810.) Error in Calculating the Rising and Setting of the Sun, 321 
duck-guns: the former our officers 
disapprove, from an opinion, that a deli- 
berate steady fire does more execution, 
How far the lightness of the piece coun- 
terbalances opposite qualities, l own my- 
self incompetent to decide. They level 
at the head. j 
When French troops execute a move- 
ment, it is not required that their me- 
thod of doing it should’ be according to 
the technical instructions, as at reviews. 
They perform it in double-quick time, 
by running, according to the quickest 
modes, or the instructions, pro tempore, 
of the commanding officer. When they 
rally, no distinction is consulted of their 
respective regiments and companies, 
They mingle together, with no further 
care than to form the body required. 
Thus much timeis saved; and they again 
commence their favourite system, and 
grand dependance—an incessant fire. 
The contrivances and stratagems which 
they use, are scarcely credible. At 
Flushing, knowing that most of the 
shells would, of course, fall within 
the town, the greater part of the garvi- 
gon at night lodged themselves in the 
ditches. Once they practised the follow- 
ing stratagem: They made a huge bonfire, 
and sent two parties out in concealed 
ambuscade, upon each side of it. Many 
of them then rushed “out, and began 
dancing around it. Our men, conceiving 
-that it was done from insult, or defiance, 
advanced to pick some of them off, by 
repeated shots. They soon however 
came within the line of fire from the 
concealed parties, and suffered severely 
by their mistake. 
‘ It seems a clear case, that wherever 
there exists any thing like a chance of 
success, the French cannot be got rid of, 
Like flies to the carcase, they return 
again and again, and will exchange shot 
for shot, ad infinitum. Their grand secret 
of success 1s perseverance: their grand 
auxillary agent, subtle policy. Profes- 
sional science they can only share in 
common with other enlightened Euro- 
peans. It must be evident, thatin coping 
with such troops, not only numbers are 
essential, but an undeviating attention to 
position and artillery. Carronades, con- 
trived, for the sake of being portable, to 
screw upon the principle of rifie-barrel 
ipa and thus be easily conveyed upon 
orse-back, the carriage also taking to 
pieces, might be eminently useful if in 
large numbers, and supply the deside- 
-)ratum of an equal quantity of troops 
\with their own, Perhaps a British ar 
Nonizuiy Mag. No. 205. 
my, stationed upon a hill, with a very: - 
great quantity of cannon and carro- 
nades, might gain great advantages 3 
charging them with the bayonet when 
they advanced to the guns, and renewe 
ing the fire ¢gain, when they were driven 
below them. 
‘None of our officers speak so tightly of 
French troops as inexperienced’ per- 
sons at home: but they all ascribe their 
gigantic success to the only rational 
cause—numbers in aid of skill. To act 
ayainst this, cannon, position, entrench- 
ments, walls, fences, and other prutect- 
ing securities, are evidently the most use= 
ful methods. Mw Wide 
f SEP 
To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. 
SIR, 
Ne the pages‘of your instructive and 
useful Magazine are often devoted 
to the purpose of giving publicity to ideas 
of individuals, that may be likely to as- 
sist the exertions of industry, or the pur- 
suits of science, the following hints may 
perhaps be honoured with a place, and 
prove not quite unacceptable to some of 
your readers; the subject appearing to 
have escaped the notice of those with 
whom accuracy of calculation is a matter 
of importance. ! 
The manner in which the rising and 
setting of the sun are usually calculated 
and set down by compilers of almanacks, 
ephemerides, &c. is certainly capable of 
some improvement; for though near 
enough for common purposes, it is not 
so in cases where great nicety is re- 
quired. The times of rising and setting 
of the sun, are according to the length of 
its semi-diurnal are, which being calcue 
lated from the declination of the sun at 
noon each day, is usually put down as 
the time of its setting; and subtracted 
from twelve hours, is taken as the time of 
its rising on the sameday. This will be 
found incorrect, because in the lapse of 
the few hours from noon to sun-set, its 
declination has varied so much as to oc 
casion its setting later or earlier in pro 
portion as the declination has either in- 
creased or decreased, by that time; and 
at sun-rise, the declination being not the 
same as at noon o7 sun-set, will occasion 
the time of sun-rise to differ in the same 
proportion, Thus, if on March 21, the 
sun's declination be 0° 16’ n. and on 
the 22d. 0° 39’, at noon on each day; 
its declination at sun-set on the 21st, 
instead of ‘0° 16’ (from which the time 
of setting is calculated) is become 0° 22’ 
nearly, causing the sun to continue ate 
a 
