fcribing the general manner in which the experiments were conducted, and likewife the machine which was principally used in this experimental inveftigation. It is remarkable, that in this defcription the refervoir of the machine is faid to be of a conical form, its upper part being to the lower as four to three; and yet, in the plate, the refervoir is reprefented with parallel ades. In this experimental enquiry, which feems to have been conducted with much care and judgment, various new and curious facts, relative to the motions of fluids, are afcertained. They are clearly and particularly described; no obscurity is to be found in the reafoning; nor is the tyle prolix. The machines, and their principal effects, are exhibited in two copper-plate engravings. It being impracticable to give without the plates a juft, and, at the fame time, a concife idea of the contents of this valuable work, we shall only announce the twelve propofitions, which are principally proved in it. "Prop. I. The motion of a fluid is communicated to the lateral parts which are at reft. "P. II. If that part of an additional cylindric tube which is nearest the fide of the refervoir, be contracted according to the form of the contracted vein of fluid which iffues through a hole of the fame diameter in a thin plate, the expenditure will be the fame as if the tube were not contracted at all. "P. III. The preffure of the atmosphere increafes the expence of water through a fimple cylindric tube, when compared with that which iffues through a hole in a thin plate, whatever may be the direction of the tube. "P. IV. In defcending cylindrical tubes, the upper ends of which poffefs the form of the contracted vein, the expence is fuch as corref ponds with the height of the fluid above the inferior extremity of the tube. "P. V. In an additional conical tube, the preffure of the atmofphere increases the expenditure, in the proportion of the exterior fection of the tube to the fection of the contracted vein, whatever may be the pofition of the tube, provided its internal figure be adapted throughout to the lateral communication of motion. "P. VI. In cylindrical pipes the expenditure is lefs than through conical pipes, which diverge from the place of the contracted vein, and have the fame exterior diameter. "P. VII. By means of proper adjutages applied to a given cylindric tube, it is poffible to increafe the expenditure of water through that tube in the proportion of 24 to 10; the charge or height of the refervoir remaining the fame. "P. VIII. In the machine for blowing by means of a fall of wa. ter, the air is afforded to the furnace by the accelerating force of gra wity, and the lateral communication of motion combined together. P. IX. It is poffible, by means of a fall of water, to drain a piece of ground, without the help of machines: even though the ground fhould lie on a lower level than the established current below the fall. "P. X. The eddies of the water in rivers are produced by motion, communicated from the more rapid parts of the Atream, to the lateral parts, which are lefs rapidly moved, * P. XI "P. XI. If the water of the refervoir, which flows through an horizontal aperture, be influenced by any foreign motion, it will form an hollow whirl above the orifice itfelf. "P. XII. The lateral communication of motion takes place, in the air as well as in water." ART. 35. Refult of two Series of Experiments towards afccrtaining the refpective Velocity of floating Bodies, varying in Form; and towards determining the Form beft adapted to Stability, or poffefing most Power of refifting the Force of the Wind in carrying Sail: intended to convey afeful Hints to the Conftructors of Ships; with Obfervations; in a Letter to the Society for Improvement of Naval Architecture. By Charles Gore, Efq. of Weimer, in Saxony. 4to. 19 pp. A. and J. Black. 1799. The experiments which are defcribed in this pamphlet, were performed by a Mr. Hayward, under the infpection of John Hallet, Efq and the writer of this account. The machines employed in thofe experiments were lent to the above-mentioned gentlemen, by the Society to which the account is addreffed, and are the very fame that had before been employed in a series of fimilar experiments, in the Greenland-Dock, by a committee of the fame Society. There being no certain theory yet known, relative to the movements. of folids in fluids, whereby the velocity of a body of a given fhape and fize, and when actuated by a given power, may be determined; the neceffity of afcertaining fuch velocities in different circumftançes becomes very evident. It is by fuch means that a theory may at lalt be difcovered, and that improvements in naval architecture may be expected. In fact even the experiments that have been made during the few years which have elapfed fince the inftitution of the Society for the