232 Expedition to ^Ifnca — Improvement of Rape Oil, 



The French have also formed a colonial establishment at Rio 

 Janeiro, Init not with the official sanction of the Government. 

 This colony is formed of male and female emigrants who were 

 expatriated in consequence of the late political clianges in France. 

 It consists of 400 persons: they have obtained from the Portu- 

 guese government three houses, with furniture, and some negroes 

 as domestics; they receive daily rations offish, flesh, fruits, and 

 Madeira or Port wine. Every plnnter receives from the State a 

 large portion of ground ; but "this liberality is of little value, from 

 its being difficult to clear in consequence of the want of in- 

 struments. 



EXPEDITION TO AKRTCA. 



In our last number, p. 152, for "Captain Campbell has ba- 

 rometers (principally Mr. Arnold's)" read " has chronome- 

 ters," &c. 



We ought to have noticed in the same article that Major 

 Peddie and Captain Campbell, instead of carrying out barometers 

 as is usually done, fitted up with frames, for ascertaining the 

 height of such mountains as they may meet with on their ex- 

 cursion, took with them a number of plain graduated tubes, 

 any of which they can fill when occasion requires with mercury, 

 and by this means obviate the inconvenience often arising from 

 getting barometers broken on like excursions. Captain Camp- 

 bell took a dozen tubes, any one of which it requires but little 

 dexteiity to fill, and which when filled and inverted in an open 

 vessel is ready for use. 



IMPROVEMENT OF RAPE OIL. 



ji Simple Method of rendering Rape Oil equal to Spe^-maceti 

 Oil, for the purposes of Illuvwiation'^. 



To the Secretary of the Cork lustitviion. 



vSir — Nothing struck me more, on my arrival in Ireland, than 

 the little use made of the patent lamp, which is in such common 

 and imiversal use in England and on the continent. But my 

 surprise in a great measure ceased, on finding spermaceti oil at 

 {rucli an exorbitant price in Ireland. In London it is sold by re- 

 tail, in the dearest shops in Bond-street, at seven English shil- 

 lings a gallon, and here, at twelve Irish shillings per gallon, — an 

 extravagant price every one must allow, and fully sufficient to 

 check the use of this lamp in a very great degree. 



I thought I should render the public a very great service, 

 could I, by some mode, render any of the cheap oils of our country 

 effectual for the service of that lamp. Many persons in England 

 told me, that our oils were of too gelatinous and viscous a nature 

 to be drawn up in the capillary tubes of the cotton wick. 1 there- 



* From No. XVilE. of tlie Muiiitcr Farmci's M;i;.fi7ii)e, 



fore 



