first shock was felt, the thermometer was at 77° in the house, probably at 74° out of doors. At two A M. of the 5th, thermometer 68° in the open air; barometer at five P.M. on the same day 299 8' wind west with rain; the night very dark. Next morning there was a very strong wind from the westward and some pain. Several meteors or falling stars were observed during the night of the 4th, with a very luminous aurora australis. The ships in the bay, although the water was not apparently agitated, were so strongly affected by the shocks, that several men on board thein were thrown out of their hammocks. I ap. prehend that nearly one-fourth of the houses in Cape Town are more or less damaged. Several pillars, urus, and other ornaments, have been destroyed. As yet I have heard of only one house that was entirely thrown down; but a great many have lost portions of their walls, and are cracked from top to bottom. The house which was demolished, was at some little distance from the town. The inhabitants in general forsook their houses during the whole night of the 4th, and so great was their consternation, that implicit credit was given to a very absurd prognostication, that similar shocks would be felt the next night. Of the Dutch inhabitants, I believe, not one went to bed before day-light. Tents were pitched in the parade, in the market, and in all the open places, and those who could not procure tents had their waggons brought out and sat up in them. We have as yet received no particular accounts from the country; but innume. rable vague reports are in circulation; and the inhabitants of the town, who are extremely susceptible of alarm, give credit to them all. One child of eight years old dropped down in the strect, and instantly expired through terror. Two or three persons have been deprived of speech, and several others are suffering extremely in various ways, from the effect of extreme fear. Some are so much intimidated by this unexpected visitation, as seriously to talk of seiling their houses and property here, and removing to Batavia. This powerful operation of terror on their minds, may probably appear as tonishing to Europeans; but it is to he considered, that the inhabitants of this climate have been hitherto totally ex empted from the tremendous convulsions of nature, which are frequently expe tienced in other quarters of the globe. December 7. We now find that the shocks, violent as they were, have not been felt at the hot baths, about eighty miles to the eastward, nor at sea, as we learn by the Camel, which ship arrived yesterday. It has been generally remarked that a great many watches stoppod, and several lost from two to ten, and even twelve and fifteen, hours. Within the last half-hour, we have had another slight shock. The inhabitants still continue in a considerable degree of alarm, and every unusual noise is dreaded as the forerunner of an earthquake. The following has been the state of the wea ther since the above-mentioned shock occurred: No shock since the slight one of the 7th. Weather clear, except occasionally a flcecy cloud about the Table Mountain, aurora australis very strong at night, and many falling stars. It was remarked that animals, particularly horses, were much frightened at the shocks. Several moles are reported to have left their holes and fled into the soldiers' tents at Wynberg, about seven miles from this place." described and represented in the specification. The cutter may be made of a single piece; though, in the figures attached to the legal instrument, it is represented as being composed of several pieces or plates of steel, held together and fastened by means of screws. These pieces or plates of steel can be pushed out in proportion as they are worn down. The frame forms a slider which moves along two strong rails, extended by means of brackets along each side of a pipe, with which they form a solid body. This pipe, having a flauch at each extremity, is fastened to two standards, which are strongly bolted through their base to a platform. The frame or slider is connected by means of a rod to the machinery, by which it is to be put and kept in motion. The part of the engine which carries the word, is composed, (1) of a cast-iron bed bolted to the platform; the upper edge of cach side of this bed terminates into a projecting angular rail; (2) a cast-iron frame, or carriage, intended to slide on the bed by the assistance of a screw and rack, This sliding motion of the carriage, guided by two clamps, is to propel the wood towards the cutter. When the veneer or thin board has been separated from the piece of wood, by the operation of the cutter, the carriage is removed back, in order to clear the wood from under the cutter. The piece of wood is then to be elevated, proportionally to the thickness of the veneer which is next to be cut, by means of a parallel motion. The patentee gives a description of the structure of the table, and observes, it is obvious that