a stratum of the moss between every fold of the cloth, and pour on a quantity of water suf.

ficient to cover the whole. Boil them together for two or three hours, adding more water from time to time, to supply the place of what is wasted by evaporation. Take out the cloth thus prepared, wring it, and hang it up to dry without rinsing. When the cloth is to be dyed, it must be rinsed carefully in cold water and put into a well-tinned copper with cold water, and a small quantity of brazil, and then boiled gently for half an hour or more, according as the tint is to be deeper or lighter. If too much brazil be used, the dye will have a violent hue. When it is taken from the fire, the cloth is to be rinsed in cold water. Care must be taken that none of the common mordants, either saline or astringent, are used, for they would alter the colour.

Dr Westring has found that the bark of the Scotch fir is an excellent tonic, and may be successfully used in several convulsive diseases, even epilepsy, and that it may be substituted for the cinchona. In some parts of Sweden it is made into bread, which is said to be nutritious and palatable.

Mr Nicholson has in his Journal given directions by which a person may save himself from drowning, if he chance to fall into the water. The results of Mr Nicholson's reasonings are, that if a man fall into deep water, he will rise to the surface by floatage, and will continue there, if he does not elevate his hands, and that the keeping them down is essential to his safety. If he move his hands under the water in any way he pleases, his head will rise so high as to allow him free liberty to breath. And if in addition, he move his legs exactly as in the action of walking up stairs, his shoulders will rise above the wa ter, so that he may use less exertion with his hands, or apply them to other purposes. He has himself been wit mess to the success of the experiment.

Cere

Ceremonies observed at opening the
JA SCOTTISH Parliament.
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From Scotia Indiculum, 1682.

WHEN the day comes in which

the first sessions of each parliament is to be held, the regalia, then crown, scepter, land sword of state, which are kept in the castle of Edin burgh, are brought down in state to the king's palace, the coach in which they are, being well guarded by a file of musqueteers every one who pass the coach being uncovered; and are carried by three of the antientest earls that are upon the place, bareheaded, before the king or his.commissippers In the great court, before the king's palace, all the mem bets in parliament do mount on horseback with foot cloaths. The burgesses ride first, being allowed one lackey a piece; two trumpeters in their coats bare headed; two purse vants in their coats bare-headed usher the t eway the commissioners from shires two and two. The officers of state, (not noble men) are next in order. The lords and barons of par liament; the bishops, the viscounts, the earls, and the two archbishops; all of them two and two: Next are four trumpeters in their coats bareheaded, two and two six heralds in their coats bare headed two and two, the gentleman usher bare-headed; Lyon king at arms, with his coat, and robes, and foot mantle, and his battoon in his hand, bare-headed, the sword of state, the scepter, and the crown, carried by three of the antientest of the nobility; on each side the honours, three mace-bearers bare headed; a noble man bare-headed, with a purse, and in it the lord high commissioner his commission. Then last of all the lord high commissioner, with the dukes and marquesses on his right and left hand: When the king is present, the master of the horse rides easie, but a little aside. Sept. 18.6.

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It is ordered there be no shooting, under the highest pains and penalties that day, neither displaying of ensigns, nor beating of drums, during the whole cavalcade: the officers of

state (not being noble men) ride in their gowns the whole members ride covered, except those that carry the honours. The highest degree, and the most honourable of that de gree, ride last.

Every duke hath eight lackeys, every marquess six, every earl four, every viscount three, every lord three, every commissioner for shires two, every commissioner for burroughs one, every noble man to have a gentleman to hold up his train: they may have their pages also.

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The two archishops to bave each of them eight lackeys; every other bishop three; and if they please they may have a gentleman to hold up their trains.

The noble mens lackeys have over their liveries, short velvet coats, with their badges, crests, and mottos, done in plate or embroidered, on their back and breast.

The great officers of state, ride up. from the abby, the king's palace, about half an hour before the cavalcade, in their robes, attended with their friends on horseback, waiting in the parliament house: when the commissioner enters the house, the lord chancellor takes his own purse, and ushers him from the bar to the throne: when the king is present, the lord chancellor receives his majes ty at the door of the parliamenthouse, and ushers him up to the throne.

The whole members of parliament wait on the high commissioner in the great hall; the noble men in their robes.

They return in the same order back to the palace; only the constable and mareschal ride on the commissioners right and left hand, with caps of per

mis.

mission : the lord chancellor and lord privy seal stay behind, until all march away, and then return in the same state to the palace, as they ride to the parliament house.

When the king rides in person, the lord chancellor rides, bearing the great seal: but this is not done before a commissioner.

When the king is present, the marquesses and dukes ride after the earls; but if his majestie's commis. sioner be present, they follow him at some distance, or on his right and left hand. After the king or his commissioner is received by the lord chancellor, he is seated on a throne, six steps high with a state over it: And in the first step under him, in a bench, sits the lord chancellor, with other officers of state, on both hands of him in the next step under these, sit the lords of sessions, or judges: on the right hand of the throne is the bishops bench, that rises up in two rows of benches: on the highest the two archbishops sit, and on the lower sit the bishops, according to the dignity of their sees.

