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fo very small, that doubts will probably be entertained whether they will justify his deductions from them.

It will be doubted, for instance, whether any decifive conclufion may be drawn from obferving the temperatures of a mixture of two fluids, differing in fpecific gravity fo very confiderably as water, and common, or dephlogifticated, air; though he gives to the latter 100 degrees of heat more than to the former. Thus a pint of atmospherical air, contained in a bladder, and raised to the temperature of 163 degrees, is immerfed in a pint of water at 63 degrees; that is, in a quantity of fluid containing above 800 times more matter than itself. Had the atmospherical air contained the fame abfolute heat with water, the Author calculates that it would have communicated to the water nearly the one-fixteenth part of a degree of heat: but it communicated to it one intire degree of heat.'-He concludes therefore, that afmospherical air must contain at least 16 times as much abfolute heat as water. From fimilar experiments made with dephlegifticated air, he calculates that it communicated three degrees of heat, &c.

Even the greatcft of thefe differences is fo fmall, that there is reafon to fufpect, notwithstanding all the Author's accuracy and care, that they may poffibly have proceeded from caufes different from thofe here affigned. With refpect to fuch differences, there is fome reafon to apprehend that they may proceed either from caufes wholly unknown and unfufpected or from others, the effects of which are too difficult, or minute, to be accurately ascertained.

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Notwithstanding this remark, which cannot well have escaped the fagacity of the Author himfelf; we hope he will profecute his ingenious inquiries, for which he appears to be fo well qualified. There are undoubtedly many phenomena in nature, well explained by this hypothefis; which, as well as the Author's various and well imagined experiments, deferve the attentive confideration of philofophers.

ART. XIV. A Plan of the navigable Canals made, and now making, in England. Lowndes.

HIS Plan (as we learn, by a new edition of The Hiftory

Te Inland Navigations, publifhed with it) is done from actual furveys, made and drawn by Mr. Hugh Henshall, engineer, and fucceffor to Mr. Brindley; it cannot, therefore, fail of proving very acceptable to the public. It gives a clear and diftinct view of one of the most extenfive and important general improvements that this nation ever experienced; the confequences of which must be as durable as the existence of the fe valuable works. When a manufacturing and commercial nation, through excefs of riches, luxury, and taxation, can no Jonger bring its productions to market at a moderate price; and when other countries, by reafon of cheapnefs, begin to underfell it, the decay of such rich nation would then be infallible, and extremely rapid, if this natural cause of declenfion were not retarded by the exertions of genius, in the application

plication of mechanical powers to the business of manufactures; -by which means alone the deftructive effects of abundant riches, and high taxes, can be fufpended, and an induftrious nation, in fuch circumftances, be preferved from ruin. The manufactures of Birmingham, Manchester, Sheffield, &c. have long existed upon these principles; and the manufacturers have been enabled, by the ingenuity and variety of their mechanical inventions, to support a rival trade against all Europe, and fupply countries (where human labour is much cheaper than in this) with their commodities.

But among all these improvements, there are none fo fundamental, fo extenfive, and fo powerful, as that amazing system of water roads, exhibited in the plan now before us; and which realife all the advantages to this nation, long fince foretold in various publications on this fubject. All the central parts of the kingdom, and almost all the manufactures, now enjoy, or foon will enjoy, the unspeakable advantage of a reduction of more than two-thirds of the price of carrying all heavy articles; many thousands of devouring horses will be rendered unneceffary;-and if our public measures were conducted with as much wisdom and spirit as the affairs of individuals, and those who take upon them to protect and lead us, would please either to act their part well, or do nothing, there is no doubt but this nation might ftill go on improving; and that its natural and artificial advantages might fupport it in wealth, honour, and power, for many ages.

