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dready described under the article Boat; 
iut at the last anniversary (April 15th, 1806), 
i model of a life-boat was exhibited, which 
nay be put together in the space of half an 
lour, in any case of shipwreck, and which 
cannot sink or overset, let the sea run ever so 
ligh. All that is necessary to be provided 
"with is, a keel or plank of any convenient 
length, and a few pigs of iron (such as ves- 
sels commonly carry out for ballast). The 
[officers of the ship are to take care to keep 
t wo or three empty water-casks, perfectly t ight, 
She bungholes corked up, and a piece of tin or 
[leather nailed over them. These casks are to 
be lashed with ropes to the keel, along with 
the pigs of iron for ballast; and any spare poles 
or spars may be also lashed to the sides, so as 
to give the raft the form of a vessel, and at 
each end to make a lodgment for the men. 
Any of the square sails of the ship will form a 
lug-sail, and may speedily be adapted to the 
new life-boat; and a strong and broad spar 
{may be lashed on as a rudder. Several in- 
ventions have also been recommended by 
the committee of the society to enable persons 
'to swim from a wreck to the shore ; particu- 
larly the cork or marine spencer, already no- 
ticed under the article Cork, and “ the life- 
preserver” invented by Mr. Daniel, of Wap- 
ping. This last is a machine of water-proof lea- 
ther, which wraps round the body just under 
tire arm-pits, and is inflated like a bladder in 
the space of half a minute, by blowing with 
the breath through a silver tube, furnished 
{with a stop-cock, which is to be turned when 
khe machine is full of air. 
| The immediate views of this committee of 
(the Royal Humane Society for affording as- 
sistance and preventing shipwreck, are clearly 
{developed in their resolutions of the 19t'h 
{March 1798, which in the hope of exciting 
the attention of scientific men to so interest- 
ling a subject we insert. 
“ Resolved, That is the opinion of this 
(committee, 
“I. That means may be contrived for pre- 
venting vessels which are light and of particular 
importance, such as packets, from found* ring 
at sea, by means of a thick lining of cork or 
very light timber, which may prevent the 
vessel from sinking incase of any other planks 
(starting, or other accidents happening to the 
bull. 
“ II. That, incase of shipwreck, the grand 
{object is to form a communication with the 
{shore: and it appears to this committee, that 
Ithe most probable means of effecting this 
lobject is, to convey a rope or line by some 
projectile force to the nearest land ; and that, 
the more simple the machine for this purpose 
(having ample pow r), the more likely it is to 
have a proper practical effect. 
“III. That the construction of life-boats to 
go from the shore to a vessel wrecked or in 
distress (which life-boats ought to be lined 
{with cork or light timber, so as to keep buoy- 
ant in almost all cases), is a most laudable and 
excellent invention ; and this committee can- 
mot but hope, that, if this plan was universally 
[adopted on all our sea-coasts, at least wherever 
jit is practicable, it would save the lives of num- 
bers of mariners, and other persons valuable to 
society. 
“ IV. That the institution of a body of 
•watermen ready to venture, on all occasions 
©f shipwreck, in life-boats, or other vessels, to 
assist persons hi distress, would be extremely 
useful. That such persons should have 
particular privileges, as protections from 
being impressed, and perhaps badges such as 
the firemen in London, and should be encou- 
raged try the prospect of rewards to adventure 
on all such occasions.” 
DRUG, among fan-makers, is a compo- 
sition of gum arabic, and some other ingre- 
dients, used in laying gold or silver leaf upon 
fans, or in covering them with either of these 
metals in powder. They use it also to paste 
together the papers, gauzes, taffetas, and 
other matters, used by them in their fans. 
Drug signifies also a salt, or cinder of 
glass, used by some in bleaching cloth. The 
use of this drug is prohibited in France, as 
being found corrosive, destructive of the 
linen, and likely to injure the health of 
those who use it. 
DRUGGET, in commerce, a stuff some- 
times all wool, and sometimes half wool half 
thread, sometimes corded, but usually plain. 
DRUIDS, the priests or ministers of reli- 
gion of the antient Britons and Gauls. The 
Druids were chosen out of the best families ; 
and were held, both by the honours of their 
birth, and their office, in the greatest vene- 
ration. They are said to have understood 
astrology, geometry, natural history, politics, 
and geography : they had the administration 
of all sacred things, were the interpreters of 
religion, and the judges of all affairs indif- 
ferently. 
DRUM, is a martial musical instrument in 
form of a cylinder, hollow v ithin, and covered 
at the two ends with vellum, which is stretch- 
ed or slackened at pleasure by the means of 
small cords and sliding knots... Some drums 
are made of brass, but they are commonly of 
wood. 
