ARTICLE XII.

1

List of Patents.

THOMAS POTTS, Batchworth Mills, Rickmansworth, in the county of Herts; for combining and applying principles already known for the purpose of producing pure fresh warm air, and of such mode or means of combination and application of principles already known to such purposes as aforesaid. March 14, 1815.

JONATHAN RIDGWAY, Manchester; for a method of casting and fixing at the same time metallic types on the surface of metallic cylinders, or metallic rollers; or any cylinders or rollers having metallic surfaces; or on blocks of metal; or on blocks having metallic surfaces; or on flat metallic plates; for the purpose of printing patterns on cloth made of cotton or linen, or both. March 14,

1815.

WILLIAM BELL, Edinburgh; for certain improvements in the apparatus for manuscripts or other writings or designs. March 14,

1815.

HENRY HOULDSWORTH, Anderton, near Glasgow; for a method of discharging the air and condensed steam from pipes used for the conveyance of steam, for the purposes of heating buildings, or other places.. March 18, 1815...

CHARLES GENT, Congleton, Chester, and SQUARE CLARK; for a method of making a swift, and other apparatus thereto belonging, for the purpose of winding silks. March 21, 1815.

RICHARD SMITH, Tibbington House, Staffordshire; for improvements in smelting iron stone or iron ore, lead or copper ore, and other mineral or metallic substances; also of refining crude iron, lead, copper, gold, silver, tin, and all other metals or metallic bodies; and of making and manufacturing iron. March 29, 1815. }

THOMAS BAGOT, Birmingham; for a method and machine for passing boats, barges, and other vessels from a higher to a lower level, and the contrary, without loss of water. April 4, 1815.

WILLIAM VAUGHAN PALMER, Ilminster, Somersetshire; for a method of twisting and laying of hemp, flax, ropes, twine, line, thread, mohair, wool, cotton, silk, and metals, by machinery, whereby considerable saving of manual labour is effected. April 4, 1815.

WILLIAM LOSK, Point Pleasant, Northumberland; for a plan for fire-places or furnaces for heating ovens and boilers, and the water or other liquids contained in boilers, and for converting such water or other liquids into steam, for the purpose of working engines, and for other uses in manufactures. April 8, 1815.

JOSHUA SHAW, Mary-street, Fitzroy-square, London; for certain improvements in the tool or instrument called the glazier's diamond. April 14, 1815.

1815. Wind. Max. Min. Med. Max. Min. Med.

5th Mo.

May 31 S W 29.90 29.75 29.825 72 6th Mo.

Evap. Rain.

The observations in each line of the table apply to a period of twenty-four hours, beginning at 9 A. M. on the day indicated in the first column. A dash denotes, that the result is included in the next following observation.

REMARKS.

a

Sixth Month.-4. Cloudy: windy. 5, 6. Windy, with Cumulostratus and Cirrocumulus: showers. 7. Heavy clouds: and at noon a sound like distant thunder in the N. E.: towards evening the dense clouds dispersed, leaving Cirri at a great elevation, and a most beautiful Cirrostratus, grained like wood, in the N. W.: hygrometer (De Luc's) 30° to 35°. 8. A grey sky, with Cirrocumulus, &c. which formed heavy Cumulostratus, threatenin thunder: but a few drops of rain falling, the whole dispersed, save some Cirostratus. 9: Cirrocumulus, with Cirrostratus: fine day: much dew at night, with 5° difference in the thermometers. 10. A very fine day in the course of which the hygrometer went to 24°. 11. a. m. Clouds and wind, followed by a shower, p. m. 12. Overcast: hygrometer, at S a. m. 62°; at 9, 55: clouds from S. E., the wind being N. W.: a little rain: the evening obscure, with Cirrus and Cirrostratus hanging very low, 13. Cloudy morning: showers: after which large Cumuli, capped and followed by Nimbi; from one to two, p. m. heavy rain, the wind going from S. E. by S. to N. E, then back to S. W.: some thunder followed, and a fine afternoon, but the Cirrostratus remained at night. 14. Wet morning: hygr. at 8, 72°; at 9, 50° : after some showers, a fine afternoon. 15. Hygr. at 9, 55°: showers and wind: fair, p. m. 16. Hygr. at 9, 39°: a fine day : Cirrus: : a corona round the moon. 17. Hygr. 71°: wet morning, and rain in the night: a slight shower, p.m. 18. Hygr. 52: rain in the night: rather cloudy. 19. Hygr. 43°: a pretty fine day. 20. Hygr. 40°: rather a dull day. 21. Hygr. 55°: pleasant not very sunny: about one, p. m. à clap of thunder, and a few large drops of rain. 22. Hygr. 49°: a dull cloudy morning: a little rain, p. m. 23. Hygr. 44°: morning cloudy: pretty high wind. 24. Hygr. 38°: morning very dull: about 12, cleared up, and the sun shone very hot: p. m. cloudy again. 25. Rain in the night: p. m. sunshine at intervals. 26, 27, 28. Very fine days: hygr. 46° to 52°.

