Scientific N'ews.-^SubierraneouS Road bentath the Thames, 239 



Certain memoirs of Cit. Bouchad, on the legiflation of the Romans, and their numlfmatic 

 hiftory, were mentioned ; and after theie accounts the prefident fucceflively announced the 

 readings. . 



Cit. Lcfevre-Gineau read for Cit. David Leroy a memoir on the (hips of the ancients, 

 m which he proves that we may derive ufeful in(lru£lion from them. Cit.. Delambre read a 

 memoir on the meafure of a bafe talcen in the neighbourhood of Melun, for determining the 

 length of the meridian, 



Cit, Fleurieu read a memoir on the civilization of the north-weft parts of America, where 

 the traces are found of acquifitions which do not belong. to nations abfolutely favage ; fuch 

 as ingenious conftruftions, fculptures and indifferent paintings reprefenting animals, the 

 parts of the human body, &c. He concludes that their anceftors fled to thefc countries 

 from the ravages of the Spaniards during the conqueft of Mexico. 



Cit. Chaptal read a memoir on the yellow colour obtained from vegetables. 



Cit, Monges difcuffed the queftion, whether the two antique ftatues known by the names 

 of the gladiator and the dying gladiator do really reprefent gladiators, He clearly efta^ 

 blifhes the diiFerence which exifted between the gladiators of the Romans and the athletics 

 of the Greeks. The firft were barbarians, whofe lives were mercilefsly expofed ; the fecond, 

 Greeks, and fometimes heroes, who diftinguifhed themfelves by their ability in perfonal ac>- 

 tivity. The author does not believe that the ftatues in queftion are entitled to the deno- 

 minations they bear. 



■ Cit. Colin d'Harleville himfelf read a dialogue, entitled, "Man and his confcience," a 

 very well written phllofophical produ£tion. Cit. Lalande read a piece on the variation of 

 the magnetic pole. 



The fitting was terminated by Cit. Mole, who delivered a very happy tale written by Cit.' 

 Andrieux, entitled, The Deaij of Badajoz. 



THE public attention has lately been much excited by a proje£l: of Mr. R. Dodd, engineer, 

 for a communication between the counties of Kent and Effex, by a tunnel or fubterraneous 

 road beneath the Thames, from Gravefend to Tilbury. The particulars as they appear in 

 the newfpapers, inferted as I apprehend by the engineer himfelf, are as follow ; 



The tunnel is to be cylindrical, and lined on all fides with ftone keyed together in the 

 manner of an arch ; the internal diameter to be fixteen feet, which Mr. Dodd imagines will 

 be fufficient for foot, horfe, and carriage paflengers. The paflage muft of courfe be illumi- 

 nated with lamps, and a fteam-engine is propofed to be erected in a proper fituation to draw 

 off the drainage water if any ftiould accumulate. The eftinute is ftated as follows: 

 To 900 yards (running meafure) of tunneling, including excavations, vaulting 



with key-ftones, &c. at 12I. per yard - - - " jC* *Oj8oo 



To relaying the bottom with new made ground 900 yards at il. each - gao 



To placing lamps and lamp irons tlirough the tunnel, colledors' rooms, and gates 



at each end . . - « . j^qq 



To making good the entrance roads at each end of the tunnel - - 160 



To a fteam-engine to draw off drainage water - - - I>78o 



Neccffary machinery during the execution - - - ^00 



T» ten per cent, upon the whole for contingencies • 5 ; i»4tS 



■^■■"— ■-• 



9 Total ;C-i5)95S 



