cause the fnow prevents them from being warmed at the expence of the earth; and this is a ftriking proof of the ufe of the fnow in preferving the heat of the earth during the winter, in cold latitudes. It is remarkable that thefe winds feldom blow from the poles directly towards the equator, but from the land towards the fea. Upon the eastern coast of North America the cold winds come from the north-west; but upon the western coaft of Europe, they blow from the north-eaft. That they fhould blow towards thofe parts where they can moft eafily acquire the heat they are in fearch of, is not extraordinary; and that they fhould gradually ceafe and die away, upon being warmed by a contact with the waters of the ocean, is likewife agreeable to the nature and caufes of their motion: and if I might be allowed a conjecture refpecting the principal ufe of the feas, or the reafon why the proportion of water on the furface of our globe is to great, compared to that of the land, it is to maintain a more equal temperature in the different climates, by heating or cooling the winds which at certain periods blow from the great conti nents. That cold winds actually grow much milder upon paffing over the fea, and that hot winds are refreshed by a contact with its waters, is very certain; and it is equally certain that the winds from the ocean are, in all climates, much more temperate than those which blow from the land. In the islands of Great Britain and Ireland, there is not the leaft doubt but the great mildness of the climate is entirely owing to their feparation from the neighbouring continent by fo large a track of fea; and in all fimilar fituations, in every part of the globe, fimilar caufes are found to produce fimilar effects. prevail upon the coaft of North The cold north-weft winds, which America during the winter, feldom extend above 100 leagues from the hore; and they are always found to be lefs violent, and lefs piercing, as they are further from the land. continents of Europe and North Thefe periodical winds from the end of the month of February and America, prevail moft towards the in the month of March; and I conceive that they contribute very effentially towards bringing on an early fpring and a fruitful fummer, particularly when they are very violent in the month of March, and if at that time the ground is well covered with fnow. The whole atmofphere of the polar regions be ing, as it were, tranfported into the ed and faturated with water: and, ocean by thefe winds, is there warma great accumulation of air upon quence of the long continuance of the fea being the neceflary confe thefe cold winds from the fhore, upon their ceafing, the warm breezes from the fea neceffarily commence, land far and wide, affift the returnand, fpreading themselves upon the ing fun in difmantling the earth of the remains of her winter-garment, and in bringing forward into life all the manifold beauties of the newborn year. from the fea, having acquired its This warmed air which comes in is, of course, faturated with water; heat from a contact with the ocean, and hence the warm fhowers of April and May, fo neceffary to a fruitful feafon. The The ocean may be confidered as the cold winds, and, having thus communicated their heat to thefe inhofpitable regions, return towards the equator, carrying with them refreshment for those parching climates. the great refervoir and equalizer of heat; and its benign influences in preferving a proper temperature in the atmosphere, operate in all feafons and in all climates. The parching winds from the land under the torrid zone, are cooled by a contact with its waters; and, in return, the breezes from the fea, which, at certain hours of the day, come in to the fhores in almoft all hot countries, bring with them refreshment, and, as it were, new life and vigour both to the animal and vegetable creation, fainting and melting under the exceffive heats of a burning fun. What a vaft track of country, now the most fertile upon the face of the globe, would be abfolutely barren and uninhabitable on account of the exceffive heat, were it not for thefe refreshing fea-breezes! And is it not more than probable, that the extremes of heat and of cold, in the different feafons, in the temperate and frigid zones, would be quite intolerable, were it not for the infiuence of the ocean in preferving an equability of temperature? And to thefe purposes the ocean is wonderfully well adapted, not only on account of the great power of water to abforb heat, and the vaft depth and extent of the different feas (which are fuch, that one fummer or one winter could hardly be fuppofed to have any fenfible effect in heating or cooling this enormous mafs); but alfo on account of the continual circulation which is carried on in the ocean itself, by means of the currents which prevail in it. The waters under the torrid zone being carried by these currents towards the polar regions, are there cooled by a contact with The wifdom and goodness of Providence have often been called in queftion with regard to the diftribution of land and water upon the furface of our globe, the vast extent of the ocean having been confidered as a proof of the little regard that has been paid to man in this