ABSTRACT OF THE ACT For Ascertaining and Establishing Uniformity of WEIGHTS and MEASURES. [Cap. 74. G. R. IV.-Passed 17th June, 1824.] For the security of Commerce, and for the good of the community, &c. &c. be it therefore enacted, That from and after the first day of May, one thousand eight hundred and twenty-five, the Straight line or distance between the centres of the two points in the gold studs in the straight brass rod, now in the custody of the Clerk of the House of Commons, whereon the words and figures "Standard Yard, 1760,” are engraved, shall be, and the same is hereby declared to be, the original and genuine standard of that measure of length or lineal extension called a Yard; and that the same straight line or distance between the centres of the said two points in the said gold studs in the said brass rod, the brass being at the temperature of sixty-two degrees by Fahrenheit's thermometer, shall be, and is hereby denominated, the "Imperial Standard Yard," and shall be, and is hereby declared to be, the unit or only standard measure of extension, wherefrom or whereby all other measures of extension whatsoever, whether the same be lineal, superficial, or solid, shall be derived, computed, and ascertained; and that all measures of length shall be taken in parts or multiples, or certain proportions of the said standard yard; and that onethird part of the said standard yard shall be a foot, and the twelfth part of such foot shall be an inch; and that the pole or perch in length shall contain five such yards and a half, the furlong two hundred and twenty such yards, and the mile one thousand seven hundred and sixty such yards. II. That all superficial measure shall be computed and ascertained by the said standard yard, or by certain parts, multiples, or proportions thereof; and that the rood of land shall contain one thousand two hundred and ten square yards, according to the said standard yard; and that the acre of land shall contain four thousand eight hundred and forty such square yards, being one hundred and sixty square perches, poles, or roods. III. And whereas it is expedient that the said standard yard, if lost, destroyed, defaced, or otherwise injured, should be restored of the same length, by reference to some invariable natural standard: And whereas it has been ascertained by the Commissioners appointed by His Majesty to inquire into the subject of Weights and Measures, that the said yard hereby declared to be the imperial standard yard, when compared with a pendulum vibrating seconds of mean time in the latitude of London, in a vacuum at the level of the sea, is in the proportion of thirty-six inches to thirty-nine inches, and one thousand three hundred and ninety-three ten-thousandth parts of an inch; be it therefore enacted and declared, That if at any time hereafter the said imperial standard yard shall be lost, or shall be in any manner destroyed, defaced, or otherwise injured, it shall and may be restored by making, under the direction of the Lord High Treasurer, or the Commissioners of His Majesty's Treasury of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, or any three of them, for the time being, a new standard yard, bearing the same proportion to such pendulum as aforesaid, as the said imperial standard yard bears to such pendulum. IV. And be it farther enacted, That from and after the first day of May, one thousand eight hundred and twenty-five, the standard brass weight of one pound troy weight, made in the year one thousand seven hundred and fifty-eight, now in the custody of the Clerk of the House of Commons, shall be, and the same is hereby declared to be, the original and genuine standard measure of weight, and that such brass weight shall be, and is hereby denominated, the Imperial Standard Troy Pound, and shall be, and the same is hereby declared to be, the Unit or only Standard Measure of Weight, from which all other weights shall be derived, computed, and ascertained; and that one-twelfth part of the said troy pound shall be an ounce; and that one-twentieth part of such ounce shall be a pennyweight; and that one-twenty-fourth part of such pennyweight shall be a grain; so that five thousand seven hundred and sixty such grains shall be a Troy pound, and that seven thousand such grains shall be, and they are hereby declared to be, a pound Avoirdupois, and that one-sixteenth part of the said pound Avoirdupois shall be an ounce Avoirdupois, and that one-sixteenth part of such ounce shall be a dram. V. And whereas it is expedient, that the said Standard Troy Pound, if lost, destroyed, defaced, or otherwise injured, should be restored of the same weight, by reference to some invariable natural standard: And worked in the same manner as when using the cutter. When a square thread screw is to be made, the sharp dies must be removed after the indentation is sufficiently deep to admit the square dies, which are to be substituted for the former; when these have cut the screw to a considerable depth, a smaller set of square dies is taken in succession, until the screw is finished. N. B. Figs. 