Steam-vessels. — Canals. — Meteor. 393 



it. This is extremely simple: it consists in merely placing a 

 small plate of iron abaft the compass, in such a direction as 

 to counteract in any one place the effects of the other iron in 

 the ship: after which, without removing it, it continues to do 

 the same in all parts of the world, whatever change may take 

 place in the dip or intensity of the magnetic needle. Three 

 important advantages will result from this discovery. It will 

 add greatly to the safety of vessels in our Channel in dark 

 and blowing weather : it will tend to the general correction 

 of our charts of variation ; and will dispel nine out of ten of 

 the supposititious currents so liberally supplied by navigators 

 to account for every remarkable disagreement between rec- 

 koning and observation, and of which there can be no doubt 

 the greater number have arisen from this long-neglected error 

 in the compass. . 



STEAM NAVIGATION TO INDIA. 



A numerous and respectable meeting has been held in Cal- 

 cutta, for the purpose of taking into consideration the utility 

 and possibility of establishing steam navigation with England 

 via Suez. A committee had been previously formed, who hav- 

 ing discussed the merit and importance of the project, opened 

 a subscription, and recommended that the sum of one lack of 

 rupees should be bestowed upon the first individual or com- 

 pany who should make two complete voyages from England 

 to India in steam vessels, the passage not to exceed 70 days, 

 either by the Cape of Good Hope, or the Red Sea, in vessels 

 of British register and of not less than 300 tons burthen. The 

 recommendation of the Committee was adopted by the meet- 

 ing. 



STEAM VESSELS IN THE NETHERLANDS. 



The Dutch are actively employed in introducing the use of 

 steam vessels into Holland; and one has just been established 

 between Utrecht and Amsterdam, which performs the voyage 

 every day in three hours and a half. 



CANALS FOR UNITING THE BLACK SEA TO THE BALTIC. 



A Company has just been formed, under the auspices of the 

 Emperor, whose object is to unite the Black Sea to the Baltic 

 by means of canals from the Dnieper and Nieman. 



METEOR. 



On the evening of Saturday the 17th of April, about a 

 quarter past ten o'clock, a beautiful meteor was seen to the 

 northward of the village of Upper Kinneil, parish of Borrow- 

 stowness. It burst forth with great splendour, illuminating 

 the atmosphere; and proceeded with amazing velocity in a 



Vol. 63. No. 313. May 1 824-. 3 D S.E. 