But before we take leave of the Plan under confideration, we cannot help obferving one capital defect in the execution of this great fyftem of canals, which, we are well informed, might eafily have been prevented when the act for the Staffordfhire navigation, or the Great Trunk, as Mr. Brindley called it, was obtained. The Duke of Bridgewater's canal, the Staffordfhire canal, and confequently, all thofe that now do, or ever may fall into them, by a narrow and felfifh policy, are made to terminate in the Tide-way of the river Merfey; when they ought to have been carried over that river by a grand aqueduct into Lancashire, and to the port of Liverpool; where they might have been joined by other canals and branches from different parts of Lancashire and Yorkshire; and the whole fyftem of canals might reciprocally have communicated with each other, without going into a ride's way, or making it neceffary to trans-fhip the goods--This noble plan was proposed at the time, by a zealous and active friend to thefe undertakings; a meeting was had upon it at Runcorn, the place where the navigation fhould have croffed the river; all the parties declared, it would be the beft plan for the public intereft; Mr. Brindley approved of it, and declared it to be practicable, both.

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at this meeting and before the House of Commons ;- where he was very particularly examined upon this point ;-and yet other views and interefts prevailed, and this great work was left to be completed by pofterity, for whofe fake we leave this memorandum of a tranfaction in which they may be interested; at the fame time, referring them for farther particulars to the Journals of the Houfe of Commons.

There is another obvious defect in this fyftem of canals, for want of an extenfion of the Staffordshire canal from fome part near Derby to Chefterfield, which certainly will be removed when the proprietors of the Staffordshire and Chesterfield canals, and the land-owners between Derby and Chesterfield come to understand their true interefts; and to confider the benefit that must arife to them and the public from the propofed communication; by which means, the goods from Staffordshire and the neighbouring counties, would be delivered above fifty miles lower upon the Trent than at prefent, and the county of Derby receive great advantages in the conveyance of its natural productions, and in many new manufactures and establishments, which thefe improvements never fail to produce.

This new edition of the Hiftory of Inland Navigations contains feveral ufeful tables of diftances, rates of freight, &c.and is, on the whole, a valuable collection of papers relative to the canals that have been projected, and executed, in this country. The laft letter in this compilation takes notice of another great mechanical improvement, for which this nation is indebted to the philofophic fpirit of the age, and to the abilities of thofe ingenious philofophers and artifts Meffrs. Watt and Boulton, whose skill and activity we hope will be amply rewarded by their country. The writer, after speaking of the lime-kilns, near the Bridgewater Navigation, adds- Nor can I pafs filently over the capital and new erected Salt-works, built upon the banks of the navigable canal at Thurlwood, in Chefhire, the property of Meffrs. Salmon and Purlington. In an adjoining valley, they have fixed a fire-engine, conftructed by Meff. Watt and Boulton, which in the waste of three hundred weight of coals (value nine-pence) does in twelve hours throw up, to the height of a hundred yards, not lefs than twenty-four thoufand gallons of brine; which is received in a very large refervoir, and from thence conveyed to the falt-pans, where the falt is extracted and loaded into barges, in which it is carried into Staffordshire, Derbyshire, and the neighbouring counties."

We have caft up the lengths of the feveral canals included in the plan, and we find, that they amount to 556 miles, and

• See an account of Mr. Watt's great improvements on the invention of the Steam Engine, Rev. vol. Ivi. p. 40.

a few

a few chains; and we apprehend, that they cannot have coft lefs than one million fterling: perhaps confiderably more.

We have obferved a mistake or two in this plan; one of which ought, particularly, to be corrected, viz. Burslem, in Staffordshire, famous for its Earthenware Manufacture, is placed on the wrong fide of the canal.

MONTHLY CATALOGUE, For NOVEMBER, 1779.

POLITICAL.

Art. 15. A Letter from Lieutenant General Burgoyne to his Conflituents, on his late Refignation; with the Correspondences between the Secretaries of War and him, relative to his Return to America, 8vo. Is. Almon. 1779.

GE

ENERAL Burgoyne here (to ufe the words of one of his ANSWERERS) recapitulates his fervices, his endeavours, his expectations, and his disappointments; and he addreffes his parliamentary conftituents, the freemen of Prefton, in fuch terms, as he may apprehend to be belt fuited to conciliate their regards, and fecure their interefts, at the next election. His ftyle is fuch as may be expected from a man whofe feelings are unufually irritated, and his refentment warm. He confiders the miniftry as the plotters of his destruction; and he even goes fo far as to declare, that the ruin of officers forms almost the whole of their military fyllem'-But, furely, this is rather the language of despair and faction, than of a fober and TRULY PATRIOTIC oppofition to the meafures of an incompetent or wicked administration!

