SCIENTIFIC NEWS. 365 



SCIENTIFIC NEWS. 

 French National Institute *. 

 R. LAPLACE has investigated the phenomena of ca. Laplace on ca- 



pillary attrac- 

 tion. 



M 



pillary attraction ; but instead of copying what Mr. De- 

 lambre says on this subject, we shall refer our readers to 

 p. 164, 169, and 286 of the present volume for what has 

 been done by this celebrated mathematician; and to our 

 next number for some remarks on it by a learned corres- 

 pondent. 



In 1784 Mr. Roswag of Strasbourg presented to the Wire gauze 

 board of trade some gauze made of iron wire, for which he 

 received a reward ; and the loom he invented for making it 

 was lodged in the collection of machines of Vaucanson. In coated with 

 1799 Mr. Rochon made others, and coated them with a ^^0" "ho'm 

 transparent glue, to be substituted instead of horn for ship in ship lanterns. 

 lanterns to be used between decks, and in engagements foy '^cunty agamst 

 night. He has since conceived, that with a thin coating of 

 plaster they might be employed to preserve ships from fire, 

 and buildings on shore still more easily ; or at least that they 

 would render the ravages of fire less frequent, and less ter- 

 rible. These gauzes might be very useful too for theatrical Safe stage Ae- 

 decorations, which would not be liable to take fire. Their coratlons - 

 only inconvenience is their being so little flexible ; but Mr. 

 Rochon does not despair of means being found by chemistry 

 to remedy this imperfection, and it was with a view of call- 

 ing attention to this subject, that he read a paper on it to 

 the class. 



An eclipse of the sun is among the most useful pheno- Total eclipse of 

 mena for the verification of astronomical tables, or for the the suru 

 determination of the longitudes of places. It is likewise 

 one of those, that most attract the attention of observers. 

 Mr. Lalande, true to the custom he has followed these fifty 

 years, has calculated all the observations he could collect of 

 the eclipse of 1806. Clouds concealed it from theastrono- 



* Abridged from the account of the proceedings of the mathe- 

 matical division of the class of mathematical and physical sciences 

 given by the perpetual secretary, Mr. Delambre. 



2 mers 



