Intelligence and Miscellaneous Articles. 235 



explanation of it by M. du Sejour may be seen in Vinee's Astronomy, 

 vol. i. p. 388. 



What renders this occultation of Aldebaran peculiar, is its having 

 occurred at noon ; yet with the best power of an achromatic telescope 

 the immersion and emersion were distinctly observed. 



The apparent time at Greenwich of the disappearance and reap- 

 pearance of Aldebaran, as given in White's Ephemeris and Moore's 

 Almanack, is nearly two minutes too fast ; so that the time deduced 

 from what are considered accurate astronomical computations, does 

 not in this instance, and indeed it seldom does, agree with the time of 

 observation. 



THE PLANET MERCURY. 



The planet Mercury was seen here (Gosport) with the naked eye 

 soon after sunset in the evenings of the 12th, 15th, 16th, 18th, 23rd, 

 24th, and 26th instant, and on each evening his scintillation was at- 

 tended with pretty strong rajs of light, particularly on the 18th, when 

 the twinkling was not much inferior to that of /3 Tauri, which star 

 was about four degrees distant from him, and of the same apparent 

 magnitude. From the twinkling appearance of this planet, it is diffi- 

 cult to trace him out accurately among the fixed stars of the same 

 apparent size, when at or near his greatest western or eastern elon- 

 gation, without the aid of a telescope ; and then he shines like the 

 other planets, with a steady light, and with a whitish and nearly 

 dichotomized disc. W. B. 



LIST OF NEW PATENTS. 



To R.W. Sievier, Southampton Row, Russell-square, St. George's, 

 Bloomsbury, sculptor, for certain improvements in the construction 

 of rudders in navigating vessels. — Dated the 27th of February. — 

 6 months allowed to enrol specification. 



To S. Thompson, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, mariner's compass- 

 maker, for certain improvements in piano-fortes. — 27th of February. 

 — 6 months. 



To W. Howard, Rotherhithe, Surrey, iron manufacturer, for certain 

 improvements in the construction of wheels for carriages. — 27th of 

 February. — 6 months. 



To P. C. De la Garde, Exeter, gentleman, for certain improvements 

 in apparatus for Adding and unfidding masts, and in masting and 

 rigging of vessels. — 27th of February. — 6 months. 



To T. Prosser, Worcester, architect, for certain improvements in 

 the construction of window-sashes, and in the mode of hanging the 

 same. — 6th of March. — 6 months. 



To T. R. Guppy, Bristol, sugar-refiner, for a new apparatus for 

 granulating sugar. — 6th of March. — 6 months. 



To R. Stevenson, Colridge, Stafford, potter, for improvements in 

 machinery for making bricks, tiles, and other articles. — 6th of March. 

 — 6 months. 



To J. Ramsay, and A. Ramsay, Greenock, North Britain, cordage 

 and sail-cloth manufacturers, and M. Orr, Greenock, aforesaid, sail- 



2 H 2 maker, 



