- 
atl 
_— 
t* 
to a certain level. 
1808 ‘] 
clerical seminary.—ITI. The benefactions 
for the building and establishing ofa cle- 
rical seminary are placed in the public 
funds, and the interest, until the building 
_is begun, will be applied to the augmen- 
tation of the fund for exhibitions. By 
the aid of the first and second of the 
before-mentioned funds, the ends of the 
intended seminary are, in effect, now 
carrying on in a limited degree, partly 
~by premiums to direct the studies, and 
excite the emulation of the schoiars of 
all the licensed grammar-schools; and 
paitly by appropriating to one of these 
schools, exhibitions fur the maintenanceé 
of divinity scholars, during the four years 
immediately preceding the full age for 
deacon’s orders. A preference is given 
to the said school, because by such selec- 
tion of one school, the education of the 
exhibitioners may be made to approach 
the nearer to the plan of the proposed 
establishment at Llandewi Brefi.—lV. 
This fund by enabling a superannuated 
curate to retire from duties to which he 
is become incompetent, is calculated not 
only for the relief of worthy individuals, 
who are labouring under age and infir- 
mities; but also for the benefit of the 
incumbent, who is paying for services 
imperfectly discharged, and of the parish 
which suffers in many ways by the super- 
annuation of its officiating minister. 
The Rev. Mr. Lec, of Ashprington, 
Devon, has invented a contrivance for 
discharging the superfluous water from 
ponds, tanks, and reservoirs, in times of 
floods. Tt consists of a beam of wood, 
suspended by au iron pin, over the head 
of the water, so as to form a kind of 
lever or balance, baving one end affixed 
to a chain, which raises a. plug, to let out 
the superfluous water, and having sus- 
ended at the other a box or bucket, 
made rather leaky, into which the water 
is conveyed by a pipe, whenever it rises 
} As long as tie bucket 
continues filled with water, the weight 
will raise the plug, and when the water 
no longer keeps the bucket full, the plug 
will return to its place, by the lever 
recovering its level position. 
It has been suggested that the Sun- 
flower might be successfully cultivated 
for the purpose of supplying our clothiers 
with oi]. As much of the oil imported 
m the Levant, under the name of Flo- 
rence oil, when it becomes rancid, is sold 
to the clothiers for the purpose of soften- 
ing their wool, when preparing for the 
oom, it is conceived that the oil extracted 
the seed of the sun-flower might 
Literary and Philosophical Intelligence. 
259 
be advantageously employed in the same’ 
way 
Dr. Parry, of Bath, has recently in- 
vestigated the causes of the decay of 
wood, and the means of preventing it.’ 
For this purpose he recommends the ap- 
plication of a preparation of the resinous’ 
kind mixed with a certain portion of 
bees-wax. The proportion of the ingre- 
dients, and the mode of mixing them, are 
as follow.—Take twelve ounces of rosin, 
and eight ounces of roll brimstone, each 
coarsely powdered, and three gallons of 
train-oil; heat them slowly, gradually ad- 
ding four ounces of bees-wax, cut in 
small bits. Frequently stir the liquor, 
which, as soon as the solid ingredients 
are dissolved, will be fit for use. -It is’ 
recommended to dress every part of the 
wood-work with this compositien, twice 
over before the parts are put together, 
and once afterwards; and a higher state 
of preservation is promised from its use 
than has yet been attained. It should’ 
be observed, that in preparing this var- 
nish, it is adviseable, in order to prevent 
accidents, to use an earthen vessel, and 
to make the fire in the open air. 
HOLLAND. 
On the 9th of May last M. Aucustin 
undertook his twelfth aérial voyage at 
Amsterdam, He ascended at twelve 
minutes past two o'clock, p.m. the wea 
ther being cloudy. Yhe wind at first 
carried him towards the lake of Haerlem, 
but his balloon, having at the height of 
about 12,000 feet taken another direction, 
he came at nine minutes past three 
directly over the road that leads from 
Abkoude to Utrecht. Here he descended 
a little and became visible to that neigh- 
bourhood, the people of which made 
a great number of signals. Being, hows 
ever, desirous of continuing his voyage, 
he proceeded. At half past three he 
found himself enveloped in total darkness, 
At this time he heard the small balloons 
that were fastened to the larger one, 
sometimes clattering against each other, 
as far as their situation allowed. He 
was himself nearly overcome with cold 
and fear; but having recovered-the use of 
his faculties by smelling to some strong 
volatile salts, he threw out a bag of bal+ 
Jast and rose into a lighter region, where 
he found himself as well as the balloon, 
entirely Covered with snow. | This phe« 
nomenon M. Augustin attributes to the 
gilt stars, ornaments and letters, attached 
to the balloon, which: had attracted a 
great quantity of electric vapors, and 
thus exposed him to the most imminent 
danger 
