at Stanley, near Wakefield, * 28K 



acid, and even to cause a decomposition of the sulphuretted 

 hydrogen, so as to prevent our obtaining, in a gaseous form, the 

 quantity really existing in the water, and imparting to it sen- 

 sible or medicinal properties. 



On the subject of medicinal qualities I am at all times 

 cautious of giving an opinion : but I may observe, first, that as 

 this spring is dissimilar to any of those which have already at- 

 tained celebrity, so none of them can form a substitute for 

 this ; it is not Harrogate, or Cheltenham, or Buxton, or Tun- 

 bridge water : the alkaline springs of the West Riding, of which 

 this is by far the strongest, stand as medicinal waters hitherto 

 alone ; the active ingredient, the bi-carbonate of soda, being 

 spoken of in chemical works, as ** rarely found in mineral 

 waters." 



Secondly, from the known properties of this substance, car- 

 bonate of soda, and the frequency of its administration in a 

 long train of arthritic, calculous and dyspeptic complaints, the 

 water must be highly useful as an anti-acid and as a diuretic ; 

 and as the advantages which native mineral waters possess 

 over artificial solutions of the substances, in the great degree 

 of dilution, and the impregnation with gases, and still mor^ in 

 the adjuncts of leisure, exercise, pure air, regulated diet and 

 early rising, are of especial consequence in the latter very nu- 

 merous class of diseases, those called stomach and nervous 

 complaints ; we may fairly suppose that such a spring will be 

 found to be a valuable addition to those previously known, 

 applying, as it does, to cases of such frequent occurrence. 



Observations on the State of Naval Construction in this 



Country. 



It appears that there is at present a tendency to improvement 

 in every branch of science ; monopoly in intellect may now 

 be said to be vanishing ; and empiricism is obliged to seek dark 

 corners, to escape the light which is penetrating into regions 

 from which it had but very lately been excluded. The admi- 

 nistration, too, encourages advance of knowledge ; yet notwith- 

 standing these favourable circumstances, there still exists, in 