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On the left hand of the throne there is another great bench, of three steps, and rows of benches, on which sits the nobility, according to their precedency.

In the middle of the four there are two tables; on the one whereof the regalia are laid, and in two great chairs by them sit the constable and mareschal; at the other table sits the lord clerk of registers, with his deputy clerks, who are the clerks of the parliament.

There are also forms placed on the floor; these on the right side are for the commissioners of the shires; and these on the left for the commissioners of the burroughs. When all are placed, the parliament is fenced (as the phrase is) in the king's name: then the king speaks to them, if he be present, in his robes with the crown on his head, all standing up

bare-headed : but when a commissioner represents him, he is in an ordi. nary sute, and stands and speaks also bare-headed: (nor is the commission. er covered when there is pleading at the bar, but continues bare-headed as all the members are) and tells them the reason for which they are called together, which is enlarged by the lord chancellor.

The next thing to be done, is the chusing of the lords of the articles, which is a matter of great impor tance, who are eight of every state, who have been chosen different ways; sometimes the bishops did chuse the eight lords, and sometimes the nobility the eight bishops. At other times the nobility did chuse their own eight, and the bishops their eight: but now it is settled by an act of parliament, that the king, or his commissioner, names eight of the bishops; the lords chuse eight for themselves; and these sixteen do chuse eight commissioners for the shires, and eight for the burroughs; these thirty-two are the committee of parliament, to prepare matters: when a bill is drawn by them, it is brought into the parliament: antient. ly all these bills were brought in the last day of the parliament, on which the members ride in the same as they do the first, and the bills being read, they were put to the votes of the parliament, and then were approved, or not; being approved, were presented to the king, who by touching with the scepter, gives his assent to them, which is done by his commissioner in his absence; if he refuse to touch them, they are of no force: matters have been fully and freely debated in parliament: sitting all in one house, every one answers distinctly to his name, and gives his vote, which is in these terms, I approve, or not approve; only these who are not satisfied one way or another, say non liquet, which is a great ease to those who are conscintious, and a

state

com

:

common refuge to the cunning politician the major vote carries it: no dissents or protests are allowed in publick acts; these are accounted treasonable; but in private acts that relate to mens properties and rights, any one may protest for his interest. After all business is ended, the king or his commissioner makes a speech to the parliament assembled, after which they are dissolved.

Sometimes the king his majesty makes use of a convention of estates, which can make no laws; only by this meeting impositions are laid upon the subjects: they do not sit in state; and have been most in use be fore the kings were crowned.

Whatever acts are passed in parliament, or convention of estates, are to be proclaimed soon after the dissolution, at the publick market-cross of Edinburgh, by the lyon king at arms, with a great deal of state and ceremony; after which they are obligatory on the subjects: and it is enact ed, that none of the lieges shall presume to impugn the dignity and au thority of the three estates, or any of them in time coming, under the pain of treason; the authority of the parliament being the supreme court.

Report from the Committee on the Funds arising from the Forfeited

Estates in Scotland.

IT was in the year 1745 that the adherents of the House of Stuart made their last attempt to place that family upon the throne of these kingdoms.

When the rebellion which they had raised was quelled by the decisive victory of Culloden, the attention of government was directed to the best means of preventing in future the return of internal disorders, by which the public at large, as well as the districts where they prevailed,

had suffered considerably. Among the measures adopted for that purpose, it was resolved, in the first place, to vest in the Crown the estates of those who had been attainted in consequence of their having engaged in that rebellion; and afterwards these estates were unalienably annexed to the Crown, and the rents and profits thereof were directed to be applied "for the better improving the Highlands of Scotland, and preventing disorders there for the future."

These estates accordingly continued annexed to the Crown, and the rents were applied for the purposes intended, until the year 1784, when an act was passed, enabling his Majesty to grant to the heirs of the former proprietors, upon certain terms and conditions, the forfeited estates in Scotland, and repealing the last recited act, by which they had been unalienably annexed to the Crown.

Among the conditions to which the restoration of these estates was made subject, the principal was the repayment of certain sums paid by the public on account of the debts due by the persons whose estates had been forfeited, amounting in all to 90,2141. 125. 5d. His Majesty was also authorised to grant the superiority of certain estates to the Dukes of Argyll and Atholl, on the payment of certain sums into the exchequer, to the amount of 32481. 169. 4d. Out of any payments thence arising, all engagements entered into by the Board of Annexed Estates. were to be defrayed.

The rents arising from these es tates having been unalienably appropriated to public purposes in Scotland, it necessarily followed, that any sums arising from the restora tion thereof should be applied to the same objects, Hence, by the disannexing act, 15,0col. was granted for completing a repository for the records of Scotland, and 50,000l. for

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