trading in slaves, at least tended to the encouragement and promotion of the traffic on the coast of Africa. In order to do this, he proposed to vest in her Majesty in Council the power of making certain orders for the purpose of placing persons engaged in the African trade under similar obligations, superintendence, and restrictions, to those which he had proposed to apply to joint stock companies engaged in mining, and to other slave trading companies. The bill contained other provisions, into which it was unnecessary for him to enter at present; for his only object now was to give a general outline of the measure, in order to facilitate its consideration by their lordships during the recess.He would move the first reading of the bill to-night, and the second reading would not, of course, take place until after the recess. He begged to move, that this bill be now read a first time."-United Service Gazette.

Much interest was yesterday (Sunday) excited throughout the city in consequence of the announcement that those ministers of the city churches who have adhered to the new secession would no longer preach in their own pulpits, and had provided themselves with separate places of worship. It was originally understood that they were to continue their ministrations till the first Sunday in June, when they would finally and formally demit their charges; but the steps taken by the General Assembly for declaring the churches vacant, and provid ing for their supply, rendered this course no longer practicable. Accordingly seven of the city churches were yesterday vacated by their former ministers, and others provided in their stead. St. George was occupied by Professor Gray; the Tron by Professor Hill; St. Enoch's by Dr. Graham, of Killearn; St. Paul's by the Rev. Mr. Beveridge of Inveresk; St. David's by Dr. Macnaughten of Arran; St. John's by the Rev. Mr. Fisher of Rosebank; and St. AnTHE SCOTCH CHURCH.-The General Assembly drew's by the Rev. Mr. Smith of Cathcart. The and the Free Assembly have both adjourned: the attendance in each of these churches was much former until May, 1844; the latter until October thinner than usual; and we are not aware that any next. After the passing of the resolutions on either public intimation was made in any of them in reside for legally completing the separation of the se- ference to the disruption that had taken place. The ceding body, the Assemblies were principally occu- seceding clergymen were variously distributed pied with routine business. The total number of throughout the city. Dr. Brown (St. John's) preachseceders is 430, of whom 399 have signed the pro-ed in the City-hall in the forenoon, and Dr. Buchantest. This is something less than a third of the nan (Tron) in the afternoon and evening. Dr. entire Presbyterian ministry. The Marquis of Henderson (St. Enoch's) officiated, forenoon and Breadalbane has joined the Free Assembly, and it is afternoon, in the New Corn-exchange, Hope-street. rumored intends to contribute£10,000 to their funds. Dr. Paterson, (St. Andrew's) occupied the Black On adjourning the General Assembly, on Mon- Bull Hall; Dr. Forbes (St. Paul's) the Methodist day last, the Moderator, in his short address, said: Chapel, Cannon-street; Dr. Smyth (St. George's) occupied Willis's Church, Renfield-street; and Mr. Lorimer (St. David's) preached in the Assembly. rooms. Such of these temporary places of worship as required alteration were comfortably fitted up for the occasion with pulpits and forms, and all of them crowded to overflowing with respectable audiences. In the City-hall especially the crowd was immense. Upwards of 4 000 persons must have been present at each diet of worship, and hundreds withdrew unable to obtain admittance.-Britannia.

"I congratulate you upon the measures which you have taken to sustain the admirable schemes of your church, and to provide for the efficient supply of those charges which have been vacated by your seceding brethren; and I shall humbly pray with you that the spirit of your Great Master, the God of peace and love, may guide and strengthen you."