7 and 8 represent a small stock, made of steel, and hardened, for holding the cutter while sharpening. Figs. 9 and 10, represent an edge and side view of the cutter. Figs. 5 and 6, represent the dies. Angus Mackinnon. Glasgow, 24th July, 1824. SKETCH OF THE LIFE OF ARKWRIGHT. THE general fate of inventors has been singularly unfortunate. Of those men who have added to the wealth and prosperity of their country by new improvements in the arts, many have struggled through life with poverty and neglect, and but a small number have been so successful as to enjoy in their own persons the fruits of their exertions. Even when their station in society is respectable, the difficulties of introducing any Kew improvement are always considerable, and too often lead to embarrassment and ruin. If they finally succeed, envy denies them the merit of their inventions-avarice seeks to deprive them of their well-merited recompence-and the tricks of trade or the chicanery of law strive which shall be most successful in rendering their labours of no avail. Inventors sow the seed, but they rarely reap the harvest. To this melancholy result of ingenuity and perseverance, Arkwright was a splendid exception. Not that he too had his full share of the dangerous concomitants of merit: his original station was humble, his talents were long exerted without the aid of others, his efforts often frustrated by ignorance and malice; and even when he rose superior to difficulty, his rights were sometimes put aside by the technicalities of law, and remained almost always unacknowledged; calumny was busy with his name, and envy pointed at him as the fraudulent colleetor of the inventions of others. But he lived to see the mist disappear that had been raised by envy and malevolencehe rose to an opulence almost princelyand at last heard himself universally acknowledged as a benefactor to his coun.. try. Richard Arkwright was born at Preston, in Lancashire, in the year 1732. He was the youngest of thirteen children. He was brought up to the occupation of a barber, and supported himself by this employment till he was more than thirty years of age. We are not informed of the peculiar circumstances that first directed his attention to the cotton manufacture; but it seems probable that his residence in a manufacturing district gave him some knowledge of the common mechanical processes, and that he took an interest in the complaints made by his neighbours of the deficient supply of cotton yarn. Almost the only part of England where the cotton manufacture was introduced, was Lancashire, and there all the processes of art were extremely defective. Down to the year 1765, calicoes, then and now one of the staple fabrics of that wealthy district, were obliged to be made of linen warp, as cotton could not be spun long enough for the purpose. But the ingenuity of the people was now at work; changes were daily introduced, and in this, as well as other manufactures, England began that prodigious career of improvement by which she has ever since distanced the rest of Europe. A weaver in Lancashire, named James Hargreave, introduced considerable improvements into the cotton manufacture by the invention of a new mode of carding, and afterwards by the spinning-jenny. The spinners took alarm, lest their numbers should be diminished by the invention as usual, they combined to put down innovation; they destroyed his establishment; and forced him to remove to Nottingham. Other combinations were formed against him there; and it 8 shall relate to the standard, unless the contrary is specified. XVI. Existing weights and measures may be used, (till worn out,) being marked so as to show the proportion they have to the standard measures and weights. XVII. For ascertaining contracts or rents payable in grain or malt, &c. in England and Ireland, an inquisition shall be taken before the Justices assembled at a general or quarter sessions. 1 XVIII. For ascertaining rents, stipends, feu duties, rents, tolls, customs, casualties, &c. payable in grain or malt, &c. in Scotland, the Sheriff shall summon and impannel a Jury of the same number, and with the same qualifications, which are required in the Jury who strike the fiar prices of grain. XIX. Tables of equalization to be made, showing the proportions between the Weights and Measures heretofore in use, and the Weights and Measures hereby established. XX. Tables to be constructed for the collection of the customs and excise, &c. XXI. Regulations and penalties of British Acts, viz.-29 Geo. 2d, c. 25; 31 Geo. 2d, c. 17; 35 Geo. 3d, c. 102; 55 Geo. 3d, c. 43; shall be applied to this Act. : XXII. Regulations and penalties of the following Acts, viz.