$,i& French National Injl'itutc. 



merit, directed always by the force of reafon and experience. 

 In the diftribution of the places which he had at his difpofal, 

 when infpector of hofpitals with the army, he obferved the 

 moft impartial juftice; conferring them according to merit, 

 and inexorable even to folicitations from his relations or 

 friends. Chemiftry did not occupy the whole of his atten- 

 tion, and the variety of the knowledge which lie had acquired 

 by his ftudies, rendered his convention interefting and 

 agreeable. 



INTELLIGENCE 



MISCELLANEOUS ARTICLES. 



I 



LEARNED SOCIETIES. 



N the public fitting of the French National Inftitutc, held 

 on the 15th of Meflidor (July 3), after an account had been 

 given of the labours of the preceding three months, Cit. 

 David Leroy read a memoir on the hnall {hips of war of the 

 Ancients, which he examined from the time of the firft 

 Punic war to the battle of Actium. He made choiceof this 

 epoch, as being that which prefented the moft remarkable 

 improvements, and refpe&ing which we have the moft in- 

 formation. The author, in this memoir, points out the ad- 

 vantages of thefe vends, which were exceedingly narrow in 

 proportion to their length, feveral of them being eight and 

 even ten times longer than they were broad, which allowed 

 them, though pufhed forwards by oars alone, to advance with 

 great velocity. Cit. Leroi thinks that, notwithstanding the 

 improved ftate of navigation, oars ought not to be fo much 

 neo-lecled; and that fhips of war like thofe ufed by the 

 Ancients might frill, efpecially during calms, be attended 

 with great advantages. 



A friend 



