i64 Proceedings of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. 



it falls to their lot to complete the drying, and prepare the article for ex- 

 portation to China. For this purpose the streets, and every vacant spot 

 in the town, are occupied with mats spread out and covered by the agar- 

 agar in various stages of exsiccation. The first process is washing in salt 

 water, and the picking out of all extraneous matter ; after this, exposure 

 merely dries it, and it requires but little attention to pick out parts which 

 occasionally decompose as the process goes on, and to house it in case of 

 rain, which is very prejudicial to its preservation. — Indeed that which, 

 through neglect, has felt the effect of showers of rain seldom keeps to 

 China. 



The labour attending it is not very great, and is nearly the same as kelp 

 undergoes in England previous to calcination. 



In its dry state, when packed iJp ready for exportation, it is worth from 

 three to four dollars per pecul, and fetches usually in China double that 

 sum, but it must be remembered that the duty is very high. The article 

 is kHown to the Chinese by the name of Hy-Chy, and is converted by 

 them to various useful purposes, such as glue, paint, &c. The chief con- 

 sumption of it is in the dressing and glazing of their cotton manufactures, 

 and the preparation of sacrifice paper, and paintings for their temples. 

 A small portion of the finest part is sometimes made into a firm jelly, 

 wliich on being cut up, and preserved in syrup, makes a delicious sweet- 

 meat. 



We may here remark, that where the weed abounds, between Red 

 Island, in the Straits of Dryon and Battam Point, so called in Horsburgh's 

 charts, there is no passage for ships, the islands and shoals are extremely 

 numerous, and called by the natives emphatically Pulo sa Gantang-, mean- 

 ing that there are as many islands and shoals as there are grains of rice in 

 a gantang-, a measure about the size of an English gallon. — Calcutta Go- 

 vernment Gazette, October 26. 



Akt. XXVII.— proceedings of the royal SOCIETY OF 

 EDINBURGH. 



November 26th. — At a general meeting of the Royal Society the fol- 

 ing Office-bearers were elected. 



President. — Sir Walter Scott, Baronet. 

 Vice-Presidents. — Right Hon. Lord Chief- Baron. Lord Glenlee. 



Dr T. C. Hope. Professor Russell. 



Secretary — Dr Brewster. 



Treasurer. — Thomas Allan, Esq. 



Curator of the Museum. — James Skene, Esq. 



Physical Class. — Lord Newton, President. 



John Robison, Esq. Secretary 

 Counsellors. — Sir William Forbes, Bart. Professor Wallace. 

 Dr Home. Dr Turner.. 