-4 Ann. (I.); 11 Geo. 2d, (I.); 25 Geo. 2d, (I.); 27 Geo. 3d, (I.); 28 Geo. 3d, (I.); shall be applied to this Act. XXIII. So much of former Statutes, Ordinances, or Acts, as relate to establishing weights or measures, repealed, viz. Statutes of uncertain date; 14 Ed. 3d, c. 12; 14 Ed. 3d, c. 21; 18 Ed. 3d, st. 2, c. 4; 25 Ed. 3d, st. 5, c. 9, 10; 27 Ed. Bd, st. 2, c. 10; 31 Ed. 3d, st. 1, cc. 2, 5; 84 Ed. 3d, c. 5; 4 Rich. 2d, c. 1; 18 Rich. 2d, st. 1, c. 9; 15 Rich. 2d, c XXIV. Act not to extend to repeal 31 Geo. 2d, c. 17, which empowers the Dean and High Steward of Westminster, &c. to appoint a proper officer to size and seal weights and measures. XXV. Tuns, pipes, or other vessels of wine, oil, honey, and other gaugeable liquors imported into London, shall be liable to be guaged as heretofore by the Lord Mayor or his Deputies; but the contents shall be ascertained by the standard measure directed by this Act. XXVI. Act not to affect the privileges of the City of London as to the office of guager of wines, &c. [Some observations on this important Act will be given in our next.] ABSTRACT OF THE THIRD REPORT • OF THE Directors of the EDINBURGH SCHOOL OF ARTS, for the Instruction We feel great pleasure in present- of the Mathematical Sciences, particularly deserve commendation, as it is only from an accurate knowledge of first principles, that any great or lasting improvements can be expected to be made in the Arts. Too little attention to this branch of knowledge, has perhaps rendered the valuable lectures that are annually delivered in the Glasgow Institutions, less interesting and useful than they might otherwise have been. We trust, however, that, with the excellent example of their Edinburgh brethren before their eyes, they will not be slow in making similar advances in the most useful of the sciences. IN presenting to the Subscribers, the Report of the proceedings of the School of Arts, during the third year of its progress, we have great satisfaction in being able to announce its continued success, both as regards the value attached to it by the operative Mechanics of Edinburgh, and the increased conviction on the part of the public, that its design is calculated to add to the prosperity, the respectability, and consequently to the happiness, of a great and important portion of the community. Since the last Annual General Meeting, several Institutions of a similar nature have been formed in different towns, both in England and in Scotland; and we flatter ourselves with the belief, that the good which our School of Arts has done, has not been confined to Edinburgh alone, but that its example has had some degree of influence in directing the pub lic attention to a most valuable accession to those public seminaries, which, by reducing the expense of education, are calculated to bring forth genius from every rank of the people; and which add so much to the glory and power of this favoured land. These different establishments have adopted various plans; and as we are anxious to improve, as much as possible, the institution committed to our charge, we have been led to consider these different plans, as far as they have come to our knowledge. The result of that examination has been, that with the most earnest wish to avoid any undue bias in our own favour, we do not think it necessary to recommend to the General Meeting any alteration in the constitution of our establishment. The School of Arts was founded for the purpose of giving instruction to operative Mechanics, in such branches of physical science as are of practical application in their several trades; to give them an opportunity of obtaining that systematic education 'in the principles of their business, without which, in the higher professions, no man can rise to éminence, or obtain a higher reputation than the notoriety of an empiric. If such is the object in view, the first step to be taken is, to ascertain what is the amount of time which the persons to be instructed can devote to this improvement of their education. This can only be done by examining, in detail, the occupation of a workman's day; for this self-education will not begin until he is arrived at an age when he is already engaged in his business. He must be in his work-shop from six in the morning to seven o'clock in the evening, on an average, with the exception of the time for his meals. As he must go home to take some refreshment after work, and, judging from our experience, will generally be inclined to put off his working dress, he cannot conveniently reach the lecture-room sooner than half-past eight o'clock; and the time of assembling must be suited to those who come from a distance. No Lecture can be less than an hour long, so that it will be nearly ten o'clock before he can reach home; and he will then be fully prepared for rest. Thus it is evident, that supposing a workman to devote the whole of his leisure time to this object, an hour and a half in the day is the utmost he has at his disposal. Having ascertained the time the workman can give, the next point is to inquire how it can be most profitably employed. There are no branches of science which can be of such general application in the Mechanical Arts, as the principles of Mechanical Philosophy and Chemistry; and we are fully persuaded, from the experience of the three last years, that to convey any solid instruction in these branches, such as the workman may turn to practical account, requires all the time he