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On some Experiments made hy a Commission of the Royal Tn- 

 st'itute of the Pays Bas, with a view of verifying the pro- 

 perty ascribed to Oil of calming the reaves of the Sea. 



The Annales de Cliimie et de Physique for the month of 

 March 1342, contain a Memoir by M. A. Van Beek, on the 

 property possessed by oils of calming waves, and rendering the 

 surface of the water perfectly transparent. After citing 

 many testimonies to prove the existence of this property and 

 its efficacy, the author goes on to express the opinion that we 

 may find, by the use of oil during tempests, a means of protect- 

 ing piers and other marine constructions against the violence of 

 the waves, by pouring it on the water not far from the sides. 



So bold and singular a supposition could not fail to attract 

 the attention of men of science ; accordingly, the Academy of 

 Sciences of Paris appointed a commission to examine the sub- 

 ject. But, on this occasion, it will be neither useless nor un- 

 interesting to our readers to know that the same question has 

 already been agitated in Holland. 



M. Van Beek, who is a member of the Royal Institute of 

 the Pays Bas, made a proposal last year at the sitting of 

 the class of sciences, having for its object to prevail on the 

 Government to institute experiments with the view of prov- 

 ing that oil had the power of preserving piers against the 

 violence of the sea. 



This proposition was not generally approved of. Three 

 members were chosen to examine further into its importance ; 

 but these three persons in their turn being by no means unani- 

 mous in the considerations and advice which they oifered, it 

 was thought that the best way of getting rid of the embarrass- 

 ment, was to adjourn the consideration of the proposial, and 

 endeavour, before resuming it, to obtain some positive light 

 on the question itself. In consequence, a commission of five 

 members was appointed, vrith instructions to make direct ex- 

 periments on the power oil exercises on tlie waves near the 

 coast ; and it is the report of this commission which we are 

 now about to communicate. 



The commission nominated from among the members of 



