240 
plate cut to the same size, be done up al- 
ternately in a pile, and secured in this state 
by a string lapped and tied round it, leay- 
ing the ends of the string loose, as the 
means of lifting up this pile : then, if into 
a jug of clean water this pile be inserted, 
and left for an hour or two, the water will 
be found to have acquired as strong a chaly- 
beate taste, as that of many springs which 
are medicinally resorted to ; and the same 
pile will in this manner impregnate a great 
number of successive jugs of water: if the 
water stand long unused, flocules of oxide 
of iron will begin to form in it, and fall to 
the bottom. 
Strata of coal, near Mount Lebanon, in 
Syria, have been. discovered, and a pit of 
this useful mineral has been for some time 
wrought, under the direction of M. Brocchi, 
who has returned from Nubia with a rich 
geological collection, particularly as to or- 
ganic, remains. 
Coals have long been conjectured to exist 
under. and around Carlisle city, and the 
same has lately been rendered somewhat 
more probable, by the sinking of a new 
well in the horse-market there; which, 
after penetrating through the red marl, 
reached, as is said, a perfect coal-sill or 
shale, in which it has been lamented that a 
déep boring was not commenced, in search 
of strata of coal beneath: the geological 
map of Cumberland by William, or rather, 
“ Strata Smith,” (noticed in our last volume, 
p. 546;) strongly indicates the existence of 
valuable coal-seams under several parts of 
the vale of Eden; but a minute and accu- 
rate mineral survey of the district must 
precede any rational attempts at discover- 
ing and setting on works upon these coal- 
seams, 
There are similar probabilities of valu- 
able coal-seams existing elsewhere, par- 
ticularly under many parts of the extensive 
vale of Cheshire, that are covered by red 
marl, but the discovery and winning of 
these coal-seams, hidden by unconformable 
red marl, or its imbedded sand-stones (as 
Mr. Farey was the first in shewing) may 
be protracted centuries, and thousands on 
thousands of pounds be in the mean time 
‘thrown away, on fruitless boreings and 
sinkings ; unless that minute and suffi- 
ciently extensive mineral surveys, on Smith- 
tan principles, are first made of these in- 
teresting parts of our island. The practical 
difficulty lies in the intermixture of pro- 
perty in the lands and their subficial mi- 
nerals, rendering it too probable that those 
who might encounter the expenses of the 
preliminary investigations might only be- 
nefit other land-owners; or at best, that 
they would only share with others the dis- 
coveries made at their entire expense. 
Philosophical Insanity. — The. following 
instance of methodical and deliberate sui- 
cide approaches nearer to the stoicism of 
the ancients, on this subject, than to any of 
the modern instances of self-destruction. 
Spirit of Philosophical Discovery. 
[ Oct. I, 
M. Bertholet, son of the celebrated French 
chemist of that name, an amiable young 
man, and of great promise in literary and 
scientific attainments, recently terminated 
his existence in the following. manner :— 
Having lighted a charcoal fire in a confined 
room, he shut himself in, and closed every 
possible aperture. He then seated himself 
at a table, with writing apparatus, and de- 
liberately noted down the time, and the 
progress of the vapour, or carbonic acid gas, 
on the vital system, till death suspended his 
operations! When found by his friends, 
some hours afterwards, he was extended on 
the floor quite dead, the Jatter part of the 
writing being illegible, 
Safe Portmantean, or Letter-bag. — A 
French gentleman of the name of Laporte, 
resident in America, has suggested an in- 
genious method of constructing a port-folio 
for the conveyance of letters by mail, which 
would not be liable to be cut or broken 
open. The principle of the invention 
seems to be nothing more than the appli- 
cation of what is called chain armour, or a 
sort of net-work of rings (iron or brass) 
connected together, and covered with lea- 
ther in the ordinary way. Phe American 
papers speak very highly of the invention, 
and describe the bags as not exceeding 
more than about double the weight of the 
ordinary leather-bags. used for conveying the 
mail. We are of opinion the principle 
may be applied with great advantage in the 
construction of all’ kinds of portable bags, 
without adding considerably to their weight. 
And in the manufacture of trunks of all 
kinds, an internal frame-work made of 
wire (of any requisite intervals), would be 
an effectual security against their being cut 
through for the purpose of plunder. 
Immense Fish of the Ray Spectes.—The 
Edinburgh Journal contains a detailed re- 
port of the capture of an immense skate or 
ray-fish, by a Mr. Lamont, of the 91st regi- 
ment, with some others, off the harbour of 
Port-Royal, Jamaica, in February last. 
After observing that these fish (which, from, 
their immense size and strength, are called 
by the inhabitants “ sea-devils”’), occasion- 
ally make their appearance off the coasts of 
America and the West-India Islands; the 
author describes the mode of attack, and 
the extreme hazard to the parties who go 
off in the boats, as far greater than the dan- 
ger attending the whale-fishery. Such was 
the power of the sea-monster, that, after 
having six or seven harpoons struck into 
him from as many canoes, he made off 
with the greatest velocity for upwards of 
four hours, dragging all the boats ten or 
twelve miles out to sea. After which 
another large harpoon was struck into him, 
when he made a convulsive struggle, which 
effectually disengaged him from his ene- 
mies, finally carrying off eight or ten har- 
poons and pikes in his back. 
An opportunity having again offered soon 
after, this gentleman and his adventurous 
; friends 
