1820.] 



Scientific Intelligence. 

 RALN. 



155 



XV. 'Neio Rockets. 



Capt. Schumacher, brother of Professor Schumacher, Astro- 

 nomer Royal at Copenhagen, has invented a new kind of rocket, 

 which is said greatly to surpass the Congreve rockets, both in 

 their force and in the accuracy with which they may be thrown. 

 The King of Denmark has established a new corps of artillery 

 {Baketer-corps) commanded by Capt. Schumacher, whose busi- 

 ness is to throw these rockets. They ascend to a very great 

 height in the air ; and when they have reached the highest 

 point, a globe of fire makes its appearance, which is so vivid that 

 it may be seen at the distance of 70 miles. Capt. Schumacher 

 elevated them in the island of Hjelm in 1816, and they were 

 seen distinctly by his brother at Copenhagen at the distance of 

 17i- Germail miles. — (Correspondence Astronomique du Baron 

 de Zach, i. p. 266.) 



XVI. Pink Sediment of Urine. By Dr. Prout. 



I lately had an opportunity of examining the most marked 

 specimen of pink sediment I had ever seen. It consisted almost 

 entirely of the lithate of ammonia. Pink sediments in general 

 consist either of this substance, or of the lithate of soda mixed 

 with more or less of the phosphates. When the lithate of soda 

 and the phosphates prev-ail, the sediment usually assumes the 

 form of what has been denominated the lateritious sediment. In 

 specimens of this latter description, I have several times found 

 nitric acid ; and in all cases I have satisfied myself that the red 

 colour of these sediments depends upon some slight mixture of 

 the purpurate of ammonia, or of soda, according as the .sediment 

 itself consists of the lithate of ammonia or soda. Perhaps the 

 formation of the purpuric acid may be explained by supposing 

 that the nitric and lithic acids are secreted together, and that the 

 purpuric acid, or rather the purpurate of ammonia, is formed by 

 the action of the nitric upon the lithic acid. 



