DR. McClelland a zealous geologist. 
335 
The socket of the thigh bone of the ele- 
phant, taken out of a rock at Seoonee by our 
intelligent and esteemed friend George 
Spilsbury, Esq. and plans of the building to 
celebrate the never to be forgotten Libera- 
tion of the Indian Press were on the table 
and rigidly criticised and surveyed. By the 
way, we must not omit to mention that this 
was the best proof, which the Noble Host 
could give of his sentiments regarding 
his countryman and predecessor’s proudest 
boast^ — The Liberty of the Press. 
May this ever be the motto of the Go- 
vernment House, in the capital of India. 
But for the freedom of the press , science would 
have been smothered in its infancy by those 
who are the persecutors and oppressors of 
the advocates of free discussion. 
The entertainments of the evening com- 
menced on the entrance of Lord Auckland, 
when Dr. O’Shaughnessy exhibited a working 
model of a machine made by himself, pro- 
ducing moving power by the application 
of electro -magnetic influence. The Reverend 
Mr. McCauley of the British Association 
exhibited the working model of a machine 
for producing this power, and which is des- 
cribed at page 137 of our Journal, to which 
we must refer our readers. The exhibition 
of the model by Mr. McCauley was received 
with sincere and reiterated applause, and 
many scientific men present expressed san- 
guine expectations of the value of the me- 
thod in a practical point of view : a similar 
feeling was evinced by the whole of the 
Governor General’s party, on witnessing 
the ingenious working model of another 
machine by Dr. O’Shaughnessy. The sub- 
ject is one of the highest importance. We 
beg to call the attention of our readers to two 
papers, in our present number on the ap- 
plication of electrico- magnetic power to 
mechanics : one is illustrated by a lithogra- 
phic drawing of the instrument originally 
constructed by Mr. Saxton, but improved 
upon by Mr. Watkins. Our last accounts 
mention that it is exhibited at the Gallery 
of Practical Science ; for contrivance, the 
writer adds, none can vie either in simpli- 
city or in beauty of design. 
But to return to the party, — at another 
table, to which, in consequence of the crowd, 
we could not obtain access, we understand 
the galvanic force from the ordinary magnet 
was developed by an ingenious apparatus 
belonging to Mr. J. Prinsep. Water was 
decomposed, and other interesting powers 
of the magnet shown. 
As taste becomes pure, meetings of the 
nature we have described, will be the means of 
bringing forth a diversity of genius — to the 
exercise of faculties which otherwise would 
have lain dormant — to the meditation on the 
labours of others, which would otherwise 
never have been thought of, and finally 
lead to the enchanting paths of distinction 
and celebrity, marking the superiority of 
intellectual, solid, and real pleasures 
over those of a frivolous and trifling nature, 
where the mind is never beneficially and 
fully developed. 
We know there are men in this country 
who will differ from us in regard to our 
expectations as to the great ulterior good to 
be derived from Lord Auckland’s scientific 
parties. There are some who conceive that 
in India there is a deficiency of genius and 
talent. Granting the aspersion as just by way 
of argument,yet we repeat the encouragement 
will inspire what D. ’Israelii, calls scientific 
industry, — “ the art which seizes, as if it 
were, with the rapidity of inspiration, what- 
ever it discovers in the works of others, which 
may enrich its own stores ; which knows by 
a quick apprehension what to examine and 
what to imbibe ; and which receives an atom 
of intelligence, from the minds of others, on 
its own mind, as an accidental spark, falling 
on a heap of nitre, is sufiicient to raise a 
powerful blaze.” 
Dr. McClelland. 
It is with great regret we learn that this 
zealous geologist is about to return to his 
regiment, on account of the Mission, of 
which he was a member, being dissolved. Is 
a man of his scientific acquirements, which 
we have so fully shown in our review of his 
valuable work on the Geology of Kemaon, to 
be circumscribed in the great work of scien- 
tific research and instruction ? Are his 
capabilities of advancing the cause of Science 
by developing the latent resources of this 
country to be confined within the narrow 
walls of a native regimental hospital ? Science 
has surely stronger claims, and at least for 
her sake, we earnestly and sincerely hope 
they may be attended to. 
