USEFUL PROJECTS. 
_The ocean may be. considered as 
the great reservoir and equalizer of, 
heat ;, and its. benign influences in, 
preserving a proper temperature. in 
the atmosphere, operate in all sea- 
sons-and in all climates. 
. The parching. winds from the 
land under the torrid zone, are cool- 
ed by a contact with its waters; 
and, in return, the breezes from the 
sea, which, at certain hours of the 
day, come in to the shores in almost 
all. hot countries, bring with them 
refreshment, and, as it were, new 
life and vigour both to the animal 
and vegetable creation, fainting and 
melting under the excessive beats of 
a burning sun. What a vast track 
of couptry, now the most, fertile 
upon the face of the globe, would 
be absolutely barren and uninhabi- 
table on account of the excessive 
heat, were it.not for these refresh- 
ing sea-breezes! And is it not more 
than probable, that. the extremes of 
heat and of cold, in. the different 
seasons, in the temperate and frigid 
zones, would be quite intolerable, 
were it not for the influence of the 
ocean in preserving an equability of 
temperature ? 
And to these purposes the ocean 
is) wonderfully well) adapted, not 
only on account of the great power 
of water to absorb heat, and the 
vast depth and extent of the differ- 
ent seas (which:are such, that one 
summer or one winter could hardly: 
be:supposed to have any sensible ef- 
fect in: heating or cooling this. enor- 
- mous mass); but also on account of 
the continual circulation which is 
carried on in the ocean itself, by 
means of the currents whicli pre- 
vail in it. The waters under the 
torrid zone being carried by these 
_ Currents towards the polar regions, 
are there cooled by’a contact with 
AIS 
the cold winds, and, having thus: 
commuopicated) their) heat to these 
inhospitable, regions, return towards 
the equator, carrying’ with them: re- 
freshment forthoseparchingclimates: 
The wisdom and goodness of: 
Providence: have’ often:been | called! 
in question with regard to the dis«: 
tribution of land and: water upon 
the: surface: of our globe; the vast 
extent of the ocean having been 
considered as a proof! of the little 
regard that has been paid'‘to man 
in this distribution. But, the more 
light we acquire relative to the real’ 
constitution of things, and the va- 
rious uses of the) different: parts’ of 
the visible creation, the less we 
shall be disposed to indulge our- 
selves in:such frivolous criticisms. 
Specification of the Patent granted to 
Mr. Charles William Ward, of Hat- 
ton-Garden, Middlesex, for his Me- 
thod of changing the Smoke, or Va- 
pour, arising from the Conbustion of 
many Kinds of Substances, into 
various useful Materials. Dated. 
March 15, 1792: 
hid all. to. whony these presents 
shall.come, &c. Now; know» 
ye, that: I the said: Charles William: 
Ward, in compliance with the pro- 
viso in the said letters: patent con- 
tained, do hereby describe and as- 
certain: the: nature of my: said: in- 
vention of a method of changing: 
the smoke, or. vapour, arising from 
the combustion: of many-kinds: of} 
substances into various useful’ ma~ 
terials, according to the substances: 
burot,. as follows::—All smoke, or 
vapour, from the combustion of 
different bodies, is capable of being: 
decomposed) or condensed ; but as 
the yapours, according to the sub-. 
: stance 
