162 On ascertaining the Rates ^Chronometers by Signal. 



chant ships as well as to men-of-war, that a few minutes before 

 noon, at Greenwich, a particular signal would be hoisted at the 

 platform (a conspicuous place), and that the instant it was noon 

 at Greenwich, it would be hauled down. This would give 

 every ship within sight an opportunity of comparing their time- 

 piece with Greenwich time, and they would by this means get 

 a rate Jar more accurately than could be obtained with the best 

 sextant and artificial horizon in the hands of the most expe- 

 rienced observer, as the hauling down of the signal would be 

 regulated by the transit instrument at Portsmouth Observatory. 



Should the plan be approved of, the masters attendant at the 

 different dock-yards at home, and at the naval stations abi'oad, 

 might be entrusted with the signal and transit instrument. A 

 north and south window in any convenient store-house would 

 answer all the purposes of an Observatory, and the whole ex- 

 pense would be that of the transit instrument. 



The men-of-war at the different ports would always be a 

 check upon any carelessness or inattention on the part of the 

 master-attendant. Indeed, the known longitude of the place, 

 and the hauling down of the signal, indicating Greenwich time, 

 would prevent the possibility of any error. Perhaps one hour 

 after noon might be better for the signal, to allow an observa- 

 tion being made to ascertain the time of day a short lime before 

 the signal is made. 



The accompanying signal by means of balls, is that whicli 

 has been adopted at Portsmouth, and which appears to answer 

 perfectly *. 



Notice of Goethe s Essay on the Metamxyrphoses of Plants. 



Xt is a remarkable fact in the history of science, that an illustri- 

 ous poet who might seem exclusively devoted to moral cogita- 

 tions and the arts of imagination, turning aside for a moment 

 from his usual pursu-ts, and casting a glance over the vegetable 

 kingdom, should make an important discovery. This is what 

 happened to the celebrated Goethe in 1790. With a remarkable 

 sagacity, he perceived the prodigious variety of the foliaceous and 



* We shall probably in next Number of the Journal give a figure of this 

 ngnal. 



