Intelligence and Miscellaneous Articles. 387 



I took the opportunity of examining the Winch bridge, which is the 

 oldest chain-bridge in Britain, and probably in Europe. As all the 

 accounts of it I have seen are very incorrect in regard to its dimen- 

 sions, and as 1 think it interesting to preserve an account of it, I send 

 you the measurements which we took. 



The Winch bridge is formed of two chains, composed of links six 

 inches in length, the iron of which is l£ inch in circumference. The 

 floor, which is laid on the chains, is eighteen inches wide, and has a 

 hand-rail on each side. The chains are fixed by bolts into the rocks 

 at each end. The lengths of the chains are as follow : — 



Feet. Inche*. 



Length of chain between the rocks 59 4 



— — supported by the rock on N. side .... 12 



, S. side, 



not visible, being covered with rubbish. 

 The centre of the bridge, which is about three feet lower than the 

 ends, was, on the 2nd July 1828, twenty-one feet above the level of 

 the water, the depth of which was 8| feet. This measure is very dif- 

 ferent from that given in all the printed accounts of it I have seen, 

 which vary in making it from fifty to sixty feet high. 



The bridge, which is in a decayed state, and not pleasant to pass 

 over, is steadied by two chains, which are passed round the floor, and 

 fixed in the basalt rocks on the west side. — Brewster's Journal. 



CHLOROPHJEITE DISCOVERED IN NORTHUMBERLAND. 

 Mr. William Hutton, of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, has discovered 

 that rare and curious mineral called chlorophaeite, in a basaltic dyke 

 near Coquet Water in Northumberland, about two miles north-east 

 of Felton. It exists in the form of small nodules, which, from a 

 specimen kindly sent to Dr. Brewster by W. C. Trevelyan, Esq. has 

 exactly the same appearance and properties as those of the chloro- 

 phaeite which Major Paterson brought from Ferroe. Mr. Hutton has 

 also observed the same substance at Coaly Hill near Newcastle, but 

 in the earthy form. — Ibid, 



NOVACULITE. 



The hone, or whet-stone slate (the Novaculite of mineralogists), 

 is by far the most interesting and important rock in the slate for- 

 mation of North Carolina. In my examination of this region, 

 (observes Professor D. Olmsted), I have made it an object to 

 ascertain the localities, and the respective qualities and relative 

 values of this substance. It is found in the greatest abundance 

 in various parts of the slate-formation, although the qualities of 

 different beds are various. The most valuable bed that I have 

 met with, is about seven miles west of Chapel-Hill. It is known by 

 the name of M'Cauley's quarry. It has been opened on the summit 

 of a hill which forms one of three parallel ranges extending from 

 north-east to south-west, and composed chiefly of a green slate, 

 called chlorite. The hone slate occurs in distinct beds, which pre- 



3 D 2 sent 