the cutter, whether long or short, requires to be kept perfectly fat and true, with respect to the propel ling motion of the carriage, and the parallel motion of the slider, and also very sharp. To obtain these points a lap is added to the engine, upon which the cutter is to be ground when requisite. The frame of the lap is supported by means of two steady pins let into uprights: it is elevated or lowered at pleasure, by the assistance of screws: the lap is brought under the cutter by sliding back the carriage as much as is necessary. The engine is thus managed :-The pieces of wood to be cut into veneers are placed or fastened on the table by means of cement or glue. The slider being supposed in motion, the workman attending the engine, adjusts at first the table to a proper degree of elevation, and propels the carriage by the assistance of a wheel: guided by the apparent effect of the cutter, he continues to force the carriage until the vencer is entirely separated; he then moves back the carriage with the assistance of the same wheel, and prepares for another cut by elevating the table as much as possible. This is accomplished by turning a spindle with the requisite handles. MR. D. M. RANDOLPH'S (FEATHERSTONE- We The specification explanatory of this invention, is exceedingly minute and long; drawings are given to facilitate the understanding of the objects which the patentee means to accomplish, and which are applicable to the construction of wheel-carriages of every description, from the mail-coach to the waggon have also a description of a “road-scraper and earth-porter," for the purposes of scraping loose matter, and removing the loose earth after having been prepared for the purpose by ploughing or digging, in both cases made to collect and carry off the same. The age of the scraper is connected with a lever behind, which serves to prevent it from being stopped or obstructed in its progress. That end of the lever projected behind the front axle, is furnished with a hook, and is otherwise so contrived, that when the pole is pulled back to its proper level, the scraper is lifted up and contains the earth and other matter to be removed. To make the edge pass more freely over stubborn unevennesses in the road, when scraping up any liquid or semi liquid matter, there are friction rollers on which the instrument moves. The upper and back part of the scraper is firmly attached to the hind axle-tree, upon which as a fulerum the lever rests; this aids the operation of lifting up the load, which is kept lifted up by simply resting a common hand-spike upon the tongue lever across the union angle, and laying the chains passing near the points over each end of it: thus the load will have been simply collected by one person einployed at the lever, and another driving the cattle, and is preserved sufficiently elevated, and ready to be rolled away and discharged. The floor of the scraper is of cast iron, leaving channels and holes in the same for the passage of water or other liquid mitter. The wheels and axles of this machine are to be of certain proportions as described in the specifi, cation. The sides of the scraper are of wood, raised in like manner as any other In a figure given with the specification, we have a front view of a window blind or roller map when fixed in its place.. The brackets are fastened to the lath, and suspend the roller by pivots or conical sockets, which are preferred as producing less friction. The bracket is a spring fastened on the top of the lath, the use of which is to keep the blind to any part of the window where it is drawn to. It is regulated or made to act with more or less force by a wedge which causes it to raise the roller, and to press the pulley more or less against an iron or metal plate, fixed to the under side of the lath. The wedge moves in a slanting bed, sunk in the top of the lath under the spring, and crosswise to it. The wedge is noved backwards and forwards by a screw let through the edge of the lath, which causes the wedge to rise above the surface of the lath, and bear up the spring with it. The blind being drawn downwards, the pressure of the pulley against the lath produced by the spring bracket, prevents the weight of the blind from In like running it down. when the blind is to be rolled up, by pulling the ling, the spring being then drawn down, the pressure of the pulley will be removed, and the blind rolls up freely to any height desired; for by ceasing to pull the line, the spring immediately presses the pulley against the plate, which stops all farther motion. The line winds round a small spindle, between two circular plates, in the usual manner. The bracket may be fixed in the under side of the lath, and contrived to slide outwards, in order to withdraw the pivot, and allow the roller to be taken down at pleasure, for cleanThe ing or preserving the blinds. manner, bracket slides between a metal plate and the lath, and it is retained to the plate