[ 455 3 

 LXXXVII. Intelligence and Miscellaneous Articles. 



Cliatham, June ii, J 821. 



SiRj If any of the readers of the Philosophical Magazine 



will favour me with the following information, I shall feel much 

 obliged. 



Suppose a floating body of a cubical form, one-third of which 

 is above water, Where is the point situated, by which it can be 

 moved in a horizontal direction with the least effort ? If this 

 subject has been noticed by any writer, under what title is it to 

 be found ? By inserting this, and the answer, if it is favoured 

 with one, in your very valuable miscellany, you will much oblige 



Your most obedient servant, &c. 

 To the Editor of the Phil. Mag. J. K. K. 



LARGE REFLECTING TF.LESCOPE. 



Mr. J. Ramage, of Aberdeen, has constructed a 25 feet reflect- 

 ing telescope, the speculum of which is 25 feet focal length, and 

 15 inches diameter, bearing magnifying powers from 50 to 1500. 

 This is the largest telescope of the kind ever made, except Su- 

 W. Herschel's. The mechanism by which the observer and the 

 instrument are moved, is simple and well contrived. 



TRAVELLERS. 



An English traveller of the name of Cochrane has reached 

 Irkutsk on foot, on his road to America, by the north-east pro- 

 montory of Asia. On the 13th of September last, he had tra- 

 velled BOOO versts in 123 days entirely on foot. He sleeps in the 

 open air, and wears nankeen breeches. 



Mr. Campbell, the Missionary, has returned from a second 

 journey in South Africa. On this occasion he penetrated 800 

 miles from Cape Town, a greater distance than any other tra- 

 veller had before penetrated, and considerably beyond Latakoo 

 He has discovered several large towns ; some contaming 10,UUU 

 or 12,000 inhabitants. The people were found friendly and 

 docile, possessing some skill in the manufacture of pottery, in 

 smelting of iron, and other arts, and so intelligent as to know the 

 value of and wish for the introduction of better mtormed artizans. 

 Thcv likewise desire to have missionaries sent among tiiein. 



Niessrs. Waddington and Ilanljury, two of our adventurous 

 countrymen who have visited Upper Egyjit, may be expected m 

 England l,v the end of this year. They are said to have disco- 

 vered the citv of ancient Meroe, spoken of by Herodotus, lib n. 

 cni) 20; bv'Diodorus Siculus, i. 33 ; by Strabo, xvn. ; and by 

 .losephus, ii. 10. It was anciently called Sab.n, which name was 

 changed to that of Mcroc by Camhyscs, in honour ot his wiic or 

 sislcr. 