There are several beats of the drum, as 
assembly, chamade, reveille, retreat, tkc. 
Drums, kettle, are large basons of copper 
or brass, rounded in the bottom, and covered 
with vellum or goat-skin, which is kept fast 
by a circle of iron, and seveial holes fastened 
to the body of the drum, and a like number 
of screws to screw up and down. They are 
much used among the horse, as also in operas, 
oratorios, concerts, See. 
DRUNGUS, a name given in the latter 
times of the Roman empire to a body of 
troops, amounting to from one thousand to 
four thousand men. At first it was used to 
denote the troops of strangers and enemies, 
but in the eastern empire to signify the 
troops of the empire itself. 
DRUNKENNESS, excuses no crime; but 
he who is guilty of any crime whatever, 
through his voluntary drunkenness, shall 
be punished for it as much as if he had been 
sober ; for the law, seeing how easy it is to 
counterfeit this excuse, and how weak an 
excuse it is (though real), will not suffer any 
man thus to privilege one crime by another. 
4 Black. 26. 
By several statutes temp. Jac. every per- 
son convicted of drunkenness shall forfeit 5.y. 
or be committed to the stocks for six hours, 
and offending a second time, shall be bound 
in a recognizance of 10/. for future good be- 
haviour. And an alehouse-keeper convict- 
ed of drunkenness, shall besides the other pe- 
nalties, be disabled to keep any such ale- 
house for three years. 
DELTA, Or druppa , in botany, a spe- 
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cies of pericarpium, or seed-vessel, which is 
succulent or pulpy, has no valve or external 
opening like the capsule and pod, and con- 
tains within its substance a stone or nut. The 
cherry, plum, peach, apricot, and all other 
stone-fruit, are of this kind. The term, which 
is of great antiquity, is synonymous to Tour- 
nefort’sfructus mollis ossiculo, “soft fruit with 
a stone ;” and to the primus of other botanists. 
The stone or nut, which in this species of 
fruit is surrounded by the soft pulpy flesh, is 
a kind of ligneous or woody cup, which con- 
tains a single kernel or seed. This definition, 
however, will not apply to every seed-vessel 
denominated dtupa in the Genera Plantarum. 
The almond is a drupa, so is the seed-vessel 
of the elm-tree and the genus rumphia, 
though far from being pulpy or succulent ; 
the first and third are of a substance like 
leather, the second like parchment. The 
same may be said of the walnut, pistachio- 
nut, guettarda, quisqualis, jack-in-a-box, and 
some others. Again, the seeds of the elm, 
schrebera, flagellaria, and the mango-tree, are 
not contained in a- stone. The seed-vessel of 
burr-reed is dry, shaped like a top, and con- 
tains two angular stones. 
DRYADS, in the heathen theology, dei- 
ties, or nymphs, which the antients thought 
inhabited groves and woods. They differed 
from the hamadryades, these latter being at- 
tached to some particular tree, with which 
' they were born, and with which they died ; 
whereas the dryades were goddesses of 
trees and woods in general. 
We likewise find mention made of a kind 
of prophetesses, or witches, among the Gauls, 
called dryades or druides. 
DRYANDRTA, a genus of the class and 
order dioecia monadclphjfft The calyx is 
two-leaved; corolla five-petalled; stamina 
nine ; fruit three or four grained. There 
is one species, a dwarf tree of the Mauri- 
tius. 
DRYAS, a genus of the icosandria-penta- 
gynia class of plants, the flower of which con- 
sists of eight oblong, emarginated, patent pet als, 
inserted into the cup.. There is no pericar- 
pium, but the seeds are numerous, of a round- 
ish compressed figure, and furnished with 
very long hairy styles. There are two spe- 
cies. 
DRY PIS, a genus of the class and order 
pentandriatrigynia. The calyx is five-tooth- 
ed ; petals five ; capsule clipped round, one- 
seeded. There is one species, a shrubby 
plant of Barbary. 
DUCAT, a coin current in Germany, and 
other countries abroad, for the different va- 
lues of which see Coin. 
DUCATOGN, a silver coin, likewise fre- 
quent in several parts of Europe. 
DUCENARIUS, in Roman antiquity, a 
military officer who had the command of two 
hundred men. The title ducenarii is also 
given to certain procurators of the emperors,, 
so called either from their having a salary 
of 200 sesterces, or from their being appoint- 
ed to raise the tax of the two-hundredth 
penny. 
DUCES tecum, in law, a writ that com- 
mands a person to appear in the court of 
chancery, and bring with them certain writ- 
ings, evidences, or other things, which the* 
court is inclined to view. 
Duces tecum licet langnidus, in law, is a 
j writ directed to the sheriff, on a return that 
