intercepted; the Admiral in return for his politeness, sent him some wine, &c. which he had found on board one of the detained vessels belonging to him. The enemy have thrown forward a force of about 2000 men on the heights above the left bank of the Dog river; but they take good care to keep out of the range of our shells. One day last week a party were observed reconnoitering, on whom the Thunderer opened her fire, and soon made them scamper. The extraordinary precision with which the ships have fired shells has elicited admiration and wonder.

The camp begins now to present quite a gay appearance, and the marines are now nearly all under canvass. Commodore Napier has taken up his residence on shore, and his broad pendant forms a conspicuous object. A breastwork encloses the camp, and there are from 12 to 14 pieces of field ordnance in position. The work, considering the heat of the weather, has been very arduous; but, happily, the health of all is very good.

MERCHANT SEAMEN'S ACT.

London, 14th September, 1810. SIR, The beauties of a certain little work, called the "Merchant Seamen's Act," having been so frequently and abundantly developed in your excellent Magazine, it may seem like supererogation to furnish your readers with another "elegant extract," from the same "Book of Beauty." But pray bear with me for a few seconds only, dear Mr. Editor, and I promise not to trespass unreasonably upon your time and patience.

The case I am about to relate happened some few months back, but having only just now returned to England there has been no convenient opportunity to make an earlier report of it. In the month of January last, the ship I was in ran for shelter into one of the ports of the Channel, after encountering dreadful weather between the Coast of Ireland, and the chops of the Channel, for many days and nights of toil and trouble,-bodily and mental,-the atmosphere thick as melted butter, and the rocks of Scilly under our lee adding not a little to our anxiety and danger. The weather was comparatively moderate when we anchored, but it came on to blow furiously again in the night, and the hands were turned up to give the ship chain and to let go a second anchor. Three of our men preferring the comforts of a snug hammock, to the miseries of a wet and stormy night, refused to turn out, declaring point blank that "they were sick and tired of hard work and bad weather; that they had made up their minds to enter on board a man-of-war, and were determined not to do any more work in the ship." They were perfectly sober at the time, and they gave a practical proof that they meant to stick to their determination, for on the following morning they again refused to return to their duty.

Now, if you had commanded the ship, Mr. Editor, may I be permitted to ask, if it be not derogating from the dignity of your high office, and too great a condescension to notice the perplexities of an humble Master Mariner-may I be permitted to ask, what would you have done under similar circumstances? It appeared to me at the time that I had no alternative, that I had only one course to pursue, and that was to claim the protection of the civil power, for I had not the power to compel these inen to work.

Well, Sir, pray do me now the favour to accompany me on shore, with the Articles of Agreement in my hand, together with the ship's

Log-book, wherein were recorded the facts already mentioned. After stating to their Honours, calmly and dispassionately, that these three men had endangered the lives and property committed to my charge, by their unmanly conduct in skulking down below in their hammocks, and refusing to do their duty at a time of great danger, I begged that they might be taken out of the ship and punished as such delinquency deserved. I can scarcely believe the evidence of my own senses now, when I call to mind the decision of the bench,-gravely pronounced, "that they have not the power to take the men out of the ship, and bring them before them; if I could get them on shore in any way, without their intervention, they could then act with safety; but such was the imperfect state of the law as at present existing, with regard to the government of British Seamen in the Merchant Service, that magistrates as well as ship-masters were tied neck and heels."

Some months have passed away since these things happened, but they made such a lasting impression that I am quite sure of the above being substantially correct, if not literally the very words made use of. In vain, did I urge that these men had committed an offence the most atrocious, for I have no hesitation in saying, that if their example had been followed by the rest of the crew, the ship must have been wrecked inevitably,—and a frightful wreck it might have been, for we had near 200 souls on board, men, women, and children, to say nothing of the ship and cargo, both of which were of great value.

Without knowing much about logic, Mr. Editor, a man of plain common sense would say, if it be lawful for three sailors to lie still in bed, and they can do so with impunity, when all hands are required in the middle of a stormy night to reef top-sails at sea, or to give the ship cable and let go another anchor in a roadstead, by the same mode of reasoning, it must be lawful for six men to do the same; and if six, why not all hands? for an argument can be worth very little if it will not bear this sort of analysis, that is if it wont bear following out.

I fear Sir, that notwithstanding the promise I made, not to trespass at an unreasonable length upon your time and patience, I am in a fair way of doing so, for somehow or other I cannot get hold of that happy knack of saying multum in parvo.

I am one of the younger sons of a very numerous family, the family of Prosers; but when you look to my signature, I am sure you will make all due allowances. Now, to return from this circumbendibus digression, let me finish my tale about the sailors. To cut a long story short, I did succeed finally in getting them brought before the magistrates, and the result was their commitment to the house of correction; not for their disgraceful dereliction of duty, although that was clearly proved, and not even denied by themselves,-nothing even offered in explanation; still their honours decided that they possessed not authority to furnish that, but when the question was put to each of them from the bench, "Do you refuse to go to sea in the ship?" and they answered, "We wont go to sea in the ship!" then, and not till then, were they sent to the house of correction.