Dr. Chalmers, the Moderator of the seceding body, in closing the Assembly, spoke at great length. He adverted, among other things, to the position which they were to hold with reference to the Establishment, and spoke of its downfall as a probable THE CITY OF HAMBURGH has resolved to present result of their labors. That must not deler them to the Sovereigns, who assisted the inhabitants affrom going forward. If their principles were worth ter the conflagration of last year, letters of thanks, sacrificing their place in the Establishment for, they to be painted upon tablets of oak saved from the were worth the Establishment itself. They had no ancient city hall, and framed in bronze of the bells ill-will towards those who remained, and would of the churches that were destroyed. Each indihave no pleasure in seeing them lose their stipends; vidual who contributed to the relief is to be prebus, if the assertion of their principles caused them sented with a medal of the same material, and to leave their own livings, surely they would not those foreigners who on the spot assisted in checknow give upthose principles, simply because it risk-ing the progress of the calamity are to be honored ed the loss of the livings of others. That would be with the freedom of the city.-Athenæum. to love their neighbors not as, but a great deal better than, themselves-(Great laughter). The M. GAULTIER D'ARC.-On looking over the obituRev. Doctor concluded his address with many ex-aries of the past week, our eye has been caught hortations to zeal, and a fervent recommendation to in the Paris Journal, by a name, having some prethem to abound in prayer. He then dissolved the tension to a record as of an oriental scholar, but Assembly in the name of Christ, and the proceed-principally remarkable as a great historic designaings were closed with prayer and praise about one o'clock on the morning of Tuesday last.

tion, which dies with the subject of this notice. M. Gaultier d'Arc was the last descendant from Pierre d'Arc, the brother of the great French heroine-had long been secretary, in Paris, to the School of Living Oriental Languages, and was re

The consequences of this remarkable movement yet remain to be developed. If, as is most improbable, both bodies should continue to exist, they can only do so in opposition to each other, and by a di-cently Consul-General in Egypt.-Ibid. vision in nearly every parish in Scotland. Dr. Chalmers, it will be seen. expects the dissolution of the Establishment, including much the larger portion of the Scottish clergy. The Establishment, on the contrary, looks for the gradual dispersion of the seceders, as the zeal and excitement created by their separation dies away. If numbers are to prevail, it would seem from the subjoined paragraph given by the Glasgow Herald, that the seceders will be the strongest party :

STATUE OF JOAN OF ARC.-The Statue of Joan of Arc, the fine work of the late Princess Marie of France, presented by her royal father to the Department of the Vosges, was inaugurated, on the 9th of the present month, in its new abode in the house at Domremy, where the heroine was born, amid an immense concourse of spectators collected from all points of the department.-Ibid.

SCIENCE AND ARTS.

