204 Miscellanies. 
government of letters and science. Under the new directeur (such 
was the title given to this lady by the Imperial Ukase which invested 
her with the direction of the academy) fifteen volumes of Nova Acta 
terminate the publications in Latin. ‘The year 1803 was an impor- 
tant period to the Academy; the emperor Alexander gave it new 
laws, and the French language was substituted for the Latin. But 
the period was unfavorable to academic labors, so that from 1803 to 
1826 but eleven volumes appeared, forming the fifth series, under 
the title of Memoires. Lastly, a mode of publication much more. 
useful than that of entire volumes, viz. that of parts or livraisons, 
has been adopted, and which it is to be hoped will be followed by all 
learned bodies. —Rev. Encyc. Mout, 1831. 
2. Astronomical memoranda.—The new observatory of Geneva 
has just been finished, and the mstruments are soon to be placed in 
it. The transit instrument and the equatorial of Mr. Gambay are 
immediately expected, the pillars being ready for their reception. 
A detailed account of this new establishment is to be published in 
the Bibliotheque Universelle. 
MM. Troughton and Simms are now engaged in constructing a 
grand equatorial, with an achromatic telescope of eleven inches aper- 
ture and eighteen feet focal distance, which Sir James South has 
obtained of M. Cauchoix.. The axis of this instrument presents no 
inconsiderable difficulty on account of the deflection which may be 
apprehended from such dimensions. Mr. South has erected in his 
observatory at Kensington, a turret for the accommodation of this 
instrument under the direction of Mr. Brunel, the younger. ‘The 
cupola is made of thin cedar boards, covered with copper; and not- 
withstanding its great dimensions, a weight of sixteen pounds will 
put it in motion, and a weight of twelve pounds will keep it moving. 
M. Respold, fils, has just finished at Hamburgh a large transit in- 
strument for the observatory of Edinburgh. It has been mounted 
and verified in the observatory at Hamburgh by Mr. Rumker, who 
is now the director of that observatory, having renounced the inten- 
tion of returning to New South Wales. Mr. Dunlop has been ap- 
pointed director of the observatory of Paramatta. 
The celebrated astronomer Bessel was obliged to leave his obser- 
vatory at Kénigsberg in the month of August last on account of 
the cholera morbus ;—a hospital having been established on one side 
of the observatory and a cemetery for the victims of the disease on 
the other.— Bib. Univ. Oct. 1831. 
