314 Patents. — Astronomy. 



To Henry Constantine Jennings, of Carburton-street, Fitz- 

 roy-square, for a lock or fastening for general use. — 1 1th April. 

 — 6 months. 



To William Hall, and William Rostill, of Birmingham, for a 

 certain inoprovement in the manufacture of hafts, handles or hilts 

 for knives, forks, swords, or any other instruments to which hafts, 

 handles or hilts are necessary and can be applied, whether made 

 of turtle- or tortoise-shell or other suitable material, which inven- 

 tion or improvements they believe will be of general benefit and 

 advantage. — 11th April. — G months. 



To Thomas Burr, of Shrewsbury, for certain improvements in 

 machinery for manufacturing lead and other metal into pipe and 

 sheets. — llth April. — 6 months. 



To Edward Coleman, Professor of the Veterinary College, 

 St. Pancras, Middlesex, for a new and improved form of con- 

 struction of shoes for horses, which invention he believes will be 

 of general benefit and advantage. — 15th April. — 2 months. 



I'ROPOSAL FOR ESTABLISHING A MORE CORRECTACCOUNTOF civil. 

 TIME, NO LESS SIMPLE THAN THE GREGORIAN COMPUTATION. 



Were every fourth year, excepting the 500tli, reckoned to con-i- 

 sist of 366 days, the average tropical year would be estimated 

 at days 365, hours 5, min. 57, sec. 7t j a" approximation close 

 indeed to the year's true value. It is therefore suggested that 

 the papal vear be amended by the addition of the differential 

 2000th part. V/. W. 



ASTRONOMY OF THE ORIENTALS. 

 [Abridged from the Calcutta Journal.] 



The following are some of the astronomical measures of time 

 relating to the sun and moon, according to the calculations of 

 the Hindoo astronomers, and by which the Bramins, Moguls, 

 and other Mohammedans in India chiefly go, in the reckoning 

 of time*. 



The lunar year they reckon 354 days, 22 gurris, 1 pull. The 

 solar year they reckon 365 days, 15 gurris, 30 pulls, 22 f peels, 

 Indian tim.e : 60 peels making 1 pull, 60 pulls I gurri, and 60 

 gurris I day. According to which the following table is con- 

 structed. 



From the table it appears that the Indian year of 365 da3s 

 15 gurris 30 pulls and 22| peels is equal to 365 days 6 hours 

 12 minutes and 9 seconds of our time; and accords with our 

 sidereal year nearly, which is stated at 365 days 6 hours 9 mi- 

 nutes and 14y seconds. The Indian lunar year, reckoned at 354 

 days 22 gurris I pull, measures 354 days 8 hours 48 minutes 



• See Frasei's History of Nadir Sliaw, passim. 



S4 seconds. 



