Letter from Rev. Dr. Smith on the Ruins of Nineveh. 113 
ever in most cases is almost instantly increased, five inches would 
answer a better purpose, in order to diminish the number as 
much as possible. In charging large batteries, an additional set 
of movable points might be employed, to be taken off as soon 
as the tension reached a certain extent. From the discussion of 
the action of the rubbers in plate machines, it will be concluded, 
necessarily, that but one permanent set of points to each double 
rubber should be employed, which may be on either side of the 
plate—a set for each surface being not only useless but injurious. 
By applying the suggestions given in this paper to electrical 
machines of the common construction, it will be found as a 
general result, that those of the best construction will double 
their action, and that others will more than quadruple the 
amounts previously generated. 
Thus has the subject of the ordinary excitation of statical elec- 
tricity been as fully discussed and applied, as the small amount 
of leisure time at the disposal of the writer would admit ; and 
although necessarily imperfect, it is still confidently believed to 
contain hints, which if acted on, will richly repay the electrical 
amateur. 
Art. XIJ.—Ruins of Nineveh: Description of the Discoveries 
made in 1843 and 1844;—in a letter from Rev. Azartan 
Suita, M. D., Missionary A. B.C. F. M. 
Tue city of Nineveh, so well known from the facts related in 
the book of Jonah, was one of the most ancient cities of which 
we have any record. It is mentioned in Genesis x, 11, and was 
probably founded within two hundred years after the flood. In 
its days of prosperity, it is described as having been a city of 
“three days journey ;” i. e. say sixty or seventy miles in circum- 
ference, and as having contained ‘more than six score thousand 
persons that could not discern between their right hand and their 
left hand; and also much cattle.’ (See Jonah, iii, 3, and iv, 11.) 
Supposing this number to refer to children, the population of 
Nineveh could not have been less than 500,000, and from the 
mention made of cattle, it is probable thatthe city embraced 
fields within its limits, both for pasture and tillage. This ‘exceed-~ 
ing great’ city, at that time the capital of the Assyrian empire, 
Vol. xt1x, No. 1.—April-Jane, 1845, 15 
