446 
practical applications. By the aid of 
these, sciences the most abstract are sud- 
denly found to be pregnant with imme- 
diate and. obvious utilities, and adapted 
to the most common pprposes. | A theo- 
rem of Archimedes serves as a basis for 
the areomctrical, measuring. of liquids, 
so requisite both for the ministers. of 
government and-for individuals. The 
hydraulic press, now of such use in the 
arts, the immense force of which brings 
together or divides, reduces substances 
to their smallest volume, gives penetra- 
tion to colours ito the most compact 
woven toutextures; this instrument, of 
almost universal use in Hugland, may 
be ascribed, to a corollary of statics, 
originally proposed by Paseal. 
"The discussionand analysis of Docu- 
ments relating to the Marine, and the 
Hydrographical Methods for surveying 
the Coasts, have been brought to a 
degree of perfection scarcely to be hoped 
for, by Messrs. Buache and Beau Tems 
Beaupré. Their Reports include a num- 
ber of details on the configuration of the 
Jands, the position of rocks and shoals, 
new methods of sounding, &c. These 
labours: are progressively augmenting 
every year, by exploring fresh parts of 
the coasts of the ocean. They tend to 
confirm the reputation of the French 
Hydrographic School. | Our vessels 
have, been employed in scientifically 
examining all the shores of the Medi- 
terranean, of the Black Sea, the Western 
Coasts of Africa, those of Brasil, &e. 
The results of their discoveries are pub- 
lished, at a vast expence, by thé French 
government, that all maritime nations 
may profit by the knowledge so im- 
parted. é 
. In treating of labours so essential to 
navigation, the great Logarithmic Ta- 
bles of My de Prony, from which spheri- 
cal geometry, would derive immense 
advantages, might be mentioned. Two 
enlightened» governments have an- 
nounced their intention to concur in the 
publication of a work, which, iv. point of 
extent'and accuracy, far surpasses all 
others of a similar description. Its ap- 
pearance will prove a singular acquisi- 
tion to the sciences. 
The grand geodesic operations now 
carrying on in France, are meant, also, 
to procure Certain useful data which the 
Minister of, Interior may turn to ac- 
connt,: The principal lines. are deter- 
mined: with a rigorous. precision. that 
may) be, compared to )astronomical 
observations. in). 
Reseavehes of) this description are 
Proceedings of Public Societies. 
[Dec. 1, 
highly interesting to the mathematical 
sciences, as they conduce to the correct 
ascertaining of the figure of the globe. 
Thus, in’ India, Colonel Iiambton, a 
corresponding member of the Academy, 
is proceeding, annually, in his geodesic 
operations: from the results which he 
has obtained, recently transmitted.to the 
Academy, it appears that they mani- 
festiy agree with the principal element 
of the French Metrical System.» The 
like conformity has been observed with 
respect to the oblate spherical formof 
the globe, or the excess of the equato- 
rial diameter above that of thesaxis that 
passes through) the poles. By) ‘com- 
paring the measurements made inAndia 
and: in Europe, this exeess is computed 
to be equal to the three-hundred and 
tenth part of the polar axis, the quantity 
vary ing from that heretofore adinitted 
being very iittle. Among other of our 
modern theories, this determination. of 
the oblate sphericity of the earth, bas 
been deduced from the Observation of 
the Ivregularities. of the Lunar, Move- 
ments. ip! bus 
A. sort of cordon of geodesic: operas 
tions has been formed between those in 
France, England, the Low Countrics; 
-Hanover, Denmark, Bavaria; Austria, 
Switzerland, and Upper Italy. ‘Au im- 
mense network, or sonnexion of trian- 
gles, Las been hereby established, and 
one and the same Science has extended 
its peaceable empire over the greatest 
part of Europe. w Be 
During the execution of these great 
Jabours in the Old ) Continent, > M. 
Marestier, an officer of the Prench) ma- 
rine, has been studying in North Ame- 
rica the works for the construction ‘of 
their vast canals, which theré’ have 
already become one of the principal 
elements of public prosperity. “Pwo 
young travellers, Messrs. Cailliaud and 
Letorzec, formed in the school of Freneh 
astronomers, supplied with instruments 
and methods from the Observatory. of 
Paris, have embarked from. Europe, 
landed in Africa, penetrated into the in- 
terior of its eastern parts more ‘than 
500 Icagues from the boundaries: of 
Egypt and Nubia, described a number 
of ancicnt monuments, and determined, 
by celestial observations, a multitude of 
geographical positions entirely un- 
known. At the same time, and almost 
iu the same. countries, Messrs, Huyot 
aud Gau, in the midst of , difficult 
labours, have been, enriching various 
depariments, of . architecture, the -arts, 
and the seience of antiquities. 6° > 
BRITISH 
