ORD 
ORE 
sections of the curve and tlie intersection 
witli the diameter, the part.on one side tlie 
diameter is equal to both the two parts on 
the other side of it. And so for curves of 
any order, whatever the number of inter- 
sections may be, the sum of the parts of 
any ordinate, on one side of the diameter, is 
equal to the sum of the parts on the other 
side of it. The use of ordinates in a curve, 
and their abscisses, is to define or express 
the nature of a curve by means of the gene- 
ral relation or equation between them ; 
and the greatest number of factors, or tite 
dimensions of the highest term, in such 
equation, is always the same as the order of 
the line; that equation being a quadratic, 
or its highest term of two dimensions, in 
the lines of the second order, being the 
circle and conic sections ; and a cubic equa- 
tion, or its highest term containing three 
dimensions, in the lines of the third order, 
and so on. Thus, y denoting an ordinate 
and X its absciss, also a b c, &c. given quan- 
tities : then y^—ax^-^bx-\-c is the ge- 
neral equation for the lines of the second 
order ; and xif — ey = axi -|- bx? -|- cx 
-}- d is the equation for the lines of the 
third order, and so on. 
ORDINATION, the act of conferring 
holy orders, or of initiating a person into 
the priesthood by prayer, and the laying on 
of hands. Ordination has always been es- 
teemed the principal prerogative of bishops, 
and they still retain the function as a mark 
of spiritual sovereignty in their diocese. 
■ Without ordination, no person can receive 
any benefice, parsonage, vicarage, &c. A 
clerk must be twenty-three years of age 
before he can have any share in the minis- 
try ; and twenty-four before he can be or- 
dained, and by that means be permitted to 
administer the sacraments. A bishop, on 
the ordination of clergymen, is to examine 
them in the presence of the ministers who 
assist him at the imposition of hands : and 
in case any crime, as drunkenness, perjury, 
forgery, &c. be alleged against any one 
that is to be ordained, either priest or dea- 
con, the bishop ought to desist from ordain- 
ing him. The person to be ordained is to 
bring a testimonial of his life and doctrine 
' to tlie bishop, and give an account of his 
faith in Latin, and both priests and deacons 
are obliged to subscribe the thirty nine 
articles. 
ORDNANCE, a general name for all 
sorts of great guns used in war. 
Ordnance, office of, an office kept with- 
in the Tower of London, which superintends* 
and disposes of all the arms, insti iiments, 
and utensils of war, both by sea and land, 
in all the magazines, garrisons, and forts, hi 
Great Britain. 
The officers of the ordnance are : 1 . The 
Master General, from whom are derived all 
orders and dispatches relating to the same. 
2. Tlie Lieutenant General, who receives 
orders from the Master General, and sees 
them duly executed ; orders the firing of 
guns on days of rejoicing, and sees the train 
of artillery fitted out when ordered to the 
field. 3. The Surveyor General, who has 
the inspection of the ordnance, stores, and 
provisions of war in the custody of the 
store-keepers : he allows all bills of debt, 
keeps a check on labourers, &c. 4, The 
Treasurer, through whose hands passes the 
money of the whole office, as well for pay- 
ment of salaries as debentures ; as also a 
Clerk of the Ordnance, and a Clerk of the 
Deliveries, for which see the articles Clerk 
of the ordnance, &c. 
ORES, in mineralogy. An ore is a metal 
in the state in which it exists in the earth. 
It may be either native, that is pure, and 
uncombined with any other substance, or 
alloyed with another metal ; or in a state 
of an oxide, or a sulphuret, or a carburet, 
or of a metallic salt. It is also mixed in 
most instances with various earthy minerals. 
The ores of metals may be analyzed in two 
modes, in the humid, and the dry way. 
The first is effected with the aid of acitls, 
and of other liquid agents, and may often 
be accomplished by very simple means, and 
without the aid of a bulky and expensive 
apparatus. If sulphur be present, it im- 
pedes the action of acids, and should be 
separated by roasting the ore on a muflle, 
or by projecting it mixed with twice its 
weight of nitre into a red-hot crucible, wash- 
ing off the alkali afterwards with hot water. 
No solvent will act upon all the metals.Thus 
nitric acid does not act on gold and pla- 
tina ; and the nitro-muriatic acid, which 
dissolves these metals, has no splvent action 
on silver. Hence the necessity of varying 
the solvent according to the nature of the 
ore, under examination. We shall give a 
few instances by which the reader will un- 
derstand the theory, and may be enabled 
to verify the facts by practice. 
For “ ores of gold and platina,” the nitro- 
muriatic acid is the most proper solvent. 
A given weight of the ore may be digested 
witlr this acid, as long as it extracts any 
thing. The solution is to be evaporated to 