at the outer end by a staple; and the end of the bracket has a button which slides through a slit in the plate, and keeps that end of the bracket steady. The slit has a notch in the side, at the inner extremity, into which the button is forced by a spring that moves the end of the bracket sideways when it is drawn in, and this keeps the pivot of the roller tight. When the blind is to be taken down, the button is to be pushed out of the notch, and as the button is drawn along the slit, the bracket will slide out and release the pivot. MR. JOHN FREDERICK ARCHBOLD'S (GREAT CHARLOTTE-STREET, SURRY), for a Method of converting Sult or Sea-water into Fresh-water, both on Land and on board of Ship at Sea. This invention is intended to produce pure fresh water from sea-water by distillation, on a principle of filtration. For this purpose stills of a new construction are used, each of which has an outward case of metal; between the interior sides and bottom of which, and the exterior bottom and sides of the still, a space is left vacant: but the still is inserted into the case in such a manner that there shall be no egress for the steam from the case, except by a safety-valve. The head and neck are affixed to the still; thus, the water in the cases, not having the pressure of the atmosphere, will rise much beyond the boiling heat, and make the stills, which are inserted in them, boil also; and there being no egress for the steam from the case, except by the safety-valve, a small fire will suffice to keep up this degree of heat. From that part of the case which comes in immediate contact with a fire, a flue may be inscrted, which, making some horizontal revolutions along the bottom, may pass out into the chimney. The back also of the fire-place can be a narrow boiler, which may communicate with the cases of the still. When performed on board of ship a reservoir of salt water is placed upon the deck of the vessel, through which the chimney of the fire may pass and impart its heat; and from thence pipes, having a cock attached to each, lead into the cases and stills for the purpose of their supply. From the necks of the stills, pipes are brought conducting the steam into vessels for cooking provisions. The range has two metal doors in front, each of which is attached by hinges to iron bolts: these bolts fit into staples affixed in the side of the range, so that when the fire is not wanted fur cooking, it can be enclosed by these doors; but when required, the doors can be drawn out the length of the bolts, fitting into the staples at the side of the range, and form a screen, between which and the fire, the meat can be roasted. For the purpose of condensing steam ou board board of ship, the tube containing it may pass through the ship, and along any part of the outside of it which lies immediately in the water, and again entering the ship, it discharges the condensed water into the vessels designed for its recep tion; after the sea-water has been distilled in this manner, it is passed through a filtrer, consisting of a small cylindrical case, made of tin or other metal, and being filled with pounded charcoal, each end is stopped by a circular cover, perforated with holes, fine enough to prevent the charcoal from passing through. One end of this case is inserted into a cask also partly filled with pounded charcoal, and the water being poured into the cask, filters out through the case. MR. WILLIAM MURDOCK'S (SOHO FOUN DRY, STAFFORD), for a Method or Process for Boring and Forming Pipes, Cylinders, Columns, and Circuler 'Disks, out of Solid Blocks and Slabs of Stone of any kind. This is a very neat and economical in-. vention. By the usual method stone cylinders, pillars, pipes, &c. are cut out by the chisel, and all the substance excepting that immediately wanted is chipped off in small and useless pieces; but Mr. Murdock's method enables the workman to form the pipe by cutting out of the block a complete and perfect cylinder; thus from the same stone seve ral pipes of different sizes inay be made with the smallest possible waste. REVIEW OF NEW MUSICAL PUBLICATIONS. "When Day bas smild a soft Farewell." favourite Glee, as sung at the Hall Concert, at Norwich. 1s. A is particularly easy and unlaboured in its melody, and the general effect is at once agreeable and appropriate to the words. "Poor Flora," a Canzonet, written by Mr. Rannie. Composed by J. Ross. 15. HIS glee, the words of which are Tfrom the poetical pen of lord Strang ford, is agreeable in its air; and the adjustment of the harmonical parts (four in number) is regular and correct. "Just like Love is yonder Rose." The favourite Rondo, sung by Mr. Braham, at the Thea tres Royal Covent-Garden and Drury-lane. Arranged as a Glee for three Voices, by the Composer, John Davy. 2s. 6d. We have always been among the admirers of this pleasing and original rondo, in its primitive and natural state of a single melody; but cannot lend our admiration to the shape in