198 INVENTIONS AND DISCOVERIES. 



nonades, or other pieces of sea-ordnance, with which seamen may prac- 

 tice the art of naval gunnery, by firing at a mark, under similar disad- 

 vantages as those they have to contend with, when attacking an enemy's 

 vessel in heavy weather. By the way, we believe this officer to be the 

 inventor of two life-preservers! the one to check, at a moment, a restive 

 or runaway horse in any description of vehicle, (and an excellent inven- 

 tion it is) and the other, one of the many plans before the public, for 

 buoying up persons who are immersed in the water, whether 



" In flowing river, lucid lake, 

 Or crested ocean surge" 



so as to afford them the greatest chance of salvation from drowning. 

 We hope that this is the Lieut. Cook, that he may thus be said to balance 

 accounts with humanity. 



However this may be, our pleasure will not be lessened by alluding 

 to a mode of effecting instantaneous communication with stranded ves- 

 sels ; to attain which praiseworthy object, Mr. Murray, after a series of 

 interesting experiments, has perfected an arrow not a death-dealing, 

 but a preserving arrow which can be projected from a common horse- 

 man's pistol, and convey one end of a line, with sufficient elevation, a 

 distance of upwards of one hundred yards, for the purpose of opening a 

 communication with the unfortunately shipwrecked mariner. Fired 

 from a musket, the projectile may be thrown twice the distance named; 

 and an efficient apparatus, of this latter description, inclusive often 

 arrows, maybe completed at a cost of 5. There is no doubt of its 

 superiority over Captain Manby's plan ; and its exceeding cheapness 

 and portability should insure its universal adoption, and the ample 

 reward of its inventor. 



But, what have we here? the dulce crept into our note-book of the 

 utile? Even so; and, for the sake of our fair readers, the increase to 

 whose number we shall " O, happiest of pleasurable tasks" try hard 

 to deserve, we will give it a place. Nor need we apologise to our 

 readers of the " sterner sex," for Day's ^Eolophon is mechanical, as well 

 as musical. The ^Eolophon is a keyed, six-octave instrument ; to all 

 outward appearance a cabinet piano-forte, but capable of yielding " a 

 volume of sweet sounds," such as cannot be produced with the most 

 scientific touch, from either the piano-forte, or the organ. The music is 

 elicited from aeolian springs, which are acted upon by currents of air, 

 whose volume and force are regulated with a nicety that appears to keep 

 pace with conception. We have examined this beautiful combination of 

 mechanical skill and philosophical research ; for both were necessary to 

 its perfection : we have been delighted by a demonstration of its un- 

 equalled powers of melody, under the tasteful display of a fairy-fingered 

 lady; and we feel warranted in declaring our opinion, that the rapidity 

 of touch, and rich variety of tone and effect, which may be produced by 

 any player of the piano-forte or organ, after a very little practice, on the 

 jEolophon, the notes being the same ; will be sufficient recommendation 

 for this splendid addition to the music-room, to all admirers of the en- 

 chanting art. Whilst, on the score of economy and convenience, no bad 

 adjuncts, even to those who love the music score, it offers the novel 

 advantages of continuing in tune under every change of climate. 



Now turn we from mechanics, to the most interesting discoveries of 

 the day. Of these, we shall mention two in the present number : -the 



