516. Progrefs of the Works of the 
Having been troubled with a hernia 
from early infancy, I faw with pleafure 
an advertifement from a Society lately ef- 
tablifhed in the metropolis for the Relief of 
the Ruptured Poor, in providing them with 
truffles and medical advice. Their defign 
merits every encouragement ; for I «em of 
opinion ihe complaint, from caufes I do 
not profefs to know, is daily gaining 
ground, and, from my late refidence in 
Liverpool, I think it prevails more in Eng 
land than Scotland. 
_A proper trufs is all that 1s wanted in 
ordinary cafes, and long experience war- 
rants me in faying, that a great deal of 
ufele's expence is incurred by the makers 
of thefe articles. They hammer them 
from fine fteel, and temper them as nicely 
as if they were intended for {word blades: 
whereas nothing more is neceflary than to 
take a piece of common puncheon hoop, 
and give it a little cold-hammering ; rivet 
a piece of plate-iron to the end of it to 
form the cufhion ; bend it to the fhape of 
the patient’s body; ftuff it with coarfe 
wool or tow, and cover it with fheep’s 
Jeather. In this way have I fitted many a 
poor perfon with atrufs, the whole ex- 
pence of which perhaps did not arsount to 
two fhillings ; while one made by a pro- 
fefled artift: would have been charged a 
guinea, or thereabouts. 
The hoop iron is fufficiently elafic for 
the purpofe, and is fo far preferable to 
tempered fiecl that the patient may at any 
time, as experience direéts, alter the fhape 
of it alittle with his thumbs, fo as to 
make it ft eafier upon him, without dan- 
ger of breaking. 
If the hoop is taken of a fufficient thick- 
nefs, and the projeétion for the cufhion 
made large, there will be no occafion for a 
back-ftrap, which is often galling, and al- 
ways inconvenient to the wearer. 
Should the Society think proper to make 
ule of thefe hints, their powers of doing 
good may be vaftly enlarged, If the di- 
rections are not fuficiently clear for any 
workman to follow, I fhall, if they defire 
it, make them a prefent of a trufs asa 
pattern. 
In thort, Sir, .my object would be ob- 
tained if they or a few refpeétable gentle- 
men would come forward, and tear off the 
veil of myfery which tru's-making has 
affurned, by introducing it into the fhop of 
every viliage blackfmith in the kingdom. 
It is, in ordinary cafes, fully as fimpleas 
fhoeing horfes. My feeble afliftance fhall 
not be wanting. The rich may ftill con- 
tinue to have elegant truffles, made by the 
firt artifts in London, with German fieel 
Canal in the Ife of Dogss [July 4, 
fprings, covered with Morocco leathery, 
having ratch-wheels and new-invented 
cufhioxs, with a great variety of other 
improvements, the greater part of which 
are perieGtly harmkis. 
Iam, Sir, refpectfully, 
' Pat. WHYTOCK. 
Albion Canvas Manufaétory, 
Dundee, Fune 7, 1806. 
— 
For the Menthly Magazine. 
OFFICIAL STATEMENT of the PROGRESS 
of the WORKS of the CANAL wn the 
ISLE of DOGS. 
eae works of the canal were fo far 
completed by the oth December 
1805, as to enable the public opening to 
take placeon that day ; and fram that pe- 
riod the fame has been greatly ufed, by 
fhipping of every defcription entering into 
and going out of the port of London. 
From the want of fufficient publicity 
of the canal’s being open, and ready for 
ufe; and until, through the medium of 
the. Trinity Houfe, the fame had beea cir- 
culated at ‘he out ports, the ufe made of 
the canal, for near a month from the open. 
ing, was comparatively fmall; but there 
have neveithelefs paffed through the fame, 
from the opening to the 31ft day of March 
1206, inclulive, g2r veffels, of various de 
feriptions, carrying fail, from twenty tons 
and upwards; of which a great proportion 
were ihips of large burthen, befides a great 
number of lighters, barges, and boats, of 
various deferiptions; and if the trantit 
rates, authorized to be taken at the expir- 
ation of three years from the opeaing, had 
been réceived from them, it would have 
amounted to 619}. 14s. 2d., and this for 
a period of little more than three months, 
and at a feafon particularly unfavourable. 
The works now going on are, the deep- 
ening the entrances next the river to the 
level of the lock fills, being fix feet below 
low water mark; which is become abfo- 
lutely neceffary, from the increafing ule 
made of the canal, and the expedience of 
palling as many fhips through as peflible 
on the flood tide, and even after high 
water when the entrances are deepened as 
propofed. 
The banks of the canal have been alfo 
provided with {trong oak mooring pofts, 
properly fecured by land tyes; and the 
locks have alfo been furnifhed with them, 
and with proper capitans, at the external 
and internal wing walls. 
‘The foundation of the north external 
wing wall, at the Blackwall end, has, af- _ 
ter much difficulty, been got iny and the 
. wall 
