ment of that useful inftrument, the blow-pipe; with which innumerable experiments may be made in chemistry and mineralogy, with very little trouble, and in a very short space of time; to fay nothing of the intenfe degree of heat, which the operator can thus procure from the flame of a candle, in a few feconds. The Author, after having described the inftrument, and the proper management of it, divides mineral bodies into four claffes, viz. Salts, earths, inflammable matters, and metals; and then proceeds to treat methodically of the individuals of each class, and of the effects of the flame, affifted with the proper fluxes, on each of them. VII. Traité de l'Elafticité de l'Eau, &c. A Treatise on the Elafticity of Water, and other Fluids, &c.: together with the Defcription of a Machine conftructed to prove the Compreffibility of Fluids, &c. By E. A. G. Zimmermann, &c. Amfterdam. Rey. In this publication the difficult and celebrated queftion, concerning the compreffibility of water, appears to be fatisfactorily decided, in favour of the affirmative; by means of a machine lately invented by a M. Abich, a German philofopher; and by which the compreffibility of water, and fome other fluids, is not only proved, but the quantity of the compreffion feems to be afcertained with accuracy. The different attempts that have been made to folve this difficult question are firft related by the Author, in a chronological order, and in a very particular and fatisfactory manner; with judicious obfervations on each. The principal experiments that have been made relative to this subject, which are here described, and occafionally illuftrated with plates, are those of -- Lord Bacon, Mr. Boyle, Du Hamel, The Florentine Academicians, Hamberger, Mufchenbroeck, Nollet, Hollam, Canton*, and ftill more lately, by M. de Herbert, whofe apparatus is well imagined, and proves the compreffibility of water and fome other fluids: but it is fo far imperfect, as the fluids examined in it were exposed only to the preffure of a column of mercury of the height of four feet, By means of that preffure, water was found to be compreffed 1-4358th part of its whole bulk, in the temperature of 14 degrees of Reaumur's thermometer. The laft and moft fimple machine, here very particularly defcribed, is that of M. Abich; whom the Author affifted in the experiments made with it, between the years 1777 and 1779. Some idea of its nature and effects may be formed from the following fhort account of it: See the Philof. Tranf. Vol. LII. Part II. Art. 103, or our account of the Article. M. Abich M. Abich firft attempted the compreffion of water in a mufket barrel, by means of a piston forced into it, and which was exactly fitted to its cavity; but, by means of the great force employed, the barrel, which was only a line thick, burst. He then procured a ftronger cylinder, formed of brafs, the fides of which were three quarters of an inch thick. Here he found that the included water fenfibly yielded to the compreffing force, which was exerted by a piston, put in motion by means of a screw. On a repetition of the experiment, however, feveral drops of water appeared on the outfide of the cylinder; and it was found that they had been forced through fmall fiffures which the water had made in the metal. M. Abich then conftructed a cylinder, the fides of which were nearly an inch and a quarter thick; and which was found to refift effectually the immenfe power employed in compreffing the water, or the other fluids, with which it was fucceffively filled. The different degrees of compreffion were produced by means either of a screw, or of a long lever, to which different weights were fucceffively appended; and the quantity of the compreffion was afcertained by the contraction of the water in bulk, as in dicated by the defcent of the pifton. As this laft mentioned effect however might be fufpected to have been, in part at leaft, produced by the diftenfion of the metal cylinder; which might be fuppofed to yield to the very great power employed in thefe experiments; an addition was made to the apparatus, which fhewed, in a very fatisfactory manner, that no change of dimenfions in the cylinder had taken place, in confequence of the great force employed. It appears from one of thefe experiments, in which the greateft effects were produced, that 26 cubic inches of water vifibly loft by preffure no less than 1 cubic inch and; fo that the compreffion fuftained by the water, in this cafe, produced a diminution in the bulk of the whole mafs, nearly equal to the 1-24th part. From calculations it appears, that well water, fubjected to this compreffing force, must have had its fpecific gravity fo much