and utility; the fields for which are open, obvious, and extensive. The public is, of course, anxiously desirous to learn the progress of the discovery-ships, now in those regions, under Captain Parry; and we sincerely hope, that no such disasters, as those which beset the land-expedition, have been encountered by our brave and enterprising countrymen. But, whatever be the event of the arduous voyage, we can see no probable object likely to be accomplished, commensurate with the risk of the undertaking: for, as to a north-west passage to the Pacific, supposing it may be effected, by the aid of an extraordinarily mild season, once in a century, what then? When man shall have acquired the knowledge which will enable him to defy cold, frost, and the seasons, he may venture into such regions; but, till then, it is his duty to forbear: above all, such land-expeditions must be avoided. Recent Information relative to Greenland. Captain SCORESBY, the intrepid navigator, has recently returned from a fishing-voyage to the Arctie regions. His ship, the Baffin, of Liverpool, obtained her cargo, nine whales, producing 195 tons of blubber, near the east coast of Older, West Greenland, which has also been named Lost Greenland, from the long period it was invisible to Europeans. Captain Scoresby remained within sight of this interesting country for three months, and, in the intervals of the fishery, employed himself in making observations on the geography and natural history of this hitherto unexplored region. The result has been a real survey of the coast, from lat. 75°, N. down to 69', comprising an extent, reckoning the Recent Information relative to Greenland. 273 indentations and sinuosities observed, of about eight hundred miles. The coast visited by Captain Scoresby is a continuation, towards the north, of that on which were planted the ancient colonies from Iceland, the fate of which is still veiled in such deep obscurity. From the number and extent of the inlets on this coast, some of which Captain S. penetrated, at least sixty miles within the general outline of the coast,-from their direction, and apparent want of termination,-and from the many islands lying along the coast,-it is conjectured that the whole country is a vast assemblage of islands; and that, probably, some of the inlets are passages communicating with Baffin's Bay. The general form of the land was found to be so very unlike its representation on our charts, that only three places laid down could be recognized; and the error in the longitude of them, according to most of the charts, was no less than fifteen degrees. Captain Scoresby landed on various parts of the coast, and in some of the bays: on each visit to the shore, he discovered traces of inhabitants; some of them apparently recent. In one of them, he met with a considerable hamlet of deserted huts, among which were many graves. About this place, he obtained many fragments of the domestic and fishing utensils of the inhabitants. Though the weather, at sea, was generally cold, the thermometer being about 38° or 40° of Fahrenheit; on the hills near this hamlet it was hot and sultry, and the air swarmed with musquitos. Captain S. has made a large collection of plants and minerals, especially of rocks. He has also brought home some zoological specimens. Animals of the higher orders were rare but he shot a white hare, and caught an animal of the genus MUS, with a short tail.-Literary Gazette. New Umbrella. MR. RUSSEL, of Downing-street, has exhibited an improved umbrella and parasol, which are put together without wires, which always, when used in the common way, render them liable to be out of repair. The very simple construction of the parts includes three distinct principles; viz. hook and eye, beam and groove, ball and socket, or cup and ball. Each rib and stretcher acts by itself, and independently of each other; so that, in case of any accident occurring to one or more of the parts, the others remain firm, and the umbrella is not thereby rendered useless, as is the case in those joined by wires. On the Strength of Cast-Iron. FROM the increasing use of cast-iron in the building of houses, it becomes important to learn the best method of ascertaining its strength: for, notwithstanding it is iron, it nevertheless varies extremely in quality. Mr. Tredgold's treatise, which we shall notice in a future number, may be consulted. In the meantime it may be observed, that cast-iron varies considerably in its strength chiefly in consequence of air bubbles, the temperature of the moulds, and the time allowed for cooling, which, when it takes place slowly, the iron becomes much tougher than when it is cooled rapidly. Cast-iron, too, ought always to be annealed. One of the best tests of the quality of such iron is to strike the edge of it with a hammer: if it make a slight impression, denoting some degree of malleability, the iron is of a good quality; but, if it fly off in fragments, without any sensible indentation, it is hard and brittle, and not to be relied Bronze Statue in Hyde Park. 275 on. In a large beam of iron it must be remembered, that different parts will be often of different qualities, depending upon their situation in the mould. Sir H. Davy's Experiments on the MSS. of HAVE closed without producing any marked result. Iodine and chlorine separated the rolls without injuring the ink, which is of charcoal, on which these agents have no action; but the papyrus itself, containing much undecompounded vegetable matter, baffled the investigation. Of the original 1696 MSS., 431 have been submitted to experiment, or given to foreign governments by the King of Naples: about 100 of those which remain appear to be in a state to encourage the expectation of their being restored, even by the chemical means already known. In general, the writing is only on one side, and the MSS. are rolled round sticks like the webs of our silk mercers. The stick is invariably carbonized, and resembles a bit of charcoal. Sir H. Davy suggests, from the nature of the ink of these MSS. and the silence of Pliny, that up to this period, the Romans never used galls and iron as a writing ink; and, probably, that this invention was contemporary with the use of parchment; of which the earliest MSS. at present known are the Codices Rescripti, discovered at Rome and Milan, by M. Mai, including the books of Cicero de Republica, supposed to be of the second or third century. We have forborne to mention The Bronze Statue, lately erected in Hyde Park, to which we alluded in a former number of our Journal, (see Vol. iii. page 280,) because, after what we then said, much notice does not appear to be necessary. The public journals have noticed this work of art in a very unceremonious way, indeed; and ridicule and vituperation have been most unmercifully thrown on the labours of WESTMACott, who has certainly proved himself, in the execution, an accomplished artist. The statue was cast in parts, which have been exceedingly well united. Of the taste of those who have chosen to erect this statue in honour of the Duke of Wellington, we have nothing whatever to say; but we cannot avoid thinking that, as a work of art, it will be contemplated, when the victories of the noble general are dim in the distance; and, as such, it will be ultimately, we doubt not, and generally considered as a splendid monument of the arts in England, during the first quarter of the nineteenth century. GERMANY, The imperial government has lately offered a thousand ducats, in gold, to the author of the best work on the construction of windmills, whether he be a native or foreigner. AMERICA. The union of the American Lakes with the Atlantic Ocean, by a canal from Hudson's River, proceeds rapidly towards completion. In a few months, the Grand Western Canal, 315 miles in length, will cause the inland seas and the ocean to mingle their mighty waters. Ten thousand men have been for some time employed in this vast enterprise, which is the offspring of the bold policy of the chief magistrate of New York. |