S P I 



S P I 



in the fibres of the fubltance which is to be (Iretched out ; 

 but the wires being removed from the vertical iituation at 

 tlie beginning of the return of tlie carriage, and thrown into 

 nearly a horizontal poiition, by inclining the fliaft into which 

 they are all fixed, th.;y bring the yarn below the tops of the 

 bobbins or quills which are fixed upon the fpindles, which 

 will then wind up the threads upon them when the fpindles 

 are turned round, and then the wire-eyes being regularly 

 curved, and raifed up again by the motion of an elliptic 

 wheel, which is turned round by the machine, they diftribute 

 the yarn regularly upon the bobbins or quills, and prevent 

 it from hinkling, and improperly doubling or twilling to- 

 gether. Another method of compenfating for the want of 

 elafticity in hemp and flax, is to fix a round bar of wood, 

 about an inch and a half in diameter, the whole length of the 

 carriage, about three or four inches above the tops of the 

 fpindles, fo that the outer fnrfacc, or that next the perfon 

 who works the machine, may be perpendicular, or nearly 

 fo, over the tops of the Ipindles, the inner fide having 

 pieces of wood or metal fixed or nailed thereto, leaving 

 only Imall fpaces or notches between eacli, for the yarn to 

 pafs through. The ufe of thcfe pieces is to prevent the 

 threads from getting together and entangling. Every thing 

 relating to the wire-holders before mentioned, and the arbor 

 to which they are affixed, muil be applied in concert with 

 thefe pieces of metal, which form a feparation between the 

 threads. 



The art of fpinning, which nature has given to many 

 animals of different kinds for their prefervation, and other 

 purpofes, is not confined to the inhabitants of the earth or 

 air alone, but is even extended to thofe of the fea. M. 

 Reaumur has Ihevvn, by a feries of curious experiments, 

 that the common mufcle, and fome other fhell-fifh of the 

 fea, poffefs it in a great degree of pcrfeftion. See Muscle. 



But he obferves, that though the workmanfhip is the 

 fame, the manner of producing it is very different. Spiders, 

 caterpillars, and the like, make threads of any length that 

 they pleafe, by making the vifcous liquor, of which they 

 are formed, pafs through a fine perforation in the organ ap- 

 pointed for this fpinning : but the way in wliich the mufcles 

 form their threads is very different, as the former refenibles 

 the work of the wire-drawer, fo docs this that of the founder, 

 who calts metals in a mould. The canal of the organ def- 

 tincd for the mufcle's fpinning, which, from its Ihape, is 

 commonly called its tongue, is the mould in which its thread 

 is calt, and gives it its determinate length. Mem. Acad. 

 Par. 1 7 1 1 . 



Spinn'ING-^^ZW, in Rope-making, for twelve fpinners to 

 fpin yarn at the fame time, is about five feet in diameter, and 

 is hung between two polls fixed in the ground : on its top 

 is fixed a lemi-circular frame, called the head, whicli con- 

 tains twelve whirls, that turn on iron fpindles, with hooks 

 to their front ends to hang the hemp on, and are worked by 

 means of a leather band encircling the wheel and whirls. 

 The whirls are made to run with a truer moti(m when the 

 head on the rifing fide i/t the band has a larger fegment of 

 a circle than the falling fide ; or in other words, let the bafe 

 part of the head be longer from the middle tiian the oppo- 

 fite or falling (ide, by which means the band will be kept 

 equally tiglit over the whirls, and confequently the motion 

 be alike to all. N.B. Heads made in this manner have the 

 wheel turned always the fame way. 



SPINO, in Geography, a town of Italy, in the depart- 

 ment of the Upper Po ; 8 miles W.N.W. of Crema. 



