Asironomj/. 467 



pendulum, without certain modifications which he has pointed 

 out in the paper. He then investigates the principles of the 

 compensation pendulum, and deduces a formula for determin- 

 ing the height of the quicksilver in the cylinder ; the result of 

 which is different from those given by preceding writers on 

 this subject. After this, he suggests some improvements on 

 the usual mode of constructing and regulating this pendulum. 

 He proposes the adoption of a slider on the rod, for this latter 

 purpose, similar to the mode recommended by Huygens ; and 

 he has given a table for determining the effect of a slider of 

 this kind, which need not be more than 1-lOOOdth part of the 

 weight of the mercury. By means of such a slider the clock 

 can be regulated to a much greater degree of accuracy, than 

 by means of the usual fine screw at the bottom of the rod. — 

 The author closes his paper by suggesting an oeconomical 

 pendulum made of wood and lead, which would cost but a few 

 shillings, but which might be made available for many useful 

 purposes. 



The Society adjourned its meetings to the lith of Novem- 

 ber next. 



[We understand that this Society has awarded its gold 

 medal to Charles Babbage, Esq. for his very ingenious and 

 important invention of the application of machinery to the 

 computation of tables ; an invention which we have alluded to 

 in various Numbers of our Magazine ; and which the Society 

 are fully aware will be found of singular utility in most of the 

 computations and tables connected with astronomy. We also 

 vmderstand that gold and silver medals have been awarded to 

 some foreign astronomers for discoveries which have been 

 made by them : and hkewise that the second volume of the 

 Memoirs of the Society is in the press.] 



XCV. Intelligence and Miscellatieous Articles. 



. ASTRONOMY. 



M SCHUMACHER has just published and forwarded to 

 • us his Astronomical Tables for 1823, with a preface, writ- 

 ten in the French language: and they are now to be purchased in 

 this country. It is with much retrret that we have still to com- 

 plain of the lateness of the period at which this valuable work 

 appears : and we cannot avoid again expressing our earnest 

 wish that M. Schumacher (who has already conferred so many 

 valuable services on astronomy, and who is constantly addmg 

 to our obligations on this subject) would enileavour to make 



3 N '2 them 