Can it be possible, Sir, that such is the law of the land! and can it be possible that Sir James Graham could lend his honoured name to such a mischievous abortion! the very ne plus ultra of absurdity! I admire the manly character of the worthy Baronet, too highly to con

nect his name with such a piece of legislation; I have therefore avoided throughout this long rigmarole, calling it Sir James Graham's act.— Verbum sat, Mr. Editor.

I remain, Yours, &c.

PETER PROSER.

THE ARCHIMEDIAN.-It appears that the correctness of the paragraph, which we copied from the Mechanics Magazine, in p. 671, respecting this vessel is stated to be "at variance with the truth." This we must regret; having given through the medium of our pages a tolerably wide circulation of it to the four quarters of the globe. But as we have received an authenticated statement of the trial alluded to in that paragraph from Mr. Smith himself, we take the earliest opportunity of giving it publicity through the same channel.

Experiment 1.-The Gunston made fast to the Archimedes, and towed her ahead whilst the engines and screw of the latter were perfectly still, consequently the propeller was being dragged through the water without revolving. The log was hove several times during each experiment, and in this case the rate was exactly six knots.

Ex. 2. The screw was disconnected from the engine, and allowed to revolve by the action of the water-the engine remaining still, when the rate was found to be seven knots, which afterwards increased to seven and a quarter knots.

Ex. 3.-The two vessels were then lashed side by side, with their heads in contrary directions, when the Gunston towed the Archimedes astern, exactly seven knots:-the screw revolving, but the engines still

at rest.

Ex. 4.-Both vessels made fast stern to stern with a space of about 60 feet between them, when both put on their power, and it was found that the Gunston had slightly the advantage, towing her opponent astern at a rate scarcely perceptible; say a quarter of a mile per hour.

Ex. 5. Both vessels cast off, and tried their comparative speed for about two miles, by which time the Gunston headed the Archimedes about three lengths.

N.B. Experiment 4 being called for rather unexpectedly, and the steam having been dispensed with the whole day up to this time, the trial was made much to the disadvantage of the Archimedes, in consequence of her fires not being sufficiently ignited as to produce the necessary supply of steam, and had the trial continued a quarter of an hour, I have no hesitation in saying the result would have been different. It will be also seen the utmost speed the Gunston obtained with the Archimedes in tow was seven and a quarter knots; and that the engines of the Archimedes were not in action at all except in Experiments 4 and 5.

The dimensions of the cylinders of the Archimedes are 37 inches diameter, with a stroke of three feet, the engines are worked by steam at a pressure of rather less than 6lbs. per inch, and the utmost number of revolutions obtained by them is 26 per minute. During the trial of strength in experiment 4, they made but 18 revolutions per minute.

The Gunston is worked by two engines, the cylinders of which are 27 inches diameter, and a stroke of 42 inches; and I have been in

formed from undoubted authority, that although 10lbs. per inch is her usual working pressure, it is frequently increased to 15lbs. as occasion may require.

The foregoing experiments were particularly noted not only by myself, but no less than five or six scientific gentlemen, who were on board the Archimedes the whole time for that purpose.

October 14th, 1840.

ROYAL NAVAL FEMALE SCHOOL.

F. P SMITH.

THIS Institution* was formally opened at Richmond on Friday the 2nd of October, in presence of the founder, Admiral Sir Thomas Williams, G.C.B., and such of the lady Vice-Patronesses, members of the committee, and friends of the Institution, as were in the vicinity of London.

The Rev. J. B. Morewood, Curate of St. Johns, addressed the teachers and pupils, and most impressively pointed out to them the value of such an education as was proposed to be given.

As many of our readers may not have seen a prospectus, we beg to observe, that the "Royal Naval Female School" has been established for the purpose of bestowing upon the daughters of necessitous Naval and Marine Officers, "a good, virtuous, and religious education, in accordance with the principles of the Church of England."

The Institution owes its origin to the beneficence of the venerable founder who has contributed most munificently to its support, and its success hitherto, is (under God,) to be mainly attributed to the devoted exertions of the Gentlemen composing the managing Committee, who have been enabled in the short space of a few months, to establish the school, and commence active operations.

The present state of the funds have not warranted the Committee to receive more than thirty pupils, on the reduced scale of £12 per annum; this number were elected in August, and we observe amongst them,three orphans, eight fatherless, and many whose parents though living, are altogether unable to give their daughters an education suited to their station in society.

The Governess and Teachers have been selected with the greatest care, and with reference to their personal piety, as well as their capacity, to give instruction.