Improvement of Naval Architecture, are fufficient to remove feveral wrong notions, and, of course, to evince the truth of this obfervation. "I truft," fays Mr. Gore," that from what is demonstrated by the following plates, and the explanation thereof, the abfurdity of the preference which prevails in favour of that form, which is vulgarly denominated the Cod's Head, and Mackarel Tail; and the erroneous idea, which has been fo long and fo generally entertained, of a Spartowing with more ease when the Butt-end is foremoft, will be amply refuted, especially when it has been proved, by one of the manifold experiments made by your Committee, that the fmall End foremost, with the fame motive weight, exceeds the larger in velocity as 38,75 to 27,75, This alfo confirms the refult of an experiment made by me, the account of which I had the honour to tranfmit to you fome time fince." Agreeably to the annunciation of the title-page, this pamphlet contains two fets of experiments; the first for the purpofe of afcertaining the velocities of bodies of different fhapes, when drawn through water by a certain power; the fecond for the purpofe of afcertaining the refpective degrees of ftability, or power to refilt the preffure of the wind, in carrying fail, on bodies of different forms. For the firit fet of experiments feveral differently shaped bodies were dragged through water; and fome of them were ufed two different ways ways; that is, firft with one end, and then with the other end foremoft thofe ends being differently fhaped; which make in all nineteen variations. Both the fhapes of the bodies, and the refult of the experiments, are delineated and noted in one plate. "From the refult of which," fays this author, "it feems to appear, that the form best calculated for velocity, is a long parallel body, terminating at each end in a parabolic cuneus, and having the extreme breadth in the centre. Alfo, that making the cuneus more obtufe than is neceffary to break with fairness the curve line into the straight, creates a confiderable degree of impediment. And, I am inclined to think, from what I have ftated, that the length of Ships, which has already been extended with fuccefs to four times the breadth, is capable, with advantage, of ftill farther extension, perhaps to five, and, in foine cafes, even to fix times." The fecond fet of experiments was performed on four figures, whofe fpecific capacities and weights were precifely equal, though their forms differed in the extreme, as is shown in a fecond plate, which exhibits the refult of the experiments as well as the shapes of the bodies. "The materials of thofe figures were fimilar in quality, and they were balanced in fuch manner, as to be turned upon their respective centres of gravity, by application of the smallest: In short, they were perfectly homogeneous. A fmall pivot was driven into either end of the figures, at the point, where the perpendicular middle line interfects the line of flotation. The figures were then floated in a large Back, having two fmall hooks driven into the fide of it, at the edge of the water, the diftance between the two hooks being equal to the length of the figures. Two fmall lines were paffed from the pivots on the end of the figures, to the correfponding hooks on the fide of the Back, to counteract the inclination which the weight on the oppofite fide of the Back had to draw the figures over to that fide. This weight was attached to a line made fait at the top of a Staff, erected by way of maft, in the centre of the figures, and paffed over a pulley, elevated on a fimilar Staff attached to the fide of the Back, oppofite to that on which the before-defcribed hooks, &c. were placed; this pulley being fufpended in a groove, to admit of depreífion, as the figures became heeled or inclined, and confequently to be on a level with the top of the mast when in that pofition. Thus the power being always horizontally applied, was fimilar, in effect, to the force of the wind." POLITICS. ART. 36. Obfervations on the Produce of the Income Tax, and on its Proportion to the whole Income of Great-Britain; including important Facts refpecting the Extent, Wealth, and Population of this Kingdom. Part the Firt. By the Rev. Henry Becke, B. D. Svo. 88 pp. 25. Wright. 1199. The object of this writer is to fhow, that the part of the national income which is made liable to the income-tax, bears a much less pro portion portion to the whole than is generally imagined, and that, although the produce of that tax fhould prove lefs than has been computed, as he fuppofes it will, great refources remain in the wealth, population, and induftry of the kingdom. 