THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



171 



dowu to hairs' breadths. A piece of this section paper, 

 about the size of an envelope, will give the base line, and 

 the perpendicular line, and the right angle (see the accom- 

 panying eketcb). 



Let the rifle volunteer begin at night to practise distances 

 by placing a candle at one corner of a table, and then place 

 himself with the section paper at the opposite end of the 

 table, and let it be understood that, with three fine needles, 

 or even pins, and this piece of paper, lie is to measure accu- 

 rately and instantly the distance from a given point, at his 

 end of the table, to the candle, at the other end, by triangu- 

 lation. 



To save the trouble of taking two argUs, let biin lay 

 down the right angle on the table first by putting a needle 

 through the angular point; then set the perpendicular line 

 right from this needle to the candle, and fix the paper there 

 by a pin, merely to hold it in its place ; then set out upon 

 the table the base line, and measure it — say 20 inches — and 

 then remove the section paper, but not the needle, and put 

 it as if it had been slid forward till the scale of 20 on the 

 paper comes exactly to the 20 on the table ; here put in a 

 needle, in order to get the angle taken, and take care that 

 the base line of the paper is still over the base line of the 

 table, and pointing to the first needle, and when these 

 tilings are so, look towards the candle, and the third needle 

 will have to be put in on the perpendicular liue on the exact 

 distance that is required, for the section paper will now be 

 an accurate plan— a small edition of the larger-sized plan, 

 viz., the table, and you have only to call inches hundreds of 

 yards, and you will have the shooting distances performed 

 bj- the same means out of doors. 



The late J. C. Loudon, author of the " Arboretum Britan- 

 nicum," had the heights of trees measured for his work by a 

 right-angled triangle moved back from the tree until the 

 angle of 4o° pointed to the top and bottom of the tree, and 

 then, by measuring with a tape to the bole of the tree, the 

 base line would of course be equal to the height or perpen- 

 dicular line, and that without climbing. 



It must always prove interesting to riflemen to be able to 

 calculate the distance across a river, for example, or across a 

 marsh or rough ground, when they are to practise ; and if it 

 be useful there, how much more so will it be for him to have 

 the confidence in himself that, le't to h's own resources, and 

 having to lead others or direct hia own aim, he cnn tell (he 

 distance that he is froa his target, for he cannot walk up to 

 the outposts of the enemy, and, after pulling the nose of his 

 opponent, tell him, "As soon as I have paced the distance of 

 COO yards back to my ground, I will elevate my sight to thfi 

 score for 600, and let fly at the third button on your tunic.'' 



Alex. Forsyth, 



THE BATH AND WEST OF ENGLAND SOCIETY. 



A meeting of the Council of this Society was held at 

 Waghorn's Hotel, Taunton, on Saturday, 26tli January, 

 1861, J. W. Buller, Esq., M.P., President, in the chair. 

 There were also present — Messrs. H. G. Jloysey, E. S. 

 Drewc, Jonathan Gr.ay, Kobt. Smith, John Hooper. C. 

 Gordon, jun., John Widdicombe, W. E. Gillett, Clement 

 Bush, John Gould, M. Farrant, AV. Thompson (Bath), 

 Joseph Lush, R. N. Grenville, Gabriel Poole, John Fry, R. 

 K. Meade King, J. D. Hancock, Thomas Danger, Capt, J. 

 T. Davy, and the Secretary, Mr. H. St. John Jlaule. 



Truko IMektiki;;. — A communication was read from the 

 Committee of Council on Education (Science and Art I)e- 

 X"iartmcnt), acceding to an application which had been 

 made to them by the President for a selection of works of 

 art from the Kensington Museum, for exhibition at the 

 annual meeting of the Society, at Truro, during the first 

 week in June next. The Field Steward brought np a re- 

 port of the arrangements which have been made for the 

 trial of implements in the field at the Truro meeting, 

 which was adopted. A report from the Mess Committee 

 was read, but referred back for further consideration. Mr. 

 John Gray was appointed Steward Elect in the yard at 

 Truro. The subject of the place of meeting for 1^(13 was 

 considered, but no place definitively fixed. 



Fjin.\nck. — Mr. Gillett brought up a report from the 

 Finance Committee, and a balance-sheet showing that, 



with a balance of .=6415 from 18.59, the total receipts for' 

 the past year amounted to £o.fioL lis. 6d. ; and after the 

 payment of all expenses, there remains a balance in hand 

 of .=£488 17s. 6d., exclusive of a sum of X'900, which has 

 been voted for the Triu'o meeting. 



LinnARv, A\D 0TIU3R Pkoperty. — A Committee, consist- 

 ing of Mr. E. K. M. King, J\lr. E. N. Grenville, and Mr. 

 Gillett, was appointed, to consider whether the books, 

 busts, models, and other property of the Society, can bo 

 placed in any public institution or building in Taunton, 

 and to report at the next meeting. 



Arts Depaktment. — The Secretary read the regulations 

 recommended by the Committee of the Arts Department 

 for the Truro meeting, and also a report from the same 

 committee, which was confirmed. 



Council Meetings. — In consequence of its being found 

 more convenient to tlic members, the Council have do- 

 terrained that in future the monthly meetings shall be 

 held on the Firsl Saturday in the month, instead of the 

 Last SaUinlay, as heretofore. 



New Members. — The following new members were 

 added to the Society : Mr. J. F. Bassett, Tohidy Park, 

 Ecdruth; Mr. 'William Karkcek, Truro; j\Ir. Wm. Vealc, 

 Devonport ; Mr. John Cocks, jun., South Molton ; Mr. 

 William Francis, Crediton; l\Ir. W. Featherstone, 'Wivolis- 

 combo. 



Q 



