? 
Pas 
574 
mens of the gangue or matrix in which 
they are found, and of the fuperincumbent 
ftrata, with their refpective depths and 
provincial appellations, according to the. 
following form. * cA 
‘* Specimen No. x, called by the miners 
[ freel-grained potter's lead ore| found at 
] mine, in the parifh of [ 
county of [ 15. [40] fathoms be- 
low the furface, in a [regular vein from 
2 to 24. inches acrofs\ lying [N. W. and 8. 
£.} rifng tothe [N./7.], procured by 
[blafting|. The ore found mixed with 
{dlack-jack {pecimen No. 2, and foar No. - 
3,] ina [flate-rock]. Depth of ffrata cut 
through in sinking the mine, [ fod x faot ; 
gravel 5 feet, No. 43; rock 30 fathoms, 
Nos. 5 and6; foalex fathoms, No.7; 
flate-rock 7 fathoms, No. 8.] 
~ © The members of the Britifh Minera- 
fogical Society have in view, befides the 
above, another object of perhaps fill 
greater general importance. In common 
with all other inquirers into this moft in- 
terefting department of natural hiftory, 
they have regretted the formidable objfta- 
cles to collecting accurate information ‘in 
the mining diftri€ts, originating from the 
vague and peculiar terms inufe among the 
miners, and from the different ideas an- 
nexed tothe fame terms in different parts 
ofthe country. ‘They feel the impoflibility 
of introducing a Icientific. nomenclature 
“into the mines and collieries, and in con- 
fequence have arranged corref{pondences in 
various parts for the purpofe of collecting 
materials towards a general explanatory 
ditionary of all the mining terms made 
ufe of in the Britifh iflands. ‘The fuccefs 
of this plan, it 1s obvious, depends eflen- 
tially on the public concurrence; its ad- 
vantage cannot be called in queftion, and 
therefore the Society requefts with confi- 
dence the affiftance of thofe gentlemen who, 
from their local fituation, or other cir: 
cumftances, are able to further its execu- 
tion, and are willing that the whole fcience 
of mineralogy fhould be cleared from that 
contfufion and myftery in which it has 
been enveloped. Befides lifts and expla- 
mations of technical terms, the Society 
wifhes to be furnifhed with fpecimens of 
fuch minerals as have received any names 
in the; mines and collieries: without the 
pofleffion of {pecimens it will be impofible 
to identify the fubftances fo as to affign 
them their proper f{cientific appellations ; 
and thefe being depafited in the cabinet of 

* The blanks, and parts printed in Ltalicsy 
to be accupied by their proper defcription, 
' 
. Britifh Mineralogical Society. Academy at Erfurt. {July t, 
the Society, will form a confant record 
and authority, to which the moft liberal 
accefs will at all times be allowed. 
«« The con{cioufnels of contriouting in 
their {phere to the public good, and te the 
improvement of a favourite branch of na- 
tural {cience, is the fole remuneration 
which the members of the Society look for- 
ward to; and they will efteem the time 
and expence employed in the analyfis of 
minerals amply repaid, if thofe whom ‘they 
nave thus ferved will exert their perfonal 
activity and influence. among their work- 
men, in furthering the execution of the 
above defign, by the communication of 
illufirative {pecimens and explanatory lifts 
of technical terms. 
‘‘ It is the intention of the Society to 
affociate as corre{ponding members a feleé&t 
number of {uch perfons, competently killed 
in mineralogy, as may be zealous to aflitt 
its views ; and the proprietors of mines, 
who have it much in their power to furnith 
fuch facts and fpecimens as are of princi- 
pal importance to the Society, fhall be con- 
fidered as eligible to the clafs of correfpond- 
ing members ; all of whom, though they 
are to be {tibject to no pecuniary contribu- 
tion, fhail be allowed free accefs to the 
meetings and to the cabinet.” 

ACADEMY AT ERFURT. 
AT a meeting of the Academy of ufe- 
ful Sciences, at Erfurt, on the 2d of 
Sept. 1799, Baron won Dalberg, coad- 
jutor of the Elector of Menz, read an eflay 
‘* on Steatite, and its ufefulnefs to the la- 
pidary :°’ and communicated an account of 
his experiments with the fteatite of Ba- 
reuth (talcum fleatites). This ftone is very 
foft, and may eafily be cut orturned; andif 
afterwards expofed to a ftrong heat in clofe 
veffels, becomes fo hard, that it refifts the 
file. In this manner cameos, gems, and 
other engraved ftones, and {mall works of 
art, equal in folidity to thofe of the an- 
cients, may be executed at a trifling ex- 
pence. Hehad likewife made a feries of 
experiments to find out the method of com- 
iunicating durable colours to the fteatite, 
by which means the moft beautiful of the 
precious ftones are fo exaétly imitated as 
to deceive the niceft judge. In feveral 
pieces, among the great number of co= 
loured {pecimens ({uchas heads, feals, &c.) 
prefented to the academy; they particu- 
larly admired the high degree of politure 
of which this burnt fteatite is capable, fo 
that in this refpet it furpaffes even the 
agate: M. von D, profecutes thefe expe- 
riments, which are of {0 great importance 
te 