66 To prove that the produce of the tax has been mifcalculated, Mr. Beeke examines the data on which it is founded, and difcuifes, with much industry and, as it feems to us, ability, the various branches of income. On fumming up thefe different articles, he infers, with great appearance of reafon, that the grofs produce of the tax will be about 7,670,000l. which, he thinks, will be reduced, by allowances and expences, below 7,000,000l. Yet, upon the whole, he approves of that tax, as greatly preferable to the increased affeffments before impofed, and thinks the failure (of being as productive as was expected) is chiefly occafioned by a circumftance that ought to give additional confidence, namely, by a more general diffufion of wealth among a greater number of inhabitants." "It has been," he obferves, "too much the fashion of late to magnify, either from malignity or ignorance, the difparity of human conditions. If the divifion of income among us were really fo unequal as it is continually represented by declaimers, where would thofe myriads of the middle clafs have been found, who have armed at their own expence for the general protection? If the inequality of income has been increafing, how is it that all taxes on articles of univerfal confumption are hourly more productive, while thofe of an oppofite kind are many of them diminishing? that, with respect to new taxes, thofe which bear on the general population ufually exceed, or at least equal expectation; while thofe which bear on articles of limited ufe, or, like this, are founded on a speculation of greatly concentrated income, almost always fall fhort of the firft calculations?" We are forry that our limits will not permit us to detail the important obfervations on the Income-Tax, which are contained in this tract, nor the writer's ingenious fuggeftions for regulating the payments by a different fcale. In the Second Part (which, if published, we have not yet feen) he promises to explain the caufes of our wealth, and to ftate fome very important facts refpecting the increase of population. It is hardly neceffary to add, that this author deferves great praife for his public fpirit and well-directed induftry, and that his work is one of the few, on fubjects of this kind, which may afford useful and important information. ART. 37. Thoughts on Taxation; with fome Suggestions relative to the 1799. By "Commiffioner of Taxes," in the title-page of this tract, is meant, as appears in the fequel, not one of the eltablished Board in London, but one of the Commiffioners for executing the late acts in fome diftrict in the country. The writer lays down fix governing principles which ought to regulate the fyftem of taxation, namely, that that all taxes should be productive, optional, equal, easy of collection, in- ART. 38. A Treatife on the Causes of Sedition, on the beft Remedy against this great Evil, and on what ought to be the Difpofitions of the British People, at the prefent great Crifts of the Alarm of an Invasion by the French. By James Wright, A. M. Minifter of the Gospel ar Maybole, Ayrbire. 8vo. 189 pp. 1s. 6d. Wright. 1798. "The introduction and growth of infidelity," is very properly ftated by this writer, to be the chief fpring of that difpofition to infurrection and anarchy which is now fo prevalent." The increase of wealth is confidered as another cause; a third, in his opinion, is the want of a ftrong fenfe of the reciprocal duties which ought to fubfift between fuperiors and inferiors;" a fourth is," the criminal neglect of religion, and of the worship of God." On these topics there are many juit and valuable obfervations, which though not in general new, cannot be too often repeated, or too forcibly impressed. The author next proposes, as the best remedy against a difaffected and feditious fpirit, "the revival of pure religion, and of the worship of God in fpirit and in truth." This recommendation is branched out into feveral particulars, fuch as the better obfervance of the Sabbath, the conftant ufe of private and family prayers; the duty of minifters to inculcate fubmiffion to the civil powers, &c. Another neceffary step towards "recovering men from a feditious fpirit," is (the author ftates) "the people's taking up a firm refolution to hear and receive the truth." This topic is alfo branched out into a variety of considerations, and the principles of the French revolutionifts, and their adherents, very juftly reprobated. The laft chapter is on the difpofition the people ought to have at the crifis when this tract was written, and on the alarm of an invafion by our enemies. The writer ftrongly recommends una nimity, and warns his countrymen against the abettors of French principles. Above all, he inculcates the duty of prayer, and truft in God. Fortunately the immediate danger has paffed over us; but his patriotie and pious fuggeftions have not the lefs merit on that account. The ftyle of this work is prolix, yet many parts are worthy of attention, and the fpirit by which it is actuated cannot be too highly praised. ART, |