556 PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. [ANNOiySi. 



March, Therm. Wiiuls. 



)8, 40 ss. w. 1 Clear. The city was sprinkled over with small ashes, 



like kitchen ashes, which were attracted by the loadstone. 

 \g, 42 O w. I A few thin clouds. 

 20, 37 O O Almost clear. Vesuvius became entirely quiet. 



^ short yiccoujit, by Mr. John Eames, F. R. S. of a Book hidtled, Tuhhfat 

 ilkibar, printed at Constantinople, Anno Dom. 1728. N° 424, p. 338. 



The advantage of printing above writing, has at last prevailed with the Grand 

 Sigiiior to permit a printing-press to be set up at Constantinople. It was ob- 

 tained on a memorial presented to him by the Grand Vizier, with the consent 

 of the Mufti. 



The privilege is granted to Zaid, the son of Mehemet Eftendi, late Am 

 bassador in France, and Ibrahim Mutafarrica, the author of a small Tract in 

 this book. The licence extends to the printing all sorts of books written in 

 the Oriental languages, except such as treat of the Mahometan religion. 



This book seems to be one of the first that ever was printed there. For 

 though Giauhauri's Arabic Dictionary, translated into Turkish, was what the 

 Turks designed, for particular reasons, to begin with : yet the manuscript, 

 from which they printed off the first sheets, was found to be so incorrect, that 

 the Grand Siguier ordered the printing of it to be stopped, till a more correct 

 copy could be procured. During this stop, the present book was printed, con- 

 taining about 1 50 leaves. 



The language of it is not Arabic, as was supposed, but Turkish, though it 

 has several words and some sentences that are so. The title, or what may serve 

 as such, is Tuhhfat ilkibar, or, A Present to the Great; containing an account 

 of several engagements at sea. The author is Hagi Califa, stiled Chelebi Al- 

 murhhum, i.e. a gentleman who has obtained mercy, or deceased. 



It consists of two Tracts, a large, and a very small one. The latter is done 

 by the publisher, Ibrahim Mutafarrica. Mutafarrica is a title of honour, sig- 

 nifying a horse-soldier, obliged to go to the wars when the Grand Signior goes 

 in person, but not else. 



It is a short account of geographical measures of distances, &c. particu- 

 larly of the circumference of the earth. 



The principal Treatise is partly historical, and partly geographical ; the latter 

 treats of the nature of the terrestrial globe, the use of maps, and the situation 

 of places, particularly of Venice, Corfu, Albania, See. and such as border on 

 the Turkish dominions. 



