194 



Paper from Wood Fibre. 



In consequence of the scarcity of rags, and a prohibition of 

 their exportation from various continental states to this country, 

 some alarm has been excited respecting a deficiency in the supply 

 of paper to meet the requirements of the age; and this is not to 

 be wondered at, for the diffusion of knowledge by means of the 

 press has become so vast, that we scarcely know anything short 

 of a bad harvest which would be so much felt by the community 

 as a limited production of this valuable commodity. We have 

 the satisfaction of finding that, by the application of chemical 

 science, the most important results, as regards the fabric of paper, 

 have already been effected ; nor do we believe that, since the 

 papyrus was first used for writing, so important a fact has been 

 established as that of the manufacture of paper from wood fibre. 

 This extraordinary and valuable discovery has recently been 

 patented by Messrs. Watt and Burgess, to whom the public is 

 indebted for many valuable discoveries in chemistry. Two 

 specimens of the raw material are before us : the first consists 

 simply of deal shavings; the second of a pure white pulpy sub- 

 stance, very much resembling a piece of cotton when first taken 

 from the pod, only a little harder to the touch. The manufac- 

 tured article is declared by competent judges equal to any sample 

 of writing paper now selling at Vd. per lb. It presents a beau- 

 tiful surface, with a pure colourless tint, and is free from defect 

 or blemish of any sort. The cost of production is stated to be 

 somewhat under £25 per ton, which is a saving of more than 

 £12 upon the price per ton of the rag paper now in use. — Sun. 



THE CANADIAN INSTITUTE. [ 1854 - 



A donation from Mr. 8. Fleming, C. E., of a conch shell, found 

 ou one of the Fishing Islands, Lake Huron, was announced. 



A paper was read by Mr. T. Henning on "Meteors and Fall- 

 ins Stars." 



INCORPORATED BY ROYAL CHARTER, 



Seventh Ordinary Meeting; February 4th, 1854. 



The names of the following candidates for membership were 

 read: 



T. Kellog Township of Brock. 



Capt. Weatherly- Toronto. 



Charles Stewart, Junior Member " 



The following gentlemen were elected members : 



J. E.Ellis Toronto. 



A. J. Thibodo Kingston. 



G. P. Ure Toronto 



Eighth Ordinary Meeting, February 11th, 1854. 



The names of the following candidates for membership were 

 read : 



Collingwood Schrieber Toronto. 



William R. Grahame Vaughan. 



John Major Toronto. 



The following gentlemen were elected members : 



T. Kellog Township of Brock. 



Capt. Weatherly Toronto. 



Charles Stewart, Junior Member " 



A donation from the Hon. East India Company of a copy of 

 the Magnetical and Meteorological Observations made at Bom- 

 bay in the year 1849, was announced. 



An alteration in the Bye-Law relating to the balloting for 

 members, of which notice was given by Mr. D. Crawford at the 

 sixth ordinary meeting, was brought forward, and it was then 



Resolved: That in section 8 of the Bye-Laws the words " if 

 black balls to the amount of one-fourth appear" be substituted 

 for the words " if one or more black balls " 



A Lecture was delivered by Professor Wilson "On some 

 Coincidences between the Primitive Antiquities of the Old and 

 New World." 



The Meteorological report for the year 1853, containing a 

 summary of the observations made at the Provincial Magnetical 

 Observatory, was read by Professor Cherriman. 



Ninth Ordinary Meeting, February 18th, 1854. 



The names of the following candidates for membership were 

 read: 



William B. Heward Toronto. 



Benjamin Workman Montreal. 



Professor W. Andrew ._ " 



Archibald Hall, M.D _ « 



The following gentlemen were elected members : 



C. Schrieber Toronto. 



W. R. Grahame Vaughan. 



J. Major Toronto. 



A paper was read by the Rev. Professor Irving " On Solar 

 Eclipses." 



