171 



Art. XVI. Miscellaneous Intelligence. 



I. Mechanical Science. 

 I. §. AsTUONOJiY, Hydrodynamics, Sfc. 



1. New Comet. — A new comet was discovered at Marseilles, 

 on the 28th of November, by M. Blanpain, in the south wing of 

 the constellation Virgo. Its angular diameter was about six or 

 seven minutes. A very small and confused nucleus has been 

 observed, but no tail whatever. On the 29th, Nov. 6 h. 10' 

 A.M. true time, it had 138"*. 7' right ascension ; 3° north decli- 

 nation. On the 30th, 5 h. 45' A.M., right ascension 184° 1' ; 

 north declination 1°. On the 2nd of December, at 5h. 6', 

 A.M., right ascension 185° 1', north declination 2° 3'. 



2. Comet. — It is now ascertained that one and the same 

 comet returned to our system in 1786, 1795, 1801, 1805, and 



1818-19. It appears never to range beyond the orbit of Ju- 

 piter. Its short period of little more than three years and a 

 quarter, and its mean distance from the sun, which is not much 

 greater than twice that of the earth, connect it in a particular 

 manner with that part of the system in which we are placed ; 

 it crosses the orbit of the earth more than sixty times in a 

 century. 



3. On the force of ajet of Water. — M. J. Morosi, member of 

 the Imperial Institute of Milan, has published an account of 

 a new phenomenon in hydrodynamics, which promises to be 

 of considerable utility in the application of that science. In 

 consequence of the establishment of a manufactory at Milan, 

 in which the power of water was to be applied, M. Morosi 

 commenced a course of experiments, to determine the force of 

 a stream or jet of water. They were made by directing the jet 

 of water against a round disc, and estimating the force ex- 

 erted on it by a balance. In this way, which is the usual me- 

 thod employed, an expression of the force of the water was ob- 

 tained. But M. Morosi observed, that in the experiments, the 