has to bestow. It would be very easy to introduce many parts of science which would attract by striking phenomena, and, by contributing to their amusement, would draw together a very crowded audience; but this could not be done without sacrificing objects of far higher value. We have found that, to teach the elements of Chemistry, and show their application in different Arts, requires, at the least, thirty Lectures; and as not more than one day in the week can be allotted to that subject, these constitute a course of Lectures of seven months duration. The same number of Lectures have been found scarcely sufficient for a very limited course of instruction in the principles of Mechanical Philosophy, as connected with the Arts, and more than one day of the week could not be devoted to this branch. For, to derive any benefit from such Lectures, or to be able to understand the practical books on the various subjects of Mechanics, a knowledge of the higher branches of Arithmetic, and of the elements of Algebra and Geometry, is indispensable. The Mathematical Lectures have consequently occupied a great portion of our time; two days a-week for the students of the first year, and one day for those who were in some degree advanced, by the instruction of the preceding year. Moreover, as Lectures can be attended with comparatively little advantage, unless the subject is studied in books, the student must set aside a portion of his time for reading at home. It is therefore quite evident that, to teach the elements of Chemistry and Mechanical Philosophy, every hour of the week which we have at our disposal is occupied. It may be said, that those who have already acquired a knowledge of the principles of Chemistry and Mechanical Philosophy, may enter upon other subjects of science: they certainly may; but if they do so, another institution must be created; for, were there no other obstacles, want of time alone renders the two objects manifestly incompatible. If solid instruction is the object of institutions of this nature, the attention of the student must not be distracted by too great variety-in the one case they must produce incalculable benefit; in the other, the good they do will not be unmixed with evil; for a smattering of science too generally engenders conceit, and confirms ignorance. We are of opinion that the same rule applies in the selection of the books for the Libraries of these institutions; and we have adhered strictly to the exclusion of all works that do not relate to science and art, having declined several donations of books, because they were not connected with the purpose for which the School of Arts was founded. Within the last few days, a circumstance has come to our knowledge, which it is very gratifying to us to be enabled to state to the Subscribers. We were informed that one of our pupils had obtained a very advantageous situation in the establishment of Messrs. Girdwood and Company of Glasgow, one of the most extensive manufactories of SteamEngines and other Machinery in the kingdom, and that he was mainly indebted for that appointment to his acquirements in the School of Arts. As so important an evidence of the practical utility of the institution might be of great use in stimulating the Mechanics of Edinburgh to avail themselves of the improved education now within their reach, we applied to Mr. Girdwood to know whether our information was correct, and that gentleman returned for answer, that " John Cameron, in applying to Claud Girdwood and Company for the situation of Junior Clerk, which they had to fill up, was selected from amongst 30 to 40 applicants, as being better recommended generally, and in particular, for his scientific attainments." This young man, a joiner by trade, was one of the most regular and diligent students during the last two years, and was one of the most distinguished in the Mathematical Class. The course of Lectures on Chemistry delivered last session by Dr. FYFE, was very similar to that of the two preceding years, a syllabus of which is annexed to the First Report of the Directors. The chief new matter which he introduced was on the subject of Gas Light, when he entered into considerable detail on the properties of Coal and Oil Gas. If time will permit, the Directors propose to introduce next year, in addition to the regular course on the Elements of Chemistry, some extra Lectures on the Chemical Arts, so as to enable the Lecturer to enter with more minuteness into the pro. cesses, than is practicable in the general course. The arts that will probably be treated of in this manner during the next session will be Dyeing, Tanning, Bleaching, Brewing and Distillation, the Construction of Fire-Places and Furnaces, with the management and economy of Fuel. (To be continued.) MISCELLANIES. Description of Vettie's Giel. (Concluded from page 461.) ABOVE Vettie farm, the goodman told me, it was more narrow, more difficult, and more frightful, than the part of it which I had seen. He and his people had often to go up that way for small timber, and other things necessary on the farm. |