1831.] 
Miscellaneous Notices. 
415 
In my first paper, I did not state what quantity of the powder would purify 
water ; and in my last, 1 have only stated the effect in Harrowgate water, (lib. to 250 
gallons.) Having no fetid Thames water to try with, I can give no specific directions ; 
but I would strongly recommend trying the smallest quantity first, and gradu- 
ally increasing till the effect is produced, otherwise a prejudice might be excited in 
the minds of the crew. The experiment can be as well tried in a bottle, or a butt. 
Note. — In the journal of the Royal Institution for 1831 , there is an able paper by 
Doctor Ure on the subject of the Chlorides ; it strongly recommends the addition of a 
little sulphuric acid to the powder, without which the Chlorine is but imperfectly and 
slowly disengaged. — Ed. 
5 . — The Population of the Netherlands. 
The population of the Netherlands has increased very nearly 11 per cent, in ten 
years, i. e. from 5424502 in 1815 to 6013478 in 1825. 1 In these 10 years, the 
births have been 2015646, the deaths 1421600, being as 67 : 47 nearly, the marri- 
ages 430247. The number of divorces was 605, or 1 to every 711 marriages. 
A comparison of the statistics of the Netherlands, Great Britain and France gives 
the following proportions. 
Netherlands. Great Britain. France. 
100 are born for every 
100 die, 
100 are married, 
100 marriages produce 
2807 inhabitants 3534 3168 
3981 5780 4000 
6575 6667 6745 
468 births 359 426 
From these numbers, it may be concluded that life is most valuable in England, 
next in Fi’ance, and least in the Netherlands ; the tivo latter being nearly the same, 
while in Great Britain it is more valuable in the proportion of 3 : 2. We also see 
that fewer births take place in England, the reason of which it is difficult to con- 
ceive. We may further infer, that in England, the chances of death and marriage are 
nearly equal, being as 67 to 58, whereas in Holland and France the chances are nearly 
2 to 1 against marriage. The proportion of those wffio annually marry, to the 
whole population, is nearly the same in each country, namely, 1 in 67. 
6. — Height of American 1 Mountains . 
Chimborazo has long passed for the highest of the Cordilleras ; and until the 
discovery (measurement) of the Himalaya, was supposed to be the highest 
tain in the world. M. Humboldt, as he himself observes, had the pleasure of seeing 
a greater extent of mountains than any other geognost (geolo 0 ist), ut ie 
pursue his travels to this part of the Andes, where subsequent trave lers have 
ascertained the height of the Ylimani to be 21.800 feet above the level of ^ the sea 
exceeding that of Chimborazo by 350-no very great difference, it may p P e 
said, in subjects of such vast dimensions ; but still quite su cicn o a . 
latter the palm of superlative magnitude and grandeur in t ie grea c 
Andes. Mr! Pen.land, who measured the Ylimani in 182 .gave me ",o- 
with the remark that they required revision , consequently they wei i 
go forth as accurate. — Temple' s Travels in Peru. fnr whom -is 
We have inserted the foregoing, not as thinking old ■ nm 01 ghonld * be 
a particular friend of the celebrated mountains, but 
deposed from his high and palmy stat ° not on ] y that 380 feet is no 
simply for the information of our readers ; for u > . „ ,i ia . ... error to this 
very great difference in subjects of such vast di-ensm^bu.^so t^ ^ ^ ^ ^ 
amount may so very easily be comm.Ue .n establishe d, till we have a full 
tain, that we cannot receive Mr. rentiana s resu 
detail of the instruments he used and the methods ie o 
