368 Society of Arts, ManufaGures, and Commerce:, &c. 



The fatin fpar lias been ufed in ornamental jewellery, fuch 

 asaer pendents, rings, &c. ; and from its wavy and chatoyant 

 appearance, with the brilliant polifli of which it is fufcepti- 

 ble, feems well calculated to be employed as a faftiionable 

 appendage to the fair fex. 



SOCIETY OF ARTS, MANUFACTURES, AND COMMERCE, 

 LONDON. 



This Society had its annual diftribution of premiums and 

 bounties for improvements in agriculture, chetniftrv, the po- 

 Jite arts, manufaftures, &c. on the 25th of May, his Grace 

 the Duke of Norfolk in the chair. About forty candidates 

 were honoured with gold or filver medals, the filver pallet, 

 or pecuniarv rewards tor ufeful improvements, or as badges 

 of meritorious exertions in the different branches of the fine 

 arts. 



The meetina: was numerous and fplendid, many ladies of 

 the firft rank and falhion being prefent. 



Our limits do not allow us to infert at this time a lift of 

 the fuccefsful candidates : we cannot, however, clofe the pre- 

 fent article without mentioning that this fociety, to which 

 the nation owes fo much for bringing forward numerous va- 

 luable difcoveries and improvements, was the firft to award, 

 fome months ago, an honorary and pecuniary recompenfe to 

 Mr. Henrv Greathead, of South Shields, for his conftruclion 

 of a life-boat, by which the lives of many perfons flnpwrecked 

 have already been preferved. 



The life-boat is now coming into general ufe ; and, from 

 the exertions making by the gentlemen at Lloyd's, who have 

 devoted 2000I., and other patriotic individuals, who are con- 

 tributincT their money and exertions to the eltablifhment of 

 them on every part of our coafts, we have the plcafing pro- 

 fpecl of many thoufands of valuable lives being preferved to 

 their families and to the community by this ineliimable con- 

 trivance. The reward of the Society to Mr. Greathead was 

 their gold medal ! and fifty guineas. 



IMPERIAL ACADEMY OP THE SEARCHERS INTO 

 NATURE. 



The following prize queftions have been propofed for the 

 year 1 803 : 



I. Germany produces a confiderable quantity of umbelli- 

 ferous plants endowed with medicin.il properties, w hich are as 

 vet unknown, or known l)ut imperfottly or from conjeAure. 

 Onlv a few of thele have been admitted into the new difpen- 

 fatories, and into Muir^'.y's Jfpuratus Mcd'ica7nt:ut'mim. The 



number 



