'523 
C H A 
C H E 
.ought to be 
b 
2.7 1:28 1828’ 
of about 3. of the 
length of the bore; where 2.718281828 is 
the number whose h\p. log. is 1. nut, for 
several reasons, in practice the length of tlve 
charge producing the greatest velocity falls 
short of that above mentioned, and the more 
so as the gun is longer. From many experi- 
ments it is found, that the charge producing 
the greatest velocity, in gufis of various 
lengths of bore, from. 15 to 40 calibers, is as 
follows : 
'.Length of bore 
in calibers. 
15 
20 
30 
40 
Length of charge 
for greatest veloc. 
3 
-3J 
_ 3 
1 2 
3 
tit 
•■Charge, in heraldry, is applied to the 
figures represented on the escutcheon, by 
which the bearers are distinguished from one 
another ; and it is to be observed, that too 
many charges are not so honourable as 
fewer. 
Charge and Discharge. A charge is 
a thing done that binds him who does it, 
or that which is his, to the performance 
thereof ; and discharge is the removal of that 
charge. In all cases where an executory 
thing is created by deed, there, by consent of 
all the parties, it may by deed be defeated 
and discharged. 
CHARITABLE uses: lands given to aims, 
and aliened, may be recovered by the donor. 
13 Ed. 1. c. 41. Lands, &c. maybe given 
for the maintenance of houses of correction, 
or of the poor. 35 Eliz. c. 7. Money given 
to put out apprentices, either by parishes, or 
public charities, to pav no duty. 8 Anne, 
c. 9. 
CHAR LES’S-WAIN, in astronomy, seven 
stars in the constellation called ursa major, 
or the great bear. 
CHART, or sea-chart, an hydrographical 
map, or a projection of some parts of the 
earth’s superficies in piano, for the use of na- 
vigators. Charts differ very considerably 
from geographical or land maps, which are of 
no use in navigation. Nor are sea-charts all 
of the same kind ; some being what w 7 e call 
plane charts, others Morcator-charts, and 
others globular charts. 
Plane Chart is a representation of some 
part of the superficies of the terraqueous 
globe, in which the meridians are supposed 
parallel to each other, the parallels of lati- 
tude at equal distances, and consequently the 
degrees of latitude and longitude every where 
equal to each other. See Navigation. 
Mercator’s Chart, is that wherein the 
meridians are straight lines parallel to each 
other, and equidistant ; the parallels are also 
straight lines, and parallel to each other : 
but the distance between them increases 
from the equinoctial towards either pole, in 
the ratio of the secant of the latitude to the 
radius. 
If the superficies of the terrestrial globe is 
supposed to be taken off’, and extended on a 
plane, so as to make the meridians parallel to 
each other, and the degrees of longitude 
every where equal, it is easy to conceive that 
it must be productive of the most notorious 
errors; for an island in latitude 60°, where 
the radius of the parallel is only equal to one- 
V H A 
half of the radius of the equator, will have 
its length from east lo west distorted in a 
double ratio to what it was on the globe ; 
that is, its length from east to west, in com- 
parison of its breadth from north to south, 
will be represented in a double proportion to 
what- it really is: whence it follows, that in 
whatever proportion the degrees of any pa- 
rallel are increased or diminished by a pro- 
jection in piano, the degrees of longitude 
ought to be increased or diminished in the 
same ratio ; for otherwise the true bearings 
and distances, of places will be lost, as in the 
case ot the plane-chart, where the degrees of 
latitude and longitude are all equal. 
Though this projection is generally called 
Mercator’s projection, yet our countryman, 
Mr. Wright, had long before invented it, de- 
monstrated its use, and shewn a ready way 
of constructing it, by enlarging the meridian 
line, by a continued addition of secants : but: 
neither of these gentlemen is thought the 
original author of it, it having been hinted by 
Ptolen y about two thousand years ago. See 
NaYIG ATI ON. 
Globular Chart, a meridional projection, 
wherein the distance of the eye from the 
plane of the meridian, upon which the pro- 
jection is made, is supposed to be equal to 
the sine of the angle of 45°. This projection j 
comes the nearest of all to the nature of the I 
globe, because the meridians therein are j 
placed at equal distances, the'pavallels also j 
are nearly equidistant, and consequently the | 
several parts of the earth have their proper j 
proportion of magnitude, distance, and sit'ua- j 
lion, nearly the same as on the globe itself. | 
CHARTA, MAGNA, the great charter of 
liberties granted first by king John, and after- 
wards, with some alterations, confirmed in 
parliament by king Henry the Third. It is so 
called, either for the excellence of the laws 
therein contained, or because there was ano- 
ther charter, called tile charter of the forests, 
which was the less of the two ; or in regard 
of the great wars and trouble in obtaining it. 
