I79I' A NEW HYDRAULIC DISCOVERy. i8g 



nifm (la mcchanique utile). By the aid of his invention, 

 he can raife enormous maffes of water to heights unknown 

 even to us." 



Mr. Lumer\-ille proceeds in the fame ftile of overftrained 

 hyperbole, which is now fuppofed to conlHtute the quintef- 

 fcnce of eloquence in popular affemblie^, to enumeiate ma- 

 ny other particulars, which a fober pliiiofophcr endeavours 

 in Vflin to comprehend. The fecret confifts. fays he, in un- 

 derftanding better ihan any other perfon the doclrine of the 

 fyphon. " The author has reveifcd, comoined, returned 

 upon itfelf, divided, and fubdivided this fimple inllrument ; 

 he has become malter of it under all its forms, and has 

 drawn from it the fecret of his forces. The inftraments 

 employed are hollow columns, baf6ns lor reiervoirs, valves, 

 foraetimes comprcflive, fometimes fucking Qafpirantes^. 

 The air is the ini^iible balancer of the whole." 



If our readers can form any diilinft ideas from the dif- 

 covery thus announced, it is well ; for our own part, unlefs 

 it be on the principle of the fpiral wheel, employed for rear- 

 ing water in fome parts of Switzerland, by means of alter- 

 nate portions of air and water in the fame pipe (which is 

 oneof the molt curious hydraulic contrivances yet difcovered 

 though no new invention), we can form no idea of it. The 

 National AiTcmbly, however, in confequence of this report, 

 have appointed a committee oi their own metnbers, to exa- 

 mine this invention more fully, and to make an ellimate of 

 the expence that will be recjuired for conftrucling a ma- 

 chine of this kind at large, fo as to afcertain the precife 

 value of the difcovery. When this machine is ex- 

 ecuted, we (hall be able, not only to judge of its real ef- 

 ficacy, but alfo to develope the principles of it? conftruftioXJ 

 to our readers, which we (hall not fail to do as foon as pof- 

 fible. 



In the mean while, it is rather an unlavourable prornof- 

 tic, that the royal academy of fciences, have dtfclinea tft 

 give any report in its favour. 



