1835.] Scientific Intelligence. All 



3. Resolutio Problematis de circuli Quadratura juxta calculum quern 

 coUigere potuit Joaquimus Antonius de Oleveira Leitad Presbyter 

 secularis, 8^c. London 1835. 



The author, in this pamphlet, attempts to solve a problem which 

 has long been given up as incapable of solution, after having en- 

 gaged the attention of the first mathematicians of every age. Unlike, 

 however, the Sieur Mathulon, who offered a sum of money, with the 

 greatest arrogance, to any one who should prove his pretended quad- 

 rature false, (it consisted in dividing a circle into two quadrants, and 

 turning these outward so as to form a square), our author tells us 

 that if he is made sensible by solid reasons that his opinion is erro- 

 neous, he will willingly submit to the voice of truth. He observes : 

 " In order that we may the more easily reduce any circle whatever 

 into a square, we will do it in the following manner : Let us divide 

 the diameter of the circle into 5 equal parts ; we will take four of 

 these parts, which will be equal to one side of the square, and which 

 is equal to the circle in the periphery but not in the space. Let us 

 then seek a middle proportional line between the diameter of the 

 circle and that of the square ; and behold the side of another square 

 perfectly equal to the circle in space." 



He very candidly subjoins two refutations by mathematicians of 

 his solution ; one is, " The square has been divided into 8 equal parts, 

 and the arc of the quadrant surpasses its cord by i th part. The 

 radius of the circle is equal to 5 ; but if the square of the cord is 

 equal to double the square of the radius, it follows, that 7 squares 

 are equal to the double of 5 ; that is to say, 49=50." This does not 

 convince our author, but he exclaims : " Ecce nobilis et prseclari 

 geometrice eruditi, ecce sententia mea quam honorifice censurae ves- 

 trae submitto ; enim desidero inexhaustum veritatis thesaurum magis 

 magisque hominibus patefieri; ad quod aliquoties audaces fortuna 

 juvat. 



Article IX. 



SCIENTIFIC INTELLIGENCE. 



I. — Nature of the Combinations of Alkalies with 

 Carbonic Acid.^' 



POTASH AND CARBONIC ACID. 



1. To determine the nature of this compound, Henry Rose placed 

 4*001 grms. (61*73 grs.) of the crystals of bi-carbonate of potash in a 

 vacuum over sulphuric acid, for 20 hours. They lost '002 grms. 

 (•03 grs.) ; 1*427 (22 grs.) of the pounded salt lost, in the same time, 

 •003 grms. (-046 grs.) The first loss being equivalent to -05, and 

 the second to '21 per cent. 



2. 1905 grms. (29*33 grs.) of the same salt, finely pounded, when 

 placed under a bell glass on a plate upon which a quantity of caustic 



* Poggendorff's Ann. xxxiv. 149. 



