1797-1 
divifion being of taree hours. 
raéters denoting thofe divifions are fo 
placed as to point out nearly-the pofition 
of the fun at thofe different portions. of 
the day, beginning at funrife, of which- 
the chara¢ter means alfo the .eaftern 
portion of the heavens.. With this frit 
circle of eight divifions agrees the firft 
compafs, which is faid to have appeared 
in Europe in the beginning of the four- 
teenth century; and which, by fubfe- 
quent. fubdivifions, was improved into 
thirty-two points, as feamen. became 
More expert and accurate in obfervation. 
In another circle of the Chinefe com- 
pafs are twenty-four divifions, in each of 
which a character is inferted, which 
marks at the fame time,a twenty-fourth 
portion of the heavens, and a twenty- 
fourth part of the natural day. Accord- 
ing to this divifien, each point, or twenty. 
fourth portion of the compafs, compre~< 
hends an integral number of fifteen de- 
grees out of three hundred and fxty, 
imto which all circles of the celefial - 
{phere have been.agreed to be divided, 
probably fince that early period when the 
number of days, in which the fun per- 
formed his apparent courfe, was fuppofed 
to be three hundred and fixty. 
The remaining circles round the Chi- 
mefe compafs contain the charaéters of 
the cycle of fixty years, by which this 
mation regulates. its chronology, and 
other charatters expreffive of their philo- 
fophical and mythological doétrines,.. to 
which they are fo atrached as to render 
this inftrument as familiar to the people 
ashore, as.it is at fea. | 
The nature and the canfe of the quali- 
ties of the magnet have, atall times, been 
fubjects of contemplation among _ the 
Chinefe. Their theory, in this inftance, 
as in many others, is the reverfe of that 
of European philofophers. It is obvious 
that while the magnetic needle, fufpend- 
ed by its centre, points atone extremity to 
the north, it neceffarily looks, at the 
other, to the fouth ;-but each retains its 
own polarity ; and if’ turned round by 
force, will refume, when left at liberty, 
its original ftation oppofite its refpective 
‘pole. Thus the power, which priaci- 
pally ettraéts the needle, may be fup- 
poled to refide toward either or both por- 
tions of the earth. In Europe it has 
been thought that the needle has its chief 
tendency tothe north pole; but in China 
the fouth alone is confidered as contain- 
ing the attractive power. The Chinefe 
Mame of the compafs is ting-nan-ching, or 
© * ‘ 
4 
— 
Defeription of the Plate . a Compafs aud Purp. 
ing its courfe round the fun, every fuch. 
‘The cha 
297 
needle pointing to the fouth; anda dif. 
tinguifhed mark is fixed on the magnets 
fouthern pole, asin Huropean compafies 
upon the northern one. ne 
The Emperor Caung-fhee was well 
aware, however, that the needle does not’ 
always point direétly, either tothe fouth 
or north ; and that this declination is nor’ 
the fame in all countries, nor invariable 
inthe fame place. but-the Tp ere-‘of- 
Chinefe navigation is too limited to have 
afforded experience or obfervation for 
forming any fyftem of laws fuppofed to 
govern the variatien of the needle. 
Their knowledge of the general polarity 
of the magner anfwers every purpofe, in 
practice, to that nation; and,their re- 
fearches upon moft fubje&s feem to have 
been directed chiefly, and to be too often 
cirenaferibed, -by the iramediate profped 
of utility refulting from the continuance 
of every particular purfuit.. if 
[| THE IRRIGATING Pump.] . 
Tae Chinefe pump confifts of a hol- 
low wooden trunk, divided in the m=” 
fide along the middle by a board into 
two cempartments, Flat and fquare 
pieces of wood, corre{ponding exactly to 
the dimenfiens of the cavity of the trunk, 
are fixed to a chain which turns over a 
roller or fmall wheel placed at each: ex- 
tremity of the trunk. The fquare pieces » 
of wood fixed to the chain move with it» 
round the rollers, and lift wp a volume of > 
water equal to thé dimenfions of the 
hollow trunk, and are therefore called 
the lifters. ‘Che power ufed in working 
this machine is applicable in three differs 
ent ways. IJf'the machine be intended 
to lift a great quantity of water, feveral — 
fers of large weoden arms are made to 
project from various parts of the lengths 
ened axis of the-rollers, over which the 
chain and lifters turn. Chofe arms are 
fhaped like the letter T, and made round 
and {mooth for the foot to reft upon. 
The axis.turns upon two upright pieces 
of wood, kept fteady by a pole {tretched 
acrofs them. ‘The machine being fixed, 
men, treading upon.the projeéting arms 
of the axis, and fupportive themfelre 
upon the beam acrofs the worights, com 
municate a rotatury motivn to the chain, 
the lifters attached to which draw up @ 
conftlant and copious ftream of -water, 
The chain pump is applied to the: pur- 
pofe of draining grounds, transferring 
water from one pond or ciftern to ano= 
ther, or raifing it to fmall heights out of 
- rivers or canals. 
Another method of working this ma- 
chine is by yoking a buffalo or other 