King Henry the Third, alter it had been several 
times confirmed by him, and as often broken, 
at last, in the 37th year of his reign, confirmed 
it in the most solemn manner in Westminster- 
hall. Afterwards king Ed. I. confirming this 
charter, in the 35th year of his reign, made 
an explanation of the liberties therein granted 
to the people, adding some; and in the con- 
firmation, he directed that this charter should 
be read twice a year to the people, and sen- 
tence of excommunication to be constantly 
denounced against all that by word, or deed, 
or counsel, shall act contrary thereto, or in 
any degree infringe it. 
CHARTER, is a deed \vhereby the king 
passes any grant to any one person or more, 
or to any body politic. 
Charter-party, is a contract under 
hand and seal, executed by the freighter and 
the master or owner of the ship, containing 
the terms upon which the ship is hired to 
freight : the masters and owners usually 
bind themselves, the ship, tackle, and furni- 
ture, that the goods freighted shall be de- 
livered (dangers of the sea excepted) well- 
conditioned at the place of discharge ; and 
they also covenant to provide mariners, 
tackle, &c. and to equip the ship complete 
and adequate to the voyage. The freighter 
stipulates to pay the consideration-money for 
jhe freight, and penalties are annexed to en- 
force the reciprocal covenants. A charter-1 
party is the same in the civil law, as an iu-J 
denture at common law ; and is distinguished! 
from a bill of lading, inasmuch as the former! 
adjusts the terms ot the freight, and the latter! 
ascertains the contents of the cargo. 
CHARTREUSE, or grande chartrcvscA 
a celebrated monastery, the capital of all the! 
convents of the Carthusian monks, situated] 
on a steep rock in the middle of a laige] 
forest of fir-trees, about sever, miles north-east] 
of Grenoble, in the province of Dauphiny, in] 
France. From this mother-convent all the] 
others of the same order take their name 
among which was the chartreuse of London,] 
corruptly called the Charter-house, now] 
converted into an hospital, endowed with a 
revenue of 600/. per annum. 
Here are maintained eighty decayed gen-! 
tlemen, not under fifty years of age ; also forty] 
boys are educated and . tied either for the] 
university or trades. Those sent to the uni-] 
versify, have an exhibition of 20/. a year for] 
eight years: and have an immediate title tea 
nine church-livings in the gift of the govern-] 
ers of the hospital,, who are sixteen in man-] 
her, all persons o! the first distinction, and] 
take their turns in' the nomination of pen-] 
sionersand scholars. 
CiiACE, a great quantity of ground lying 
open and privileged for wild beasts and wild 
fowl. Such is Enliekl-chace. A chacc dif- 
fers from a forest, inasmuch as it may be ill 
the hands of a subject, which a forest in its 
proper nature cannot ; and from a park, in 
that it is not inclosed, and has more officer* 
A chaee is not endowed like a forest with so 
many liberties, as the courts of atttachment, 
swainmote, and justice-seat ; and cannot law 5 - 
ft; by be made, without licence from the kins 
under the broad seal. 
CHATTELS or caials, all sorts of gootl 
and property, moveable or immoveable, ex- 
cept freehold property. 
CHAZINZARIANS, in church history] 
a sect of heretics who adored the cross. 
CM EC K, or check roll, a roll or bool] 
wherein are contained the names of such per- 
sons as are at tendants and in pay to the king, 
or other great personages. . , 
Citric of the Check, in the king’s housa 
hold, has the check and control ot the yea 
men ot the guard, and all the ushers belong- 
ing to the royal family ; allowing their al 
sence or defects in attendance, or diminishing 
their wages for the same, &c. He also, b] 
himself or deputy, takes the view of thoa 
that are to watch in the court, and has thi 
setting of the watch, &c. ( Merle of the checi 
in the king’s navy at Plymouth, is also tin 
name of an officer invested with the lik< 
power. 
Checks, or drafts, on bankers, are instru 
ments by means of which a creditor may as 
sign to a third person, not originally party fi 
the contract, the legal as well as equitab] 
interest in a debt raised by it, so as to vest, i: 
such an assignee a right of action against tli 
original debtor. 1 H. B. 602. These it 
struments are uniformly made payable t 
bearer, which constitutes a characterise 
difference between them and bills of ei 
change ; and the legislature lias consider® 
them in a more favourable point of view b 
exempting them from the stamp-duties. The 
are equally negotiable with bills, although 
strictly speaking, not due before payment] 