diftribution. But, the more light we acquire relative to the real conftitution of things, and the various utes of the different parts of the visible creation, the lefs we fhall be difpofed to indulge ourfelves in fuch frivolous criticisms. Specification of the Patent granted to Mr. Charles Wilham Ward, of Hatton-Garden, Middlefex, for his Method of changing the Smoke, or Vapour, arifing from the Combustion of many Kinds of Subftances, into various ufeful Materials. Dated March 15, 1792. T O all to whom these prefents fhall come, &c. Now, know ye, that I the faid Charles William Ward, in compliance with the provifo in the faid letters patent contained, do hereby defcribe and afcertain the nature of my faid invention of a method of changing the fmoke, or vapour, arifing from the combuftion of many kinds of fubftances into various ufeful materials, according to the fubftances burnt, as follows:-Ail fmoke, or vapour, from the combuftion of different bodies, is capable of being decompofed or condenfed; but as the vapours, according to the fub. ftance ftance they proceed from, require to pass through cold water, the fteam of boiling water, or to be confined fome time in cold veffels before they can be condenfed, the change cannot be effected by any method hitherto known, becaufe none of them is capable of making the vapour pafs through water, or of confining it long enough for it to condenfe, without choaking up the draught of air neceffary for the burning of the fires. My invention fupplies this defect, by making a conftant draught from the fires, and caufing the vapour to pafs through, or be retained in, proper veflels, a fufficient time for it to condenfe. This is effected by connecting the aperture of the chimney or chimneys, with the condensing veflèels, or chambers, by means of tubes or pipes; then is to be placed, either between this connection, or behind the condenfing veffels, any machine or machines, whofe principle depends upon the known property of all fluids rufhing in to fill up the vacum caufed by their action; that is to fay, air-pumps, water-pumps, ventilators, bellows, air-machines, &c. Thefe, however different their conftructions, have all one common principle, and therefore the application of them, or others depending upon the fame principle, to effect the purpofe above mentioned, will be an infringement upon my frid patent. The fize, number, and conftruction of the condenfing veffels, muft depend upon the vapour to be decompofed, as fome vapours are more difficult to condenfe than others, and therefore require a longer procefs. The apparatus being thus fixed, the fubflances to yield the fmoke, or vapour, are to be fet on fire under the chimney or chimneys; and the machine, or machines, fet in motion by either fteam, engine, water, or boriewheel, &c. The vapour will be drawn from the fires by the action of the machine, and made to pafs through the condensing veffels, to be decompofed. There must be apertures at the end of the condenfing-veffels, if the pumping-machine is placed between them and the chimney, to open and fhut, for the purpofe of giving vent to the incondenfable airs, which will combine with the vapour in burning, and pafs with them through the apparatus. If the machine is placed behind the veffels, there will be no occafion for thofe apertures. witnefs whereof, &c. Specification of the Patent granted to Mr. Hector Campbell, of th· Parish of St. Mary Magdalen, Beymondfty, in the County of Surrey, Chemifi, je his Method of defresing the evang Flements and Particles in colored Rags, and other Materials vid is making Paper. Dated Nov. 28, 1792. O all to whom thefe prefents To all fhall come, &c. Now, know ye, that, in compliance with the faid provio, I the faid Hector Campbell do hereby deciare, that my faid invention of an improved method of deftroying and taking away all the carbonic, oleaginous, and colouring elements and particles in linen, cotton, hemp, and in all coloured rags and other materials ufcd in making paper, in a manner hitherto unattempted in this kingdom, and at a much lefs expence than any method now in ufc, is defcribed in manner follow Ing:-1 the faid Hector Campbell having practiied, and ftill practifing, under circumftances, the method invented by the French (which I believe I firft adopted for abfolute bufinefs in England) of faturating a tub of water, or any other fit receiver, with oxygenated muriatic acid, and applying this liquor to a variety of bleachable articles; in the year one thoufand feven hundred and ninety-one, I took it up as a manufactory, and applied it to whitening coloured brown Hamburgh and other cheap rags, both whole and in a reduced ftate, for the purposes of felling rags, pulp, and other materials for making paper. But notwithstanding the previous ufe of an alkaline ley, and, when the liquor was put to the article, the revolution of the veffels, and the variety of plans to excite internal motion, such as sticks to catch and divide, internal revolving and up-and-down powers, and levers to agitate and divide, all of which I practifed, I ftill found the operation in preparing the fd materials for making paper, in point of time, labour, inequality of beauty, and bleaching only to a certain degree, extremely imperfect. Therefore, from numerous confiderations and experiments, and at a great expence of time, labour, and money, I dfcovered the following improved method:- Take of rag, coloured or not, or pulp, or any cotton, flaxen, hempen, or other material fit to make paper, and let the first confideration be for what you want it, that is, how valuable you intend to make the article; wafh the faid material for making paper. When the material for making paper is wanted for VOL. XXXIV. making an inferior fort of paper, it does not require to be paled thro' an alkaline ley previous to bleaching, but may be bleached in the manner hereinafter defbed.