solder from straining the surface; they are then soldered on by means of a hydro-oxygen blow-pipe. SILVER PLATING.-Plating on copper was first The article is next boiled in a solution of pearlash introduced in the year 1742, by Mr. T. Balsover, a or soda, and scoured with fine Calais sand; the member of the Corporation of Cutlers at Sheffield. mounts are polished by a lathe, as silver articles, It was not, however, until about forty years after-with rotten-stone and oil; then cleaned with whitwards that the ornamented parts of plated articles, ing, and finished with rouge. A scratch-brush of called mountings, were constructed of silver. This brass wire is used for deadening the parts required; great improvement caused the manufacture of plated and the plain surfaces are burnished with tools of wares to become one of the staple trades of Shef-blood-stone or steel-soap and water being used in field. The process of manufacturing plated articles this operation, which is performed by women.-Lit. may be described as follows:-an ingot of copper | Gazette. being cast, and the surfaces carefully prepared by THE QUANTITY OF CARBONIC ACID GAS EXHALED filing so as to remove all blemishes, and a piece of IN RESPIRATION.-Messrs. Andral and Gavarret silver, also having one surface perfectly cleaned, draw the following conclusions from a series of exare tied together by means of iron wire. A mixture of borax in water is then passed round the edge with periments instituted by them, to discover the quantia quill; the mass is then placed in a common air-y of carbonic acid gas exhaled from the lungs in man-1st. The quantity of carbonic acid gas, exfurnace heated to a proper temperature, with a small haled in a given time, varies according to the age, aperture in the door for an inspection of this part of the process. As soon as the union of the two budies sex, and constitution. 2d. In man, as well as in is effected, which is known by the loosing of the woman, the quantity is modified according to the metal when the fusion of the two metals has taken age, independently of the weight of the individuals place, the bar is removed from the furnace. The experimented on. 3d. At all the periods of life, between the age of eight years and extreme old age, quality of the silver used in this process is what is inen and women are distinguishd by the difference termed standard, containing about 18 dwts, of copper in the quantity of carbonic acid gas exhaled by their to the lb. troy. The ingot being thus prepared, the lungs in a given time. All things being otherwise next operation is to form it into sheets, by passing equal, man always gives forth a much more conthe bar several times through large cylindrical roll-siderable quantity than woman. This difference is ers, generally moved by steam-power; the lamination which the silver undergoes during the operation especially marked between the ages of sixteen and of rolling shows the perfect unity of the two bodies. forty, at which periods man furnishes nearly twice From the sheet of metal the article required is the quantity of carbonic acid gas from the lungs that a woman does. 4th. In man, the quantity of carmanufactured by hammering chiefly, but also by bonic acid gas is constantly increasing from the stamping when the shape is very irregular; the ar-eighth year to the thirtieth, the increase becoming ticle, if hollow, being filled with pitch, the receding suddenly very great at the period of puberty; from parts are forced inwards, so that the projections re-the thirtieth year the exhalation of carbonic acid gas main of the thickness of the sheet before being begins to decrease, the diminution becoming more wrought, while the indentations are somewhat re-marked as age advances, so that at the extreme point duced in thickness. The dies consist of blocks of of life the exhalation of this gas may not be greater steel, on the face of which the pattern of the orna than it was at the tenth year. 5th. In woman, the ment is accurately drawn: the dies are moderately exhalation of this gas increases according to the heated in an open fire, and then placed upon a leathern sandbag. The die-sinker then proceeds same laws as in man during infancy; but at the to cut out the ornaments with hammer and chisel;tion appears, this exhalation, contrary to that which period of puberty, at the same time that menstruawhen sunk to the proper depth, the surface of the happens in man, is suddenly arrested in its increase, sinking is dressed off, and prepared for the orna- and remains stationary (nearly as the amount which ments to be stamped in. The stamp consists of a it exhaled was in infancy) as long as the menstrual vertical frame of iron, the uprights of which are function is duly performed; when it ceases, the exformed with grooves, in which the hammer or drop halation of the gas from the lungs is increased in a slides. The foundation of this machine consists of remarkable manner, after which it decreases, as in a square stone, and on its upper surface is fixed an iron anvil, to which the uprights are firmly attached; man, in proportion as the woman advances towards the hammer is raised by a rope passing over a pulley halation of the gas for the time equals the quantity extreme old age. 6th. During pregnancy, the exfixed in the head-piece of the frame; the die is given forth by woman in which menstruation has placed on the anvil immediately under the hammer, ceased. And, 7th. In both sexes, and at all ages, and is kept in its proper position by screws. A the quantity of the gas exhaled is greater when the Juting of oil and clay is placed round the edge of the constitution is strong, and the muscular system well sink of the die, and melted lead is then poured into the cavity; when cool, the hammer is allowed to fall developed.-Medical Times. upon the lead, to which it firmly adheres by means ACCIDENTS ON RAILWAYS.-" On accidents and of a plate of iron roughed as a rasp, and which traffic upon the railways in Great Britain, in 1842," is called the lick-up. The silver used for the pur- by Mr. C. R. Weld. This paper consisted of an pose of the mountings is also of the standard quali- analysis of the various returns made to the railwayty, and is rolled to the required thickness: several department, at the Board of Trade. The most pieces of the requisite size are then placed between agreeable feature is the remarkable diminution in pieces of copper of the same substance, and put upon the number of accidents of a public nature as comthe face of the die; the hammer is then raised, and pared with the returns of 1841. During 1841 the allowed to fall gently upon them This operation accidents of this description amounted to 29, with is continued for some time, gradually increasing 24 deaths, and 71 cases of injury; but during 1842 the fall of the hammer, and diminishing the num-the number of accidents of this description has been ber of pieces struck, until they are forced to the only 10, and the number of deaths of passengers bottom of the die; it is necessary occasionally to an- while travelling by a train, and observing a proper neal the mountings. The mounts, being struck as degree of caution, was only 5, the number of cases described, are now filled with solder consisting of of injury being only 14. These do not include the tin and lead; and afterwards secured by wires to accidents that have happened to the servants of the the article to be ornamented, the body being covered company. A new clause in the act of parliament with a mixture of glue and whiting to prevent the compels the railway-companies to give returns of all

accidents of a public nature unattended with per- [electro-chemical power so much, that this power, sonal injury, and it appears that there were 21 acci-almost nil or very weak, becomes equal to that of dents of this nature during the past year. The a pile of several pairs.-Ibid. aggregate length of railway-lines has been increased