SPINOLA, Ambrose, in Biography, one of tlie moll 

 celebrated generals of his time, was born in IC69. His 

 family was noble, and originally from Genoa. His brother 



Frederic, general of the gallies llationed in the Low Coun- 

 tries, in the icrvice of Spain, engaged him to bring a body 

 of 9000 Itahan and Spanith veterans into Flanders, where 

 he fiion diltinguifhed himfelf by his valour and good conduft. 

 He marched againft the famous prince Maurice, and it was 

 agreed between him and king Philip that he himfelf Ihould 

 pay his own foldiers, to be reimburfed afterwards ; by which 

 regulation, while the other Spanifh troops were extremely 

 diforderly and mutinous for want of their pay, thofe under 

 his command were patterns of obedience and Itricl dilcipline. 

 He was commiffioned to raife fome additional regiments, in 

 order that he might undertake, in concert with his brother, 

 fome important expedition, but the death of the brother, in 

 a fea-fight with tlie Dutch, put an end to the proj v't. The 

 town of Offend had been in a ftatc of ficge nearly three 

 years, and fmall progrefs had been made towards its reduc- 

 tion ; for which reafon the archduke Albert, governor of 

 the Netherlands, refolved to commit the whole management 

 of it to Spinola. Before he took upon himfelf the manage- 

 ment of this bufinefs, he fent fome officers to examine the 

 works, and though they differed in opinion as to probability 

 of fuccefs, the love of glory induced him to accept the 

 charge. His plans fucceeded, and the place furrendered 

 after the end of the third year, having, it is faid, coll the 

 lives of 100,000 men. Spinola was rewarded with honours 

 of every kind, and at the conclufion of tfie campaign, he 

 went to Madrid, and obtained the rank and office of camp- 

 marlhal-general, and commander-in-chief of the Spanifli and 

 Italian troops. He paffed through Paris, and had an inter- 

 view with Henry IV., by whom he was interrogated as to 

 the plan of the enfuing campaign, of which he gave a faith- 

 ful Sccount. The king, taking for granted that his inten- 

 tion was to deceive, wrote to prince Maurice jull the con- 

 trary of what he had heard from Spinola, and afterwards, 

 when he found his millake, he faid, " Others deceive by 

 telling falfehoods, but this man by telling the truth." Spi- 

 nola now put into execution his defign of carrying on the 

 war into the enemy's country, and crofling the Rhine, he 

 penetrated into Overyflel, where he took ieveral places, in 

 which he left confiderable garrifons. His progrefs was at 

 length flopt by prince Maurice, and thefe two great com- 

 manders exhaufled tlie whole art of war during that and the 

 following campaign, in keeping each other in check. Both 

 parties at length becoming weary with war, a congrefs was 

 appointed in 1608 to treat of peace at the Hague, and Spi- 

 nola was at the head of the deputies on the part of the arch- 

 duke. Wherever he came the people flocked to gain a 

 fight of fo celebrated a commander, and they were met at 

 Dordrecht by prince Maurice, who treated Ins antagonift 

 with the greatelt refpeft. The difficulties arifing in the 

 progrefs of the negociation were fo great, that a truce only 

 could be concluded. In 162 1 the war was renewed, on ac- 

 count of a difputcd fucceffion to the countries of Cleves and 

 Juliers, and Spinola being placed at the head of an army, 

 penetrated into the latter country and reduced its capital. 

 Prince Maurice was again his opponent, who was not able 

 to prevent the fall of Cleves, or the iiiveilment of the llrong 

 town of Breda. While this fiege was going on, prince 

 Maurice died, and Spinola was brought into a dangerous 

 ftate of health. The fiege was, however, carried on with 

 great vigour, and the town was defended with equal refolu- 

 tion. At length, it becoming evident that the garrifon could 

 not hold out any longer, Spinola, in admiration of their 

 valour and perfeverance, offered them the moff honourable 

 terms of capitulation. Thele were accepted, and the gar- 

 rifon, greatly reduced, marched out. Spinola drew up his 

 army to falute them, and as they pafled, he paid particular 



compli- 