— Should the material be wanted for making better paper, it may be paffed through an alkaline ley, cleanfed from it, and then bleached in manner hereinafter defcribed; but this procefs of previoufly paffing the material for making paper through an alkaline ley, will not bleach, in one bleaching, beyond a certain degree, extremely inadequate to conftitute fuperior excellence. Therefore, to bleach the material in the best manner, take of either of the faid materials for making paper, and either pass it through an alkaline ley previously or not; then bleach it in the manner hereinafter defcribed; then boil it in an alkaline ley (a folu tion of cauftic pot-afh will anfwer the purpofe): the time of boiling and the ftrength of the ley nuit be adjutted by the nature and quality or the material, and the purpofe it is wanted for; then wafh the alkali from the material, and prefent it again to be bleached. This procels will be fufficient; but, to bring the material to a great perfection, it may be repeated alternately; but, after the material has been alkalized, paffing it through, or having any thing to do with what are termed the fours, or vitriolic acid and water, or any other acid and water, is unneceflary. Fine materials are confiderably improved by bleaching, and then boiling in alkali, and then bleaching again; but more efpecially coarfe, white, or brown materials, fuch as have never been coloured, will never Dd fa fo well have their carbonic, oleaginous and ligneous elements and particles (with which they abound) done away, or be brought to any fiate of perfection, without the above procefs of bleaching and boiling. The vefel or receiver for bleaching the material in, may be of any fhape or dimenfion, and made of any fubftance capable of compreffion and condenfation. I do it in receivers made of wood, in glazed earthen veffels, and other vetels, of any fhape or dimenfion; and indeed it may well be done in any receiver, the fubftance of which is devoid of oil and metal, and not fubject to be materially affected by the oxygen or acid. The quantity of the materials to be bleached should contain about its own weight of water, the fuperabundant quantity of water being preffed out. The material muft then be opened by a machine, called by the cottonmanufacturers a Devil, or fome machine of that nature. Then diftribute the material in the receiver thinly, or one or more frames or layers, placing them fo as not to come in contact with each other; or the material may be placed in the body of the receiver, and turned round in it, fo as that the bleaching power may have a free communication with all parts of the material. Then clofe the receiver; make one or more holes, or apertures, in the fide, or other part of the receiver, of a fufficient fize to admit the end or mouth of a retort; then get one or more retorts, or other proper veffel; put therein a fubftance containing oxygen or vital air, which may be found in many fubftances befides manganefe; but as manganefe par ticularly abounds with oxygen, and therefore a quantity of it is ready made by nature, take of manganefe (fuch as contains the most oxygen) a third part of any given quantity, and mix it with a proportion of two-third parts of marine, or feafalt; but this proportion must be governed by the aerated state of the manganefe; mix them well together, previous to their being put into the retort, and, with the manganefe and fea-falt fo mixed, put in fulphuric or vitriolic acid, of a quantity equal to, or rather more than the fea-falt. Then join the neck or mouth of the retort with the receiver, and lute it; or, if the retort is tubulated, you may join it to the receiver and lute it, before it is charged as aforefaid. The number of retorts to be applied cannot be ascertained, as they will depend on the size of the receiver, and the quantity of material put in to be bleached. The retorts fhould reft on fand kept continually heated for working, or heat otherwise fufficiently communicated would do. The bleaching will now commence, which should be continued until the material is fufficiently whitened for the purpose wanted, which may be known by looking at it. Then take it out, and add more material to be bleached in the fame manner, and fo on, again charging the retort, in manner aforefaid, ftrong enough to proceed; taking care that the material to be bleached should never wait for the bleaching power, or the bleaching power be played upon a material which is not bleachable. And the material thus bleached being immerged and washed in water, to take away the acid contained in it, becomes fit to be |