increased, as to acquire a denfity even greater than that of fea water. After giving a particular account of the experiments made by means of this apparatus with well water, water faturated with fea falt, milk, brandy, &c. the Author proceeds to confider the doubts that may yet remain refpecting the refults. Thefe principally relate to the pores or cavities which may exift in the internal furface of the cylinder; the compreffion or yielding of the leathers belonging to the pifton; and the air contained in the water, or other fluids which have been examined. Of these doubts the last seems to be the most worthy of attention: but it appears from the experiments here related, that water, from REV. Feb. 1783. N which which the greatest part of its air had been expelled by boiling, fuffered apparently as great a compreffion as common well water. It appears too that the quantity of compreffion of the different Aluids that were tried, is not, as might have been expected, in the inverse ratio of their specific gravities. Brandy, which was the lighteft of them, neverthelefs fuffered the leaft degree of compreffion. MONTHLY CATALOGUE, For FEBRUARY, 1783. POLITICAL. Art. 15. An Authentic Copy of the Provifional and Preliminary Art. 17. Preliminary Articles, &c. (as above) in French and WE VE leave the three foregoing publications to be criticized by Art. 18. A Free and Impartial Examination of the Preliminary Articles of Pacification. With a Retrospective view of the Rife and various Stages of the War, &c. By a MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT. 8vo. 1 s. 6d. Fielding. Though free, thefe obfervations are decent. The Preliminary Articles are condemned by our Author; but his are fuch as we meet with in every news-paper; and from thofe popular and plentiful fources of political invefligation, many of his ftrictures feem to be drawn. Art. 19. A Letter to the Earl of Shelburne, on the Peace. 8vo. I S. Debret. Lord S's. angry correfpondent fets out with recapitulating the earlier circumftances of the war; a gloomy retrofpect! terminated, however, by the annihilation of Lord N's. miniftry.-The view then brightens, through the fuccefs of Rodney, and the bravery of the garrifon of Gibraltar; by which our affairs are greatly retrieved.At this period, in the year 1782, Lord S. (according to our Author] humbles us at the feet of our enemies.-Here a wide field opens for the difplay of the Writer's declamatory powers; which are not inconfiderable. He feverely condemns the conceflions made to America, particularly in the abandonment of the Loyalists, and the limitation of Canada. He then proceeds to charge his Lordship with a criminal profufion of liberality to Spain, by adding the ceffion of the Eaff to her acquifition of West Florida. As to France, his accufation is not lefs weighty, especially in regard to the relinquifhment of St. Lucia, the importance of which he estimates at a very high rate. In a military view, he fays, this ifland is above all price, and beyond all calculation. Who does not know that St. Lucia is the key to the whole chain of the Caribbee islands?' He then transports us to the East Indies, that he may leave no part of his ground untraverfed, no article of impeachment overlooked. In brief, he affirms, and execrates, the fpirit of conceffion and furrender' which, he fays, pervades every article of the treaty;' and in reward of which, he imprecates and denounces every kind of vengeance on the head of the devoted minister. "After all," say the advocates for the peace," what boots it to expatiate thus on the importance of what we have irrevocably loft, br given up? Does any politician imagine, that France and Spain, who certainly, on the whole, had the advantage in the war, would be contented with ceffions of small value? Were we on fuch equal terms with them, as to give us a right to expect an abfolute equiva lent for whatever we have relinquished, or that hath been wrefted from us? Surely no man can be fo uninformed as to maintain the affirmative!" The great question, indeed, is, Whether we ought, at the clofe of 1782, in which year Fortune had begun to fmile upon us, to have accepted of peace, on the terms of the Preliminaries,or to have rifked the event of a farther profecution of the war,*when our enemies were ftraining every nerve, and exerting their whole power, to command and infure fuccefs?" This is a question to which fpeculators, calculators, and gamefters, will be prompt to reply, but to which we dare not prefume to give any answer. Art. 20. Obfervations on the Preliminary and Provifional Articles. 