RESULTS.

Winds Variable.

The observations from the 16th inclusive to the end were made, in my

absence from home, by my son, Robert Howard.

TOTTENHAM,

Seventh Month, 10, 1815.

L. HOWARD.

ANNALS

OF

PHILOSOPHY.

SEPTEMBER, 1815.

ARTICLE I.

Biographical Account of M. Parmentier. By M. Cuvier, Secretary of the Institute.

THE sciences have made that degree of progress as no longer to excite such astonishment at the great efforts which they suppose, and the striking truths which they bring to light, as at the immense advantages which their application daily produces to society. There is not one at present in which the discovery of a single proposition may not enrich a whole people, and change the face of states; and this influence, far from diminishing, must daily increase, because it is easy to prove that it depends upon the nature of things.

Allow me to make some reflections on this subject, which cannot be misplaced, either in this house or before this assembly.*

Hunger and cold are the two great enemies of our species. The object of all our hearts is either directly or indirectly to combat them.

This is accomplished by the combination and the disengagement of two or three elementary substances.

To nourish ourselves is nothing else than to replace the parcels of carbon and hydrogen which respiration and transpiration carry off. To warm ourselves is to retard the dissipation of the heat which respiration furnishes.

To one or other of these functions are devoted both the palace and the cottage; both the brown bread of the poor, and the expensive food of the glutton; both the purple of kings, and the tatters of beggars. Consequently architecture and the liberal arts,

*This Eloge was read to the French Institute.

Ver VI No II.

agriculture and manufactures, navigation, commerce, even the greater number of wars, and that great developement of courage and genius, that great apparatus of exertion and knowledge which they require, have nothing else for their final object than two simple chemical operations. Consequently the smallest new fact respecting the laws of nature in these two operations may reduce the public and private expenses, may change the tactics and direction of commerce, may transfer the power of one people to another, and may ultimately alter the fundamental relations of the classes of society.

This carbon and this hydrogen, which we consume, without ceasing, in our fires, in our clothes, in our food, are continually reproduced for a new consumption by vegetables which obtain them from the atmosphere and from water. Vegetation itself is fixed by the extent of the soil, by the species of vegetables cultivated, and by the proportion of wood, of meadows and corn-fields. It would be vain, therefore, for the most paternal government to increase the population of its territories beyond a certain limit. All its cares would be inefficacious, unless science came to its assistance. But let a philosopher contrive a fire-place which saves a portion of the fuel. This is exactly the same thing as if he had added to the quantity of our territory planted with wood. Let a botanist point out a plant which in the same space furnishes more nourishment. This is the same thing as if he had in the same proportion augmented our cultivated fields. Immediately there will be room in the country for a greater number of active men.

Happy conquests which occasion no effusion of blood, and which repair the disasters of vulgar conquests! Yes! how paradoxical soever it may appear, it is owing essentially to the progress of the sciences that society does not sink under the effects of its own fury.

Without chemistry, what would have become of all our manufactures when we were shut out from the places which furnished the raw materials? Has not vaccination preserved those children destined shortly to replace those that have been cut off by war? And to confine ourselves solely to the labours of Parmentier and Count Rumford, is it not evident to all the world that the perseverance with which the former encouraged the culture of potatoes has rendered whole countries, formerly sterile, fertile and inhabitable, and has twice saved us within 20 years from the horrors of famine; that the discoveries of the other on the best method of employing combustibles have counterbalanced the devastation of our forests, and that, applied to the preparation of food, they support even at this moment, from one end of Europe to the other, an infinite number of unfortunate persons.

Let any person reflect for a moment on the effect of a small improvement applied to so great a scale, and he will see that it must be calculated by hundreds of millons.

If I could bring before you those fathers of families who no longer hear around them the melancholy eries of want; those mo