We beg leave to express a hope, that this Institution will meet with such support from all classes of the community, that the Committee may be soon enabled to extend its benefits to an increased number of the daughters of our brave defenders, and thereby in some degree repay our debt, due from the nation at large to the British Navy, for its heroic services during a long and perilous war.-Herald.

NOTICE TO MARINERS.

Hydrographic-Office, Admiralty, Aug. 12th, 1840. BALTIC SEA.-NEW LIGHT OF LEGSKAR.-The Inspector of the Gulf of Finland has given notice that the Beacon tower on the Island of Legskar, off the Island of Aland, in lat. 59° 50' 30" N., and long. 19° 55' 19" E. of Greenwich, and about 16 miles to the eastward of the new Swedish Light of Soederam is converted into a Lighthouse where a Fixed Light with parabolic lenses will soon be shewn. A further notice will give the details of its height and the different bearings on which it will be visible.

* Sec page 798 of our volume for 1839.

[Communicated by the French Government.]

Hydrographic-Office, Admiralty, Sept. 17th, 1840. NOTICE is hereby given, that the six following new lights will be shewn from the 1st of November next:

LIGHT ON ILE DE ST. MARCOUF, a fixed light on the Fort of Ile St. Marcouf, in lat. 49° 29′ 55′′ N., long. 1 8 35" W. This light is 56 English feet above the level of the sea, and may be seen in fine weather at the distance of 3 leagues.

PORT NAVALLO LIGHTHOUSE, a fixed light on the point of Port Navalo, east side of the entrance of Morbihan. This light is 72 English feet above the level of the sea, and may be seen in fine weather at the distance of 3 leagues.

ARCACHON BASIN LIGHTHOUSE, a fixed light on Cape Ferret, 3281 yards from the entrance of Arcachon Basin, in lat. 44° 38′ 43′′ N., long. 1° 14' 53" W. This light s 167 English feet above the level of the sea, and may be seen in fine weather at the distance of 6 leagues.

LA CAMARGUE LIGHTHOUSE, a fixed light on the tower recently built 60 yards N. 37° W. of the old Lighthouse. This light is 118 English feet above the level of the sea, and may be seen in fine weather 6 leagues. The small light established in 1830 on the east bank of the river (in lat. 43 20′ 30′′ N., and long. 4° 40′ 52 E., will be discontinued when the above light is shewn.

PORT DU CASSIS LIGHT, a fixed light on the west side of the entrance of the port, 137 yards N. 29° W. from the Mole Head to the east of the same entrance, and in lat. 43 12' 30" N., and long. 5° 32′ 2′′ E. This light will be 92 feet above the level of the sea, and will be seen at the distance of 3 leagues.

PORT DE LA CIOTAT LIGHT, a fixed light on the little tower erected on the New Mole Head on the east side of the entrance of the port 120 yards to the S.E. of tort Berouard Lighthouse, which is in lat. 43° 10′ 36′′ N, and long. 5° 36′ 50′′ E. The Mole Light, although less elevated than that on the fort, will be seen nearly the same distance, in fine weather, that is 3 leagues.

This second light of Ciotat will prevent the probability of any confusion which might be apprehended from the establishment of the fixed light at Port du Cassis.

RAPSON AND ROBERTSON'S PATENT SLIDE TILLER.

We noticed briefly in our last number this useful and ingenious appendage to the tiller, by which, considerably more command over the rudder is gained, than with the usual means; and a closer inspection of it has confirmed the opinion we then gave. The principle of it is not only simple, but most effectual, and one that can be easily applied to any tiller now in use.

The following are the principal advantages derived from it. 1. the impossibility of any slackness in the chain or tiller ropes, whereby all danger of riding or fouling is prevented.-2. An increase of power as the helm is put over either way, the power over the tiller increasing with the angle from amidships. -3. The least movement of the wheel acts on the rudder, consequently the helmsman has always the vessel under command, an advantage of immense importance while scudding in a heavy sea, in an intricate navigation or amongst a fleet of vessels.-4. One man has more power with this improved mode of steering, than two men with the common means, while he is effectually secured from being thrown over the wheel. The annexed sketch is a representation of it. The following vessels have been already fitted, with entire satisfaction; viz. The large Steam Ship President, belonging to the British and American Company; Her Majesty's Steam ship, Lizard; Captain Beechey employed in the survey of St. George's Channel; -The Trinity Corporation Steam Buoy Yacht, Argus; the Pacific Company's large Steamers, Chili and Peru; the East Indiaman, Argent, and the large steamer India running to the East Indies via the Cape. Steam Companies, Ship Builders, or Owners, may have Licences to fit their own Vessels on the following terms, viz-For vessels under 200 tons, 5l.; 300, 61.; 400, 87.; 500, 102, 600, 127.; 700, 137.; 1000, 157. and above 1000, 20l., or they may have then done by the proprietor, JouN ROBERTSON, Ropemaker, Limehouse Hole, London.