MAL 



MAL 



with whom he is to regulate the guards, 

 convoys, and detachments. When there 

 are two attacks at a siege, he commands 

 that on the left. He ought to be well ac- 

 quainted with the strength ofeach brigade, 

 of each regiment in particular, and to 

 have a list of all the field officers. In 

 short, he is in the army, what a major is 

 in a regiment. He is allowed an aid-de- 

 camp, and has a serjeant and fifteen men 

 for his guard. 2. Major of a brigade, the 

 officer who receives the orders from the 

 major-general, and afterwards delivers 

 them to the adjutants of the regiments at 

 the head of the brigade ; where he takes 

 and marches the detachments, &c. to the 

 general rendezvous. He ought to be an 

 expert captain, to know the state and 

 condition of the brigade, and keep a roll 

 of the colonels, lieutenant-colonels, ma- 

 jors, and adjutants. 3. Major of a regi- 

 ment, the next officer to the lieutenant- 

 colonel, generally promoted from the old- 

 est captain. He is to take care that the 

 regiment be well exercised, to see it 

 march in good order, and to rally it in 

 case of its being broke. He is the only 

 officer among the foot that is allowed to 

 be on horseback in time of action, that he 

 may the more readily execute the colo- 

 nel's orders, either in advancing or draw- 

 ing off' the regiment. 4. Major of a regi- 

 ment of horse, is the first captain, who 

 commands in the absence of the colonel. 

 5. Town-major, the third officer in a gar- 

 rison, being next to the deputy-governor. 

 He ought to understand fortification, and 

 hath charge of the guards, rounds, patroles, 

 &c. His business is also to take care that 

 the soldiers' arms are in good order : he 

 likewise orders the gates to be opened 

 and shut, and gives the governor an ac- 

 count of all that passes within the place. 



There are also drum-majors, &.c. so 

 called from their pre-eminence above 

 others of the same denomination. 



MAKING up, among distillers, the re- 

 ducing spirits to a certain standard of 

 strength, usually called proof, by the ad- 

 mixture of water ; which should be either 

 soft and clear river water, or spring wa- 

 ter rendered soft by distillation. 



MALACHITE, a mineral, the green 

 carbonate of copper, found frequently 

 crystallized in long slender needles ; 

 colour green, and the specific gravity 

 about 3.6. It effervesces with nitric acid, 

 and gives a blue colour to ammonia. It 

 decrepitates and blackens before the 

 blow-pipe. There are two varieties, the 

 fibrous and the compact : the constituent 

 parts are, 



Copper ........... 58.0 



Carbonic acid ...... . 18.0 



Oxygen ........... 12.5 



11.5 



100.0 



MALACHRA, in botany, a genus of 

 the Monadelphia Polyandria class and 

 order. Natural order of Coiumniferx. 

 Malvacese, Jussieu. Essential charac- 

 ter : calyx common three-leaved, many- 

 flowered, larger ; arils five, one-seed- 

 ed. There are five species, natives of 

 America. 



MALACHODENDRUM, in botany, a 

 genus of the Monadelphia Polyandria 

 class and order. Natural order of Colum- 

 niferae. Malvaceae, Jussieu. Essential 

 character: calyx simple; germ pear- 

 shaped, pentagonal; styles five; cap- 

 sule five, one-seeded. There are two 

 species, viz. M. ovatum, and M. corcho- 

 roides. 



M ALACOLITE, a mineral found in the 

 silver mines in Sweden, and also in Nor- 

 way. It is obtained massive and crystalliz- 

 ed in six-sided prisms. Specific gravity 

 about 3.25. It consists of 



Silica 53 



Lime 20 



Magnesia 19 



Alumina 3 



Oxide of iron, &.c 4 



99 

 Loss .... 1 



100 



MALATES, in chemistry, salts formed 

 by the union of the malic acid with differ- 

 ent bases. These salts have not been 

 fully investigated ; but it has been ascer- 

 tained that the malates of lime, barytes, 

 and magnesia, are very insoluble. The ma- 

 lates of potash, soda, and ammonia, are 

 deliquescent. The malates of potash, 

 soda, ammonia, lime, and barytes, may 

 be formed by dissolving these alkalies 

 in malic acid, and evaporating the solu- 

 tions. 



MAL AXIS, in botany, a genus of the 

 Gynandria Diandria class and order. Na- 

 tural order of Orchidex. Essential cha- 

 racter : nectary one-leafed, concave, cor- 

 date, acuminate backwards, bifid in front, 

 cherishing the gentials in the middle. 

 There are two species, viz. M. spicata, 