THE SPEAKING MACHINE.-I have as yet seen no

by 179 miles, 9 lines having been extended, and thus the total length of railways is now 1829 miles.notice in your valuable periodical of an invention, The number of passengers carried upon 50 railways during the twelve months from 1st July 1841, to 1st July, 1842, amounted to 18,453,504; of whom 2,926 980 were first-class passengers, 7,611,966 second class, 5,322,501 third class, and 2,582,057 passengers whose class is not distinguished. The gross receipts of the railways from passengers amounted to 2,731,6872, and from goods to 1,088,8351. The number of trains amounted to 298,974, which gives 61 persons to each train. The average speed exclusive of stoppages, on all the lines is 21 miles per hour, the greatest speed being 36 miles per. hour.-Ibid.

which is, at present, attracting great attention here, and which certainly merits every praise that can be bestowed upon unwearied perseverance and successful ingenuity. It is the Sprachmaschine or the Speaking Machine, not quite appropriately called Euphonia, of Mr. Faber, the result of a beautiful adaptation of mechanics to the laws of acoustics. You are aware that the attempts of Cagniard in la Tour, Biot, Müller, Steinle, to produce articulate sounds, or even to imitate the human voice, have not been very successful; in fact, our know. ledge of the physiology of the larynx and its ap pendices has been so limited, that we have not even an explanation of the mode in which the CHEMICAL ACTION OF A SINGLE VOLTAIC PAIR.-falsetto is produced. Mr. Faber's instrument solves Paris, April 22, 1843 -M. de la Rive read a me the difficulties. I can only give you a very imper. moir on the chemical action of a single voltaic fect idea of the instrument. To understand the pair, and on the means of increasing its power. mechanism perfectly, it would be necessary to take The object of M. de la Rive's investigation was, it to pieces, and the dissection naturally is not whether instead of using a second pair to augment shown the visitor-less from a wish to conceal any the current of the first, he could not employ the thing, than from the time and labor necessary for first so as to increase its own intensity. And this such a purpose. The machine consists of a pair he effects by a very simple apparatus, which he of bellows at present only worked by a pedal simicalls condensateur electro-chimique. Its principle lar to that of an organ, of a caoutchouc imitation is the production of an inductive current, which of the larynx, tongue, nostrils, and of a set of keys causes the same effect in a single pair as the addi-by which the springs are brought into action. [The tion of another pair would. The apparatus con- further description would be unintelligible without sists of a piece of soft iron, surrounded by thick diagrams.] The rapidity of utterance depends of metallic wire, covered with silk. The current of course upon the rapidity with which the keys are the pair is made to traverse the wire and mag-played, and though my own attempts to make the netise the iron; immediately a copper shank, instrument speak sounded rather ludicrous, Mr. armed with iron, is attracted by the magnetised Faber was most successful. There is no doubt that iron, and raised so as to break the circuit. There the machine may be much improved, and more esis then developed in the wire a current of induc-pecially that the timbre of the voice may be agree tion, which traverses the voltaic pair, and which, ably modified. The weather naturally affects the joined to the current of the pair itself thus rein. tension of the India rubber, and although Mr. Faber forced, passes through the voltameter and decomcan raise the voice or depress it, and can lay a poses water. But the soft iron not being magnet- stress upon a particular syllable or a word, still ised, the copper shank falls back, the metallic one cannot avoid feeling that there is room for imcircuit is again closed, the iron is again magnet-provement. This is even more evident when the ised, and the same phenomenon again presents instrument is made to sing, but when we remember itself. By means of this arrangement, a pair of what difficulty many people have to regulate their Groves' which only slightly decomposes water, or own chorda vocales, it is not surprising that Mr. a pair of Daniells' which does not sensibly decom- Faber has not yet succeeded in giving us an instrupose it, becomes capable of doing so with great mental Catalani or Lablache. Faber is a native of energy. By employing it, the gases are not at all Freiburg, in the Grand Duchy of Baden-he was mixed, and they may be collected separately with formerly attached to the Observatory at Vienna, great facility. M. de la Rive, in concluding, but owing to an affection of the eyes, was obliged summed up the results of his researches; he be- to retire upon a small pension; he then devoted lieved that he has established that a single pair himself to the study of anatomy, and now offers may produce even powerful chemical effects: he the results of his investigations and their applicahas proved it-1st, by showing that, in vacuo, tion to mechanics, to the world of science. where the adherence of the gases to the surfaces Hamburgh, March 31. of the electrodes is less, the current is much better-Ib. transmitted; 2d, by showing that the current of a MARINE GLUE.-Mr. Whishaw read a paper bepair rendered alternate by the employment of a fore the Royal Institution, London, April 7, on Mr. condensateur, traverses easily a platinum-plate Jeffrey's Marine Glue, the peculiar properties of voltameter charged with acidulated water; 3d, which are, its being insoluble in and impervious to that it is the same as a direct current of a pair. water, elastic, so as to expand or contract, according when it is made to traverse a voltameter through to the strain on the timber or the changes of temwhich a current of induction passes at the same perature, sufficiently solid to fill up the joints and time, although in a contrary way to that of the add strength to the timber construction, and adhepair; 4th, in constructing a pair in which the pla-sive, so as to connect the timbers firmly together. tinum is replaced by an oxide, and especially by the peroxide of lead, which renders this pair, even when only charged with a single liquid (acidulated water, 1-9 sulphuric acid), capable of decomposing water with great energy, giving off the gases well separated; 5th, in employing the current of the pair itself to produce a current of induction, which, by traversing the pair in a given way, increases its

