Analyses of Boohs . 73 



only to be seen to be appreciated, and proves the advantageous nature 

 of this new discovery, (as it may be justly denominated), to the pur- 

 poses of the naturalist. 



III. — Stqyplement to Captain Sir John Ross's Narrative of a 

 second Voyage in the Victory, in search of a North-West Pas- 

 sage, containing the suppressed facts, §-c. By John Braith- 

 waite. 



The author of this pamphlet is the engineer who constructed the 

 machinery of the steam-vessel, which Captain Ross employed in his 

 expedition to the Polar Seas. The object of the publication is to 

 defend the author's character, as a mechanic, against the accusations 

 of Sir John Ross. According to the statements of the latter, the 

 machinery failed in the object for which it was intended ; it is termed 

 execrable, and the engineer is charged with prats' negligence. Mr. 

 Braithwaite denies that these epithets are applicable, and affirms, 1. 

 That Capt. Ross deceived him as to the real object of the machinery, 

 having positively ordered the engines to be placed under the water 

 line, to be out of the reach of shot. He stated, that he wished to 

 try the experiment of condensing the steam in tubes, and to use the 

 same water over and over again ; for which purpose a condensing 

 apparatus was made (never before tried). 2. The patent steam 

 boiler of the author, and his co-patentee Captain Ericsson, was 

 ordered to be supplied, which though it promised well, had never 

 been used for any practical } purpose. 3. Captain Ross refused to 

 acquaint the engineers with the nature of the paddles he was going 

 to use, and thus concealed from them a material circumstance to be 

 taken into account in proportioning the size of the cyUnders, for 

 which the only instruction given was, that the engines should make 

 from 35 to 40 strokes per minute. 4. Without being consulted 

 whether the introduction of cog wheels was advisable or not, the 

 engineers received orders to make such wheels for communicating 

 the power of the engines to the paddle-wheels. They were not con- 

 sulted upon the proper weight of the paddle-wheels, &c. The con- 

 sequence was, that Captain Ross immersed the paddle-wheels nearly 

 to their axes ; the speed of the vessel was, therefore, impeded in a 

 great degree. 



That these causes are sufficient to account for the failure in ques- 

 tion, must at once be obvious to every person. In what way Captain 

 Ross explains away the errors, of which Mr. Braithwaite accuses 

 him, we are ignorant, as the extravagant price of his work, has made 

 it a sealed book, not only to us, but to all those who are most in- 

 terested in such subjects. 



IV. — Tablike Aneniologicce, or Tables of the Winds, exhibiting a. 



/icir method if registering the direction of the Wind, &c. By 



W. R. BlitT. London, &c. 

 Thk plan of registering the wind developed in this publication, de- 

 pends on certain periods, during which, the wind is observed to blow 



