166 ACCOUNT or THE 
be applied along fide about midfhips in order to afcer- 
tain the lee-way; which, if rightly fhewn will give the 
fhip’s precife longitude. As to fea-currents, this and all 
other machines hitherto invented, muft be fubje& to their 
influence; and proper allowances muft be made, accord- 
ing to the fkill and knowledge of the navigator. 
Laftly, fome difcretion will be neceflary in taking ob- 
fervations from the machine to be entered on the log-book. 
I mean, that the moft favourable and equitable moment 
fhould be chofen for the obfervation. Not whilft the thip 
is rapidly defcending the declivity of a wave; or is fud- 
denly checked by a ftroke of the fea; or is in the very act 
of plunging. In all cafes, I f{uppofe, periods may be found 
in which a fhip proceeds with a true average velocity ; to 
difcover which a little experience and attention will lead 
the fkilful mariner™. 5; 
N° XII. 
Account of an Electrical Eel, or the Torpedo of Surinam, 
by Witttam Bryant, E/quire. 
URINAM a colony of South America belonging 
S to the ftates of Holland, abotnds with as man 
natural curiofities as any country in the world. But that 
which I look upon to be as furprifing as any in it, and 
which I believe has not yet been accurately defcribed, is a 
fith of the {pecies of eel, and is caught there in nets among 
other fifh; generally in muddy rivers, and I believe is 
found in mott of the neighbouring provinces. In fize and 
7 ied s colour 
* An ingenious mechanic would probably conftruét this machine to better advantage in 
many refpects. The author only meant to fuggeft the principle ; experiment alone can point 
out the beft method of applying it. He is fenfible of at leaft one deficiency, viz. That the 
little index R, figure 4, will not be ftrong enough to retain the palate D in an oblique pofiti- 
on when the fhip is failing by the wind; more efpecially as the compafs plate S, in whofe 
notched rim the index R is to fall, isnot fixed to, but only fitted tight on the Beket N. Many 
means however might be contrived to remedy this inconvenience, ' 
