THE VALUE OF INTERESTING SCIENTIFIC INTELLIGENCE. 
177 
Upon what circumstances this remarkable 
asbestus form of soluble salt depends, it is 
not easy to determine, because they are 
indifferently met with in various species of 
rocks. This form, however, in insoluble 
minerals, as has been observed, is con- 
nected with serpentine rocks .* — Records of 
General Science. 
THE INDIA REVIEW. 
Calcutta : August 1, 1836. 
PROSPECTS FOR THE PEOPLE OF 
INDIA. 
The success of our new periodical is in 
some measure shewn by our having upon 
our list about 200 Subscribers, a commence- 
ment which encourages us to hope that we 
shall soon be enabled to diffuse in this coun- 
try valuable and interesting scientific intel- 
ligence from all parts of Europe. 
Recently six Scientific Journals were pub- 
lished in Great Britain : these have been 
reduced to two ; one of which is published 
monthly in London, the other quarterly in 
Edinburgh. Since 1835, an additional work 
has been published, viz., “ Records of 
Science.” How long this last ably -conducted 
Journal will exist, it is impossible to say ; 
but it is obvious there must be some cause 
for this want of success in works of Science. 
We ourselves believe the cause to have 
arisen from the articles having generally been 
too abstruse and subtle. It is true they were 
full of refined and speculative knowledge 
and recondite reasoning : replete with phy- 
sical and metaphysical subjects. But then 
they were more adapted to the deep thinking 
philosopher than to the general scientific 
reader : hence a want of subscribers. The 
failure in Britain of periodicals which have 
been devoted solely to the diffusion of gene- 
ral science is a warning to us to consider 
well the grounds on which we anticipate 
success in our new undertaking. In a 
country like India where the British Sojour- 
ners and their descendants are comparatively 
* Thomson's Inorganic Chemistry, i. ]6i. 
few, the means of education as regard 
Science is but in its infancy ; and therefore 
the importance of periodicals purely on the 
mere abstract branches of science is not felt. 
It is principally on this account that we have 
determined to blend with purely scientific 
matter, articles on the mechanical arts, and 
such other interesting subjects as regard 
improvement in manufactures, commerce, 
agriculture, &c., in order to suit the 
taste and promote the benefit of all 
classes. While we shall be able to ad- 
mit subjects which embrace abstruse 
investigation into the causes of physi- 
cal changes and determine the nature of 
bodies, reducing them to their elements, 
ascertaining their mutual actions and relation, 
we shall be able to apply the knowledge 
thus ascertained by demonstrative science to 
the improvement of arts which supply the 
wants as well as the comforts of life. 
The grave philosopher and the man of 
science may not delight in articles of this 
latter description ; but if he has attended to 
our explanations, he will no doubt find that 
our object is to secure extensive circulation, 
which will tend greatly to support that por- 
tion of our work which is to be devoted to 
those articles which he desires to see. Our 
great object is to be the means of leading 
to important local and national improvements 
of promoting traffic by Rivers, Roads, and 
Canals, by Steam Communication and Rail 
Road transit ; in which to excite individual 
enterprize for large interest on capital, and 
to shew that such improvements call’imper- 
atively for the immediate attention of go- 
vernment for liberal appropriations. That 
stupendous machine, the steam engine has 
already undergone in its progress more than 
two hundred different modifications. It is 
our intention to give every new improve- 
ment in their motive forces from water, 
ether, alcohol essential oils, the liquifiable 
gases, atmospheric air,&c. The preparation of 
that invaluable and important metal, the chief 
material of nearly all machinery — Iron, shall 
receive particular attention as well as the 
various manipulations and mechanism em- 
ployed in the great staple commodities cot- 
