Scientific Intelligence . — Arts. 393 
ration jars, in place of the former laborious and offensive one, 
by means of putrid-bladder, sheet-lead, & c. It is essential, that 
the Indian rubber should be painted or varnished ; after which, 
not the slightest evaporation of the spirits takes place. The 
material, by its elasticity, adapts itself to the variations in the 
volume of the contents of the jar from different temperatures, 
and this removes the principal cause of the escape of the spirits. 
It is probable, that leather, coated with Indian rubber, and 
painted, would answer as well as the rubber itself, by which the 
expence would be greatly diminished. — Copland's Med. Repos. 
46. Cause of the Smell of Hydrogen Gas. — If hydrogen gas, 
obtained by the solution of iron in sulphuric acid, be made to 
pass into pure alcohol, it almost entirely loses its smell. Water 
added to the alcohol renders it milky ; and on resting some 
hours, a volatile oil separates, which is the cause of the well 
known smell of hydrogen gas. This gas is obtained perfect- 
ly free of smell, by putting into pure water an amalgam of po- 
tassium ; but, if there be added to the water an acid or sal- 
amoniac to accelerate the development of the gas, the latter will 
have the smell, which is observed during the solution of zinc in 
weak sulphuric acid. — Ann. de Chim. et de Phys ., Oct. 1824, 
p. 221. 
47. Bourdeaux Wines. — In a work lately published at Bor- 
deaux, by M. William Frank, there is the following statistical 
notice regarding the mean annual produce of the vines of France, 
in the wines called Clarets. Blaye wines, 40,000 tuns ; Li- 
bourne, 60,000 ; Lareole, 35,000 ; Bazas, 10,000 ; Bordeaux, 
85,000 ; Lespane, 20,000 : the whole, 250,000 tuns, or 
2.283,000 hectolitres. — Weekly Register , 1825. 
48. New Coinage. — The public have to congratulate them- 
selves upon a new coinage, which will be worthy of the age and 
country in which we live. Mr Wallace, the present intelligent 
and accomplished master of the mint, has personally exerted 
himself in devising the subjects ; and Mr W. Wyon, an Eng- 
lish artist, has executed a series of dies, superior in every re- 
spect to any coin that has yet appeared. The gold pieces are 
sovereigns and half-sovereigns, double sovereigns, and five so- 
vereign pieces ; the silver, crowns and half-crowns. The smal- 
