RAM 



315 



RAN 



Bamadnn eel the good opinion of the principal philosophical in- 

 > -,-^ strumeiit makers in London. His marriage with Miss 

 Dolluml, In outfit him into still greater notice, and with 

 her he o!>t;iim d a part of Dollond's patent right for 

 achromatic telescopes. In the year 1766, Uamsden hud 

 opened a shop in the Hay market ; but he had before 

 this invented his celebrated dividing engine, of which 

 we have given an account in our article GRADUATION, 

 Vol. X. p. 352. His engine had many imperfections; 

 but the ingenuity of its author produced a more perfect 

 one, an account of which was published by the board 

 of Longitude in 1775, who rewarded him with the sum 

 of L. 015. 



In the year 1779, Mr. Uamsden, under the patron- 

 age of the board of Longitude, published an account of 

 his engine for dividing straight lines, of which we 

 have given drawings and a full description, in the ar- 

 ticle GRADUATION already quoted. 



While Mr. llamsden thus improved the art of gradua- 

 tion by these valuable engines, he made himself univer- 

 sally known by the splendid astronomical instruments 

 which he constructed, and by the great accuracy with 

 which his circles and nautical instruments were divided. 

 His nautical instruments, such as sextants and small 

 circles, were all divided by the engine; a method which 

 he introduced, and which will never be superseded in 

 the graduation of instruments of moderate size. Un- 

 fortunately our author has not published any account 

 of the method by wliich he divided his great circles, 

 so that we are left to form those conjectural opinions 

 about it which have been stated in the article GRADUA- 

 TION, Vol. X. p. 370. 



In the manufacture of philosophical instruments, 

 which Mr. Ramsden carried on to a great extent, he 

 collected in his workshops men of every branch of 

 trade necessary for their construction. The same work- 

 men were always confined to the same kind of work ; 

 so that they were enabled to execute it with wonderful 

 perfection. In consequence of their cheapness, as well 

 as their accuracy, the demand for his instruments was 

 so great, that though he constantly employed sixty 

 men, yet he was unable to execute the numerous or- 

 ders which he received. Mr. Ramsden was elected a 

 Fellow of the Royal Society of London in 1786, an 

 honour which is always limited to two or three of the 

 first rate artists in the metropolis. He was elected a 

 Fellow of the Imperial Academy of St. Petersburg in 

 179*; and in 1795, the Royal Society adjudged to him 

 the Copley medal for his various inventions. His 

 health was greatly impaired by his devotion to his 

 profession, and he died at Brighton, which had been 

 recommended to him for the sea air, on the 5th Novem- 

 ber, 1800. 



Mr. Rarasden was a man of acute judgment and fine 

 taste, in all matters connected with his profession. As 

 a relaxation from its severities, he perused the best au- 

 thors both in prose and verse, and he was particularly 

 fond of Boileau and Moliere. 



The following is a list of several of Mr. Ramsden's 

 inventions and instruments, with references to the 

 parts of this and other works where a description of 

 them will be found. 



RAMSDEN'S CIRCULAR DIVIDING ENGINE. See the 

 article GRADUATION, Vol. X. p. 352. 



His STRAIGHT LINE DIVIDING ENGINE. See GRA- 

 DUATION, Vol. X. p. 357 361. 



N. B. Both these engines are described in separate 

 works published by the Board of Longitude. 



1 



RAMSDEN'* CATOPTRICAL MICROMETER. See Mi- Ramtden 



CROMETER, Vol. XIV. p. 20?. 



His DIOPTRICAL MICROMETER. Ditto, p. 208. 



HU CIRCLES for the Observatories of Dublin and Pa. 

 lermo, and his Great Equatorial, are described in our 

 article CIRCLE, Vol. VI. p. 484, 485. 



RAMSDEN'S OPTIORAPH. See OPTICS, Vol. XV. 

 p. 665. 



RAMSDEN'S DYNAMETER. See OPTICS, Vol. XV. 

 p. 649. 



RAMSDEN'S EYEPIECE. See ACHROMATIC TELES- 

 COPES, Vol. I. p. 109 ; and MICROSCOPE, Vol. XIV. 

 p. 229. 



For a full account of Ramsden's life, see the General 

 Biography, vol. viii. 



RAMSEY. See MAN, hie of, Vol. XIII. p. 801, 

 col. 2. 



RAMSEY. See PEMBROKESHIRE, Vol. XVI. p. 352, 

 col. 2. 



R AMSG ATE, a sea port town of England, in the coun- 

 ty of Kent, is situated on the shore of the German Ocean, 

 and on the east coast of the Isle of Thanet. The streets 

 of the town, which are numerous, are well paved and 

 lighted, and the houses are in general well built and 

 handsome. Among the new streets which have been 

 added to this town, are Chapel, Albion, and Prospect 

 Places, Sion and Prospect Hills, Nelson's Crescent, St. 

 George's and Sion Row, Rose Hill and Bellevue Places. 

 The parish church is at St. Lawrence, a large village 

 situated on the brow of the hill which overlooks Rams- 

 gate, and forming a long winding street on the high 

 road to London. The church is a spacious edifice, con- 

 sisting of a nave, aisles, and three chancels, with a 

 square tower of Norman architecture. There is also a 

 chapel of ease, built in 1785, which is a neat building ; 

 and chapels for Methodists, Baptists, and Independents. 

 The assembly room and tavern is a spacious building 

 near the harbour, and is elegantly fitted up with con- 

 venient tea and card rooms, a coffee-room and a billiard 

 room. There are two extensive libraries here, one in the 

 High Street and the other in Cliff Street, Sion Hill. A 

 spacious and convenient poor-house has also been re- 

 cently erected. There is here a charity school for boys 

 and girls, and several good day schools, and excellent 

 boarding schools. 



The most interesting object at Ramsgate is its har- 

 bour, which was completed in 1791. at an expence of 

 L. 600,000. It is nearly of a circular form, and has an 

 area of about 46 acres. The piers consist principally of 

 Portland and Purbeck stone, and the general breadth is 

 about twenty-six feet, including the strong parapet 

 which defends the outer sides next the sea. The total 

 length of the east pier, including its flexures, is nearly 

 2000 feet, and that of the west pier about 1500 feet. 

 These two piers extend about 800 feet into the sea, 

 bending towards each other like two arms, and leaving 

 an entrance of 240 feet. A basin was afterwards erected 

 within the harbour to retain the tide water, and let it 

 off again at every ebb, for the purpose of forming an 

 artificial current, to carry off the sand deposited in 

 the harbour. This contrivance, recommended by Mr. 

 Smeaton, answered its object completely. An advan- 

 ced pier was begun in 1787, to facilitate the entrance 

 of vessels in stormy weather. A military road, con- 

 necting the centre and outward piers, has been made 

 under the cliff, for the embarkation of troops. A dry 

 dock and various storehouses have also been built. 

 Between 1791 and 1802 a new star light-house has 

 been erected on the head of the west pier, a house 