8vo. 1 s. Debret, &c. The author undertakes to prove, from a comparative view of the fituation of this country now, and at the close of the late war,' that the articles are equally, if not more beneficial to the true interests of this country, than the terms procured by the treaty of Paris, in 1763. His aim is friendly to the peace-makers; but his argumenta tive powers will not greatly ftrengthen their party. Art. 21. Candid and Impartial Confiderations on the Preliminary Articles, &c. By a Country Gentleman. 8vo. s. 6 d. Rob fon. Another advocate for the ministry. Our Country Gentleman hefitates not to defend all the Provisional Articles; and, on the whole, he concludes, that we have obtained not only the best terms that our circumftances could warrant us to expect or demand, but that thofe are really and abundantly advantageous to Great Britain. He writes fluently and floridly; but he is not, like your tinfe! fcribblers, a fuperficial reafoner. His manner will, at least, entertain those whom his arguments may fail to convince: for the prejudices of party are never convinced. Art. 22. Thoughts on the Peace. In a Letter from the Country. 8vo. I s. Debret. This Country Gentleman, too, contends for the expediency, neceflity, and rectitude of the Peace, on the terms contained in the Preliminary Articles. He offers many judicious remarks on thefe terms, all tend ing to prove, that, after all our defeats, difafters, and difgraces, no one condition of fame or difhonour is impofed upon us;' that ' reverence is paid to our spirit;' and that we are more yielded to N 2 than than yielding.'-This Writer, however, is not always fufficiently difpaflionate in his mode of investigation; nor will all his conclufions, perhaps, appear fo evident to fuch of his readers who may differ from him in fentiment, as we charitably fuppofe they appear to himfelf. Art. 23. A Report of the Proceedings of the Committee of Affociation, appointed at the adjourned General Meeting of the County of York, held on the 28th of March 1780, prefented to the General Meeting of the County of York, held on the 19th of December 1782. With an Appendix, containing the Circular Letter of November the 1ft, 1782, &c. Proceedings at the General Meeting of the County of York on the 19th of December: Account of Debate, &c. at that Meeting; and Proceedings of the Committee of Affociation on the 17th, 18th, 20th, and 21ft Days of December 1782. 4to. 1 s. 6d. Stockdale. 1783. The great national objects which this very refpectable Affociation have had, and fill have in view, are fo well known, as to render it unneceffary for us, at this time, to point them out; indeed we have frequently mentioned them, in the courfe of our periodical labours. -We are glad to fee, by this report of their proceedings at large, that the Yorkshire patriots continue firm; that their correfpondence and connection with other counties, and committees of affociation, are extended; and that they nobly perfevere in their laudable zeal for promoting a more equal reprefentation of the people of this kingdom in the Houfe of Commons, in order to check, at least, the progrefs of parliamentary corruption. Art. 24. The Propriety of retaining Gibraltar impartially confidered. 8vo. 1 S. Stockdale. 1783. By a fhort ftatement of plain facts, which the Author is of opinion (and furely he is right) will weigh more with men of fenfe and judgment, than any laboured attempt at oratory and declamation, we are here fhewn the impropriety of retaining Gibraltar, fuppofing that retention should prove an immoveable obstacle to the conclufion of the treaty of peace. The fubject here difcuffed naturally divides itfelf into three parts, viz. What right Great Britain has to the poffeffion of Gibraltar? Of what importance it is to this country? and, Whether it would be for the interest of Great Britain to restore that place to the Spaniards, for a juft and adequate confideration? Thefe points are all treated with fober and weighty investigation; and, on the whole, this fenfible, well-informed, and difpaffionate Author, has rendered it very evident, that the best thing we can do with this enormously expenfive, and to us almoft ufelefs fortrefs, is to get rid of it, on the best terms that can be obtained, as an equivalent. From all accounts it appears, that Porto Rico, if offered to us, would have been an excellent bargain on our fide. But, perhaps, the most weighty point of confideration with us, is the probability that no PEACE will be LASTING, while this bare bone of contention remains, to flimulate the two nations to enmity. Spain will never lofe fight of what the muft naturally long to repoffels, and which, though but of light and temporary account with us, is to her an *"A feather in our cap," fays the Author. object |