which Mr. Davy here presents it to us. It is not every air, however captivating in itself, that properly admits of vocal harmonization; and we wonder the talent which gave birth to the melody, should not be accompanied with judgment sufficient to avoid the positive perversion of its nature. "The White Rose." Composed by John Clarke, Mus. Doc. 15. The natural and easy turn of the me lody of "Poor Flora," will not fail to attract the favourable notice of the lovers of simple composition. The air is ac companied with a distinct piano-forte part, and the commencing and introductory symphonies, are at once pleasing and analagous. Com "The Forest Maid," a favourite Song, with an Accompaniment for the Piano-forte. posed, and inscribed to W. Sainsbury, M.D., by J. M. Coombs. 1s. derable applause at the Bath concerts. This ballad has been sung with consiThe melody is of a cast to affect generally, because its expression is that of nature; and the bass and construction, are at the same time so good, as to merit the approbation of the scientific. "The Lay of Love," a Song, written by J. L. Lewis, esq. Composed by Dr. John Clarke, of Cambridge. is. 6d. Love" a very pleasing and expressing ineDr. Clarke has given to "the Lay of lody. The ideas in the music, like those in the poetry, are simple, natural, and connected, and bring the tale and its si◄ tuations interestingly to the heart. Mozart's celebrated Overture to Don Juan, arranged as a Dust for taun Performers, for one Piano-forte, by I. Blewitt. This strikingly excellent overture, from the nature of its orchestral arrangement, 3 B 45. is well calculated for the form in which Mr. Blewitt here presents it to the public. The conversational style of the ori ginal is, we find, well sustained: the two parts support a mutual correspondence and reiteration; and the combined effect argues much judgment for adjustments of this species. Per la lontananza di Lidia, Ode alla Luna, Composizione estemporanea del celebre Impro visatore, Francesco Gianni, Posta in Musica dedicata a Mrs. Bianchi da Bonifazio Asiolt, Maestro di Cappella della Corte Reale di Milana. 35. Mr. Asioli, in his music to this ode, has exhibited his power of entering into the passionate feelings of his author, and of following up his ideas and expressions with a suitable sweetness and grace of melody. The truth and force with which most of the passages accompany the poetry, are powerful evidences of the composer's sensibility, while the arrangement and combination evince both his taste and science. A Duett for two Performers on one Piano-forte. Composed and dedicated to the Mrs.Partridges, by J. F. Burrowes. 35. gested not to rank above mediocrity, while the general effect reflects credit on Mr. Burrowes taste and judgment. Sonata for the Piano forte. Composed and in scribed to Miss Banbury, by N. Roife. 4s. bited much taste and fancy. The moveMr. Rolfe, in this sonata, has exhi ments (three in number) are ingeniousin themselves, and calculated to greatly relieve each other. Many of the pas sages have much air of originality, and are so connected, as to run into each other with remarkable smoothness. In a word, the general style of the piece is such as to be reputable to the composer, and will, we doubt not, secure to it the favourable attention of practitioners on the instrument for which it is intended. A New Duett for the Harp and Piano-forte, or tavo Harps. Composed and dedicated to Miss Beckett, by Thomas Powel. 5s. This duett consists of three movements; the first in common time of thres crotchets, the second an andantino in two crotchets, and the third a rondo in two crotchets. The introductory movement is spirited, and characterised by The passages in the second, if not remuch pleasing and improving execution. This duett, considering that the whole is comprised in one movement, is tole-markably novel, are elegant, and tasterably variegated in its effect. It would, perhaps, be going too far to allow it much of the merit of original conception: the plan of the movement is however good; and some of the ideas are too well sug fully arranged, while the rondo, especially in its subject, is strongly attractive, and concludes the composition with admirable effect. MONTHLY RETROSPECT OF THE FINE ARTS. The Use of all New Prints, Communication of Articles of Intelligence, &c. are requested under COVER to the Care of the Publisher. (Continued from page 271.) 83. Speak to her Hamlet," (vide Closet Scene, Hamlet.) 7. J. Huds. To judge of Mr. Hall's abilities from this and other specimens, he is sufficiently advanced in art to go alone, and leave the leading-strings of his master Fuseli. If this is painted as a partici, it is an excellent deception, but all Mr. H.'s pictures (except portraits) are so arrantly Fuseliesque as to destroy that opinion. With those powers of chiaroscuro, boldness of foreshortening, and vigor of outline, that he possesses, he certainly should attempt to form a style of his own. |