1822.] Scientific Intelligerice. 395 
a contemptible weapon enough. Had the rhyming monk or St. 
Louis been at the sieges of Copenhagen or Algiers, it would be diffi- 
cult to conjecture where they would have found words to express what 
must have been, to their fires, like the thunders and lightnings of 
heaven to those of the theatre.” 
i} j : 
Ei ie, V. Royal Institution of Cornwall. 
The Report of the Council to the Fourth Annual Meeting of this 
Institution, the establishment of which, before it received the honour 
of Royal patronage, is noticed in the old series of the Annals, 
vol. xii. p. 395, presents some gratifying indications of the progress 
of science and literature in the county of Cornwall, the mineral 
structure and riches of which offer so many subjects for philosophical 
investigation. . 
The Institution possesses .a-select library, a zoological collection, 
many objects of antiquarian research, an elegant apparatus for expe- 
riments, and an increasing collection of minerals. ‘The Council enter- 
tain hopes that the time is not far distant when an exhibition of 
paintings will also be established; they observe, that natives who 
have made no small proficiency in the art of painting are to be found 
in towns, in the village, in the hamlet; and that the cherishing beam 
of the public eye is only wanted to bring them into notice. 
A seal has been made for the Society ; and the first diploma under 
it, constitutes Sir Humphry Davy.an honorary member, to which 
distinction he was elected by a special general meeting convened 
for the purpose ; the Society hoping, that by showing their regard for 
distinguished characters in science, literature, and the arts, they are 
using their endeavours to strengthen those ties by which all liberal 
pursuits are connected. 
VI. Alkohometrical Application of the Thermometer. 
M. F. Groening, of Copenhagen, has discovered that the thermo- 
meter may be successfully used in distillation, as an alkohometer. 
He observed, while comparing the temperature of the interior of the 
rectifier with that of the water about it, in a distilling apparatus in- 
vented by himself, that the thermometer always rose to a certain 
point, for example 65° Reaumur, or 179° Fahrenheit, before the first 
drop of the distilled liquor appeared ; and, likewise, that it remained 
at that point till about half the fluid in the retort was evaporated, but 
then, by degrees, at first slowly, afterwards more rapidly, rose to 80° 
Reaumur, or 212° Fahr. 
By trials with the alkohometer, he found that as long as the ther- 
mometer remained at a certain point, the liquor which came over was 
of an uniform strength, but when it rose the liquor grew weaker and 
weaker, till at last mere water came over, namely, when the instru- 
ment had attained the height of 80° Reaumur. 
The results of M. Groening’s experiments, which were performed 
many times, and which of course depend on the different temperatures 
of the vapours of alcohol and water, were as follows : ; 
1. A person may, by the state of the thermometer, immediately 
ascertain the strength of the liquor in the vessel. Hastie 
“2. There is no necessity of using the alkohometer in distillation, as _ 
the thermometer indicates the strength of the liquor with equal accu-. 
racy. 
