Miscellaneous Intelligence. 291 
of four analyses, 10,000 to 1,240.—Thus it appears’ that the propor- 
tion of sulphuric acid increases near the shores: a fact which evidently 
depends upon the rivers carrying sulphate of lime into the sea. The 
proportion between chlorine and lime in the Atlantic Ocean, according 
to the mean result of seventeen analyses, is 10,000 to 297; and in the 
sea between Faroe and Greenland, according to the mean of eighteen 
analyses, 10,000 to 300. Lime is rather rare in the sea around the 
West Indian Islands, where millions of coral animals constantly ab- 
sorb it, the proportion, according to five analyses, being 10,000 to 247 ; 
and it is rather copious in the Kattegat, where the numerous rivers of 
the Baltic carry a great quantity of it into the ocean. The proportio 
there is 10,000 to 371, according to four analyses. 
7. On the Iron Manufacture of Great Britain; by Mr. G. R. Por- 
TER, (Proc. Brit. Assoc., from Athen., ept. 26.) —Having called atten- 
tion to the enormous demand for iron consequent on the general and si- 
multaneous construction of railways in England, on the Continent, and in 
India, Mr. Porter said it was important to consider how that demand may 
be met, and also how, on the cessation of that demand, which must be 
amounted to no more than 61, ) tons ; of which 48,200 were made 
with coke of pit-coal, and 13,100 from charcoal: in the same year the 
amount raised in Scotland was 7,000 tons. In 1796, the quantity, ow- 
ne to Watt’s improvement of the steam engine, was nearly double, 
ing— 
England and Wales, : ; ; 108,993 tons. 
Scotland, zs ; é ans 16,086 “> 
Total «©. : é t 125,079" * 
Ten years later, viz. in 1806, when it was proposed to tax the produc- 
tion of iron, an inquiry was made, and the production was found to 
have more than doubled in this decennial period, being— 
England and Wales i : i 234,966 tons. 
Scotland . : : é ‘ : 23240: 
Total «. : é é 258,206 ** 
In 1823, this quantity had risen to 482,066 tons, and in 1830 it was 
further ingreased to 678,417 tons. But since 1830, in consequence © 
the introduction of the hot blast by Mr. Nelson, of Glasgow, rapid im- 
provements have been made, and a most imp saving of fuel ef- 
fected. The results were thus stated :-—In 1829, using coke and 
ewt. 1 quarter of coal. The saving in fuel is thus seen to amount to 
72 per cent.; and in Scotland the production of iron has risen from 