Art. 16. A Letter to General Burgoyne, on his Letter to his Conftituents. 8vo, 15. Becket.

Contains many just strictures on the General's letter, but is written with too much acrimony. Instead of the liberal manner of a gentleman, the Writer attacks Mr. Burgoyne with the ferocity of one of his own favages, recking and hot from the murder of poor Mifs Macray.

Art. 17. A Reply to Lieutenant General Burgoyne's Letter to his Conflituents. 8vo. I S. Wilkie.

This answerer merits commendation for the decent and candid ftrain in which he writes. He does not, like the General's antagonist above mentioned, affail with a blunted tomahawk. His weapons are of a finer polish, and keener edge. He does not hew and chop like a butcher. He cuts up like a kilful furgeon; and diffects his fubject with the dexterity of an able anatomift.-The following half of a parallel between the cafe of Regulus, the celebrated Roman General and captive, and that of General Burgoyne, may be ex• tracted for the farther fatisfaction of our readers:

LIEUTENANT GENERAL BURGOYNE was entrusted with the command of an army destined to perform a material fervice to the ftate. His conduct was marked by zeal for the expedition upon which he was employed; and wherever he met the enemy he com bated with valour. Victory for a time feemed to contend under his

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ftandard; but at length fhe deferted him, and he was exposed to the malice of Fortune. The enemy collected a force greatly exceeding his in numbers; and he was compelled to yield to their fuperiority. While a prisoner in the poffeffion of the enemy, he obtained permiffion to return to his own country; but he continued engaged to redeliver himself up to the enemy upon due notice being given to him. Upon his arrival, he found himself precluded from the prefence of his Sovereign, upon pretence that an Inquiry was to take place into his conduct, and that it was unfit he should appear at Court till the event of that Inquiry was known. He demanded a Court Martial; but this was denied him, upon a reprefentation from the heads of his profeffion, that it could not be held upon him while he continued a prifoner. He complained loudly of both thefe measures, and joined himself to a party which acted upon a plan of general oppofition to the Minifters of their Sovereign. Lieutenant General Burgoyne was a member of the Senate. There he attempted to take the lead upon many important occafions. It was obfervable, that his chief complaints were of the perfonal ill-treatment which he had received; and that he feemed to feel his own wrong more fenfibly than the lofs of his country. He received an official order fignifying to him, that it was the pleasure of his Sovereign that he should return to America and join his captive army, who were fuffering under cruelty and difgrace. He thought fit to reprefent what he fuppofed the feverity of this order. Again he was commanded; again he remonftrated; and at length finding the matter firmly infifted upon, he refigned all his civil and military employments, referving only his rank in the fervice. He gave an account of his conduct to the Public in a letter which he addreffed to his Constituents, and inveighed with bitter acrimony against the Minifters of his royal matter. This letter was received with a difference of opinion. Some thought it a pathetic reprefentation of unneceffary feverity; fome confidered it as a juftification of his conduct; and there were not wanting fome who Fronounced it A LIBEL UPON THE KING'S GOVERNMENT.'

MEDICA L.

Art. 18. Cafes and Remarks in Surgery; to which is fubjoined an Appendix, containing the Method of curing the Bronchocele in Coventry. By B. Wilmer, Surgeon. Svo. 5s. Boards. Longman. 1779.

From the mifcellaneous contents of this volume, we fhall fele&t fuch articles for the information of our readers, as appear most likely to be new and important.

The Author begins with fome obfervations on ftrangulated hernia. The chief purpose of thefe is, to confirm the doctrine maintained by fome late writers, of the fuperior efficacy of cold and aftringent applications, above warm and relaxing ones, in procuring the reduction of the hernial contents. Some cafes are related strongly in favour of this opinion. The Author met with equal fuccefs in the treatment of the hernia humoralis after the fame method.

In the hiftory of a fractured skull, the Author takes occafion to plead against the neceffity of removing a circular piece of fcalp in all fractures; a practice cruel in the execution, and which greatly retards the fubfequent cure. A fingulat cafe follows, of a large

laceration

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