I am,

&c.

S.

Several practical experiments have been made in Woolwich and Chatham Dockyards; among these may be mentioned the following:-Two pieces of African oak, 18 inches long by 9 inches wide, and 4 inches thick, were joined together longitudinally by the marine glue, with a bolt of 1 inch in diameter, passed through each of them from end to end. The day after the marine glue had been applied, the

The meteor appeared not more than thirty mètres above the earth, travelled at the slow rate of about one kilomètre per minute, and was preceded by an electric detonation. The horses of the diligence from Metz to Nancy took fright at its aspect, and overturned the carriage.-Ib.

blocks were tested by means of a hydraulic machine. | Nancy. "A globe of fire," says that paper, "three A strain was applied to the extent of 19 tons, at or four mètres in length, traversed the heavens from which point one of the bolts broke, but the junction west to east, about two in the morning. This im of the wood by the glue remained perfect. Two mense meteor was of a brightness so intense, that bolts of 1 inch in diameter were inserted on the the inhabitants of the country, who witnessed this following day, and the strain was again applied un- extraordinary spectacle, were terrified into the be til it reached 21 tons, when one of the bolts was bro-lief that they were instantly to be destroyed by it. ken, the junction of the wood still remaining perfect, and apparently not affected. Another experiment was tried with two blocks of African oak of similar dimensions, but bolted in a different manner, so as to apply the strain at right angles to the junction made with the glue at the centre. The wood split at a strain of 5 tons, but the joint remained perfect. The glue in one case was applied PELLETAN LIGHT.-This light, like the "Bocto elm; it resisted a strain equal to 368 lb. on the cius," and others, takes its name from the insquare inch. This trial was made while the block ventor, a professor of chemistry, we believe, in was in a wet state, which state is considered most France, now residing in Fitzroy-square, where favorable for the effect of the glue. Several large some weeks ago we witnessed the brilliant effects pieces of timber were glued together and suspended of several burners. The light was beautifully to the top of the sheers at the dockyard at Wool-white and pure, emitting no smoke, nor showing wich, at a height of about 70 feet above the ground. color, even when raised to a considerable height, From that elevation they were precipitated on to the and was free from smell. At that time the patent granite pavement, in order to test the effect of conwas incomplete, and of course, the material and cussion; this wood was shattered and split, but the apparatus employed were kept secret; we there glue yielded only in one instance, in which the joint fore refrained from noticing it. Now, however, it was badly made, and after the third fall. An ex- appears that the vapor of naptha is the only com. periment was made with reference to the composi-bustible ingredient: and that the invention contion being used as a substitute for copper sheathing. This composition was applied without poison to four sides of wooden blocks, and on the two other sides it was applied in combination with poison equally destructive to animal and vegetable life.After the lapse of twenty three months, these blocks were taken up, and were found to be covered with small shell-fish on the four unpoisoned sides, while the two sides charged with the poison were clean. The whole of the composition was slightly changed in color, but was not deteriorated or affected in respect to its useful qualities. Another use consists in its application to the construction of masts. Its powers of adhesion and elasticity fit it for the purpose of joining the spars of which masts are composed. A great reduction of expense is likely to follow its adoption for this purpose, as shorter and smaller timbers may be rendered available, and most, if not all, the internal fastenings may be dispensed with. The mainmast of the Eagle, a 50 gun ship, and the Trafalgar, 120 gun ship, have been put together with this glue, and the main mast of the Curacoa, now reducing from a 32 to a 24-gun ship, are in progress of being joined. This inven. tion may also be applied in the construction of dockgates, sluices, piers, wooden bridges, &c.-Athen

