On the Solar Spots. 149 



chemist, for certain improvements in the application of heat to 

 copi)ers and other ntensils. — 3<1 Feb. — 6 months. 



To William Aldersav, of Homerton, for improvements on 

 steam-engines and other machinery where the crank is used. — 

 3d Feb. — 4 months. 



To Geor,c;e Vizard, of Durslev, clothier, for a new process or 

 method of dressing and polishing goods of woollen manufacture. 

 — 3rd Feb. — 2 months. 



To Thomas Masterman, of No. 38, Broad-street Ratcliflfe, 

 brewer, for certain machinery for the purpose of impartinij mo- 

 tion to be worked by steam and water, without either cylinder 

 or piston, and with less loss of power than occurs in working any 

 of the steam-engines now in use. — 10th Feb. — 4 months. 



To Robert Stein, of No. 7, Walcot-place, Lambeth, brewer, 

 for certain improvements in steam-engines. — 20th Feb. — 6 mo. 



To James Foster, of Stourbridge, iron-master, for certain im- 

 provements in the manufacture of wrought malleable iron. — 

 20th Feb.— 6 months. 



ON THE SOLAR SPOTS. 



Sir, — In the Phil. Mag. for last month (.Jan.) page 67, were 

 inserted some observations (signed " A Correspondknt) on a 

 paper v.'hich four years since (vol.xlix. p. 182) was comnmnicated 

 to that publication at the desire of a friend of yours, but drawn 

 up by me. The o!)ject of the essay was to prove, that an opinion, 

 which was universally prevalent, respecting tiie influence of the 

 solar spots, on the seasons, was entirely without foundation ; — 

 and to show, that during the inclement vear ISIG, those spots 

 were neither unusuatlv large, nor numerous ; so that the obscu- 

 ration never occupied anv considerable portion of the sun's disc. 

 Under these circumstances, the direction of the solar axis, in 

 the diagrams, which this " correspondent" perceives to be erro- 

 neous, was iievei' intended to be given with acfuracv ; as it was 

 a point of no material consequence to the in(|uirv. Why it was 

 placed at S" west, I cannot now explain, except that it was not 

 from su])posing that, viewed from the earth, it constantlv retained 

 that position, in all parts of the orbit. Such a supposition would 

 have been absurd. It was convenient to jilace the axis sninc- 

 wliere ; and if it Avas within the greatest elongation of the pole 

 from the vertex, it was sulFicientlv true for tlie pmpose intended. 

 The fir'st fig. ])1. Ill, rej)rescntcd two spots, the largest which 

 had been ol)^crve(l during several months, on tlie sun's disc ; aiul 

 was designed to sliow what proportion of the area they scorned to 

 cover. Fig. 3. rcpre-cntcd the situations of a s|>ot on Nov. Ist 

 and 2d; and wa'- (lc--iLrncd to show '.hat il*^ nuiliwn in 21 liour-, 



