London Badge Improvement. — Strontlan. lyj 



render it neceffary to take his fmalkr arch, which would diminifh it-by one-third more, and 

 bring the refiftance within tlie loweft eftimate of re-aftion given in the foregoing paragraph. 

 Mr. Dance has (hewn in his furvey, that the mean inclination of Holborn-hill, from Field- 

 lane to Bartlctt's-buildings, gives a rife of 2,o6 per yard, and that a flope of this kind would 

 reach about half way between Lombard-ftreet and Eaftcheap ; the latter of which ftreets would 

 be nearly half fliut in, while Thatnes-ftreet would be entirely furmounted, or covered up ; — that 

 the inclination of Ludgate-hill from the obelifk in Bridge-ftreet to the rails in St. Paul's Church- 

 yard gives a rife of 0,96 inches per yard, and that a flope of this kind would reach beyond 

 Thread-needle-ftreet on the city fide, pafling at double the height of the houfes on the fouth- 

 fide of Thames-ftreet ; compleatly covering Eaftcheap ; intercepting the fecond-floor windows 

 at iTombard-ftreet ; croffing Cornhill at the height of twelve feet, or above the tops of the 

 (hop-windows ; and nearly four feet high at the end of Thread-needle-ftreet. The fame 

 flope on the Borough fide would reach completely through that town, and meet the ground 

 on the road beyond the ftones' end : the whole length of both flopes being above one mile and a 

 quarter. It feems unneceflr.ry to enter into the confequences deducible from thefe fails, or to 

 obferve, how much the length of thefe inclined roads would be diminiflied by redifying the 

 drawing with regard to the "water-line, or by adopting the loweft of Mr. Dodd's arches ; the 

 latter of which would make a difference of nearly two to one. For if the extreme declivity, 

 or fhorteft inclined plane, in Mr. Dance's plan can be eafily furmounted by a loaded horfe, 

 for the time required to pafs over its length, it would follow, of courfe, that fpeculations ref- 

 pefting other planes, will be fcarcely applicable to the fubjedl *. 



I have received a letter from the Rev. Mr. Richardfon, of Bath, inclofing the fecond letter 

 ftated by Dr. Gibbes (fee p. g6 of our laft number) to be ftrongly in his favour; and alfo 

 a letter from Dr. Beddoes, on the fame fubje£l ; which letters I hope will terminate the 

 difcuflion. Mr. Richardfon (April 20) quotes an affertion of Mr. Notcutt, made in conver- 

 fation fince the difpute, that he did not know what the fpecimen was, but conjedlured it might 

 be fulphate of ftrontian; at the fame time that Mr. N. informed Mr. R. that he did not yet 

 know its compofition, as neither he, nor Mr. Clayfield had analyfed it. The fubfequent part 

 of Mr. R.'s letter, contains general inference and obfervation of that kind, which, in feleding 

 the mere fa£ls, I have avoided relating ; and a requeft that Dr. Beddoes would tranfmit to 

 me the faiSls contained in his letter. From Dr. B.'s letter, I find that he did not think it in- 

 cumbent on him to publifh Mr. R.'s report of Mr. Notcutt's teftimony, becaufe he was io' 

 poflfefTion of the teftimony itfelf ; and lie therefore returned this fecond letter in time, with an' 

 invitation to Mr. R. to fend it to me, if he, or Dr. G. thought it to the purpofe. With re- 

 gard to the general fubje£l. Dr. B. aflcs me^ whether I ought not to diftinguifh between the 



* Since the above was compored, I have been informed that in Mr. Dodd's plan, firft publifhed in a 

 fingle (hcet, the main arch was propofed to be elevated one hundred feet above high water, and that this 

 was the plan Tubmitled to Mr. Dance. 



Vol. Ill — ^JuNE 1799. T notoriety 