œum.

COMETS.-M. Arago made a communication of the discovery of a telescopic comet, by M. Mauvais, on the 2d instant, (ante. p. 470). M. Arago joined to this communication some remarks on the most celebrated of all comets, that of Halley, which made its last appearance in 1835. Our readers are aware that several astronomers have examined the Chinese records, for the purpose of ascertaining whether any observation had been made on the appearance of Halley's comet. The researches of M. Biot have shown that Halley's comet was observed in China on the 26th of Sept. 1378; and M. Arago has compared the observations made in Europe on Halley's comet, and finds them coincide so perfectly with the observations made in China on the comet of 1378, that he entertains no doubt that the comet was that called Halley's comet.-Ib. LARGE METEOR.-The Journal de la Meurthe gives the following account of a meteorological phenomenon, which on the 4th of the present month, affrighted the town and neighborhood of

sists in the construction and arrangement of a machine by means of which this vapor can be delivered to the lamps.—Ibid.

TENDENCY OF PLANTS TOWARDS LIGHT.-"Inquiries into the tendency of stalks and stems to wards the light." It had long been known that plants placed in the dark incline towards any opening which admits the light, but it was not known which of the solar rays caused this tendency. M. Payer has resolved the point. He examined the solar action first by movable colored glasses used as screens, and, secondly by a fixed spectrum. The four glasses which he used allowed only certain rays to pass, viz. :-No. 1, red; No. 2, red, orange, yellow, and green; No. 3, red, light orange, yel low, green, and blue; No. 4, red and violet. The two first caused no inclination; but the other two rapidly produced that effect.-.

ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY.-Mr. G. Newport, president, in the chair. Amongst the donations were a series of volumes presented by the Royal Society, and a large and singular ant's nest, found between the floor and ceiling of a cottage near Cobham Park, presented by Miss Combe. Mrs. Saunders exhibited a box of insects from New Hollandsome of great rarity, including a fine and large new species of Rhipicera. Mr. Bond exhibited specimens of some of Mr. Cuming's Manilla Curculionida, from which he had entirely removed the grease and restored the brilliancy of the metallic scales, by plunging them into pure naptha, and then covering them with powdered chalk. Mr. Waterhouse read descriptions of some new exotic Curculionida; and Mr. Westwood the continuation of a memoir "On the Geotrupido and Trogida."-Lit. Gaz.

HANDCOCK'S IMPROVED AXLE.-Capt. Handcock produced a brass and cone of his improved axle, which had been used under an engine on the South ampton Railway, and had run upwards of 21,000 miles; the brass scarcely exhibited any signs of wear, while a brass of an axle of the old form, which had only run 8,000 miles, was nearly one inch shorter than when it was first put on, besides having worn considerably into the journal and the box.-Ib.