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owing probably to their buoyancy it seldom occurs that any founder.

To the eye they present a large unsightly mass, bearing, however, a singular and striking resemblance to those of Europe about two centuries ago; with a great sheer like a half-moon, and lofty poops and prows. They are frequently 300 and 400 tons. and sometimes as much as 800; their rigging is of the simplest kind, consisting of two or three large masts composed of a single piece of timber, much stouter in proportion than European masts, on which traverse large square sails, which are increased according to the size of the vessel, but in number never exceeding three. These sails are of a reed or straw matting, with stout bamboos at intervals of two to two and ahalf feet, extending horizontally along the surface; and to either extremity of these bamboos are attached lines for the purpose of adjusting the sails to the wind, and when it is desired to reduce (or reef) the sails, they are rolled up from the bottom by as many of these spaces as are thought necessary. The anchors are of the rudest construction, the material is always of wood weighted with stones lashed about, unprovided with a stock across to insure its falling on the ground so as to take hold, and it appears to be indebted for the performance of its office more to its vis inertia than to its mechanical construction.

Among other particularities, is the custom of painting a large eye on each side of the bow, "How can ship see, suppose he no hab eye?" This practice also obtains at Malta, and in other places, though I believe not for the same reason as that given in China. Large junks generally carry two long oars projecting forward, having the appearance of the antennæ in insects; their purpose is to accelerate the evolution of turning the vessel round. The hold is divided into compartments by partitions of stout plank, the seams being caulked with a cement of lime and oil, which becomes exceedingly hard when dry-this arrangement may have its advantages in vessels of such frail construction, conducing not only to the good condition of the merchandize,

but also to the safety of the whole-each compartment thus becoming an independent vessel, which might be filled with water without damage to the cargo in the rest. The rudder projects from the stern, and is generally perforated with holes, or built of lattice-work-it is guided by ropes passing from it along each side of the vessel's quarter. The compass is shut up in a sinall bowl with a quantity of sand in its bottom, in which are stuck perfumed matches when an offering is intended to be made to the "Deity of the Sea." To this divinity, also, an altar, well stored with trinkets, matches, and coloured wax-candles, is erected at the extremity of the cabin, which is very small, and round it are the berths of the crew, just large enough to contain their personseach berth has a mat and a hard-stuffed cushion for a pillow.

A recent visitor to China writes on these Junks;

Chinese vessels have generally a captain, who might more properly be styled a supercargo. Whether the owner or not, he has charge of the whole of the cargo, buys and sells as circumstances require; but has no command whatever over the sailing of the ship. This is the business of the Hochang or pilot. During the whole voyage, to observe the shores and promontories are the principal objects which occupy his attention, day and night. He sits steadily on the side of the ship, and sleeps when standing, just as it suits his convenience. Though he has, nominally, the command over the sailors, yet they obey him only when they find it agreeable to their own wishes; and they scold and brave him, just as if he belonged to their own company. Next to the pilot (or mate) is the To-kung (helmsman), who manages the sailing of the ship; there are a few men under his immediate command. There are, besides, two clerks; one to keep the accounts, and the other to superintend the cargo that is put on board. Also, a comprador, to purchase provisions; and a Heang-kung, (or priest,) who attends the idols, and burns, every morning, a certain quantity of incense

and of gold and silver paper. The sailors are divided into two classes; a few, called Tow-muh (or head men), have charge of the anchor, sails, &c.; and the rest, called Hoke (or comrades), perform the menial work, such as pulling the ropes and heaving the anchor. A cook and some barbers make up the remainder of the crew.

All these personages, except the second class of sailors, have cabins; long, narrow holes, in which one may stretch himself, but cannot stand erect. If any person wishes to go as a passenger, he must apply to the Tow-muh, in order to hire one of their cabins, which they let on such conditions as they please. In fact, the sailors exercise full control over the vessel, and oppose every measure which they think may prove injurious to their own interest; so that even the captain and pilot are frequently obliged, when wearied out with their insolent behaviour, to crave their kind assistance, and to request them to show a better temper.

The several individuals of the crew form one whole, whose principal object in going to sea is trade, the working of the junk being only a secondary object. Every one is a shareholder, having the liberty of putting a certain quantity of goods on board; with which he trades, wheresoever the vessel may touch, caring very little about how soon she arrive at the port of destination.

The common sailors receive from the captain nothing but dry rice, and have to provide for themselves their other fare, which is usually very slender. These sailors are not, usually, men who have been trained up to their occupation; but wretches, who were obliged to flee from their homes; and they frequently engage for a voyage, before they have ever been on board a junk. All of them, however stupid, are commanders; and if any thing of importance is to be done, they bawl out their commands to each other, till all is utter confusion. There is no subordination, no cleanliness, no mutual regard or interest.

The navigation of junks is performed without the aid of charts, or any other helps, except the compass; it is mere coasting, and the whole art of the pilot consists in di

recting the course according to the promontories in sight. In time of danger, the men immediately lose all their courage; and their indecision frequently proves the destruction of their vessel. Although they consider our mode of sailing as somewhat better than their own, still they cannot but allow the palm of superiority to the ancient craft of the "Celestial Empire." When any alteration for improvement is proposed, they will readily answer,--If we adopt this measure we shall justly fall under the suspicion of barbarism.

The most disgusting thing on board a junk is idolatry, the rites of which are performed with the greatest punctuality. The goddess of the sea is Ma-tsoo-po, called also Teen-how, "queen of heaven." She is said to have been a virgin, who lived, some centuries ago in Fuhkeen, near the district of Fuhchow. On account of having, with great fortitude, and by a kind miracle, saved her brother who was on the point of drowning, she was deified, and loaded with holy titles. Every vessel is furnished with an image of this goddess, before which a lamp is kept burning. Some satellites, in hideous shape, stand round the portly queen, who is always represented in a sitting posture. Cups of tea are placed before her, and some tinsel adorns her shrine.

The care of the goddess is intrusted to the priest, who never dares to appear before her with his face unwashed. Every morning, he puts sticks of burning incense into the censer, and repeats his ceremonies in every part of the ship, not excepting even the cook's room. When the junk reaches any promontory, or when contrary winds prevail, the priest makes an offering to the spirits of the mountains, or of the air. On such occasions, (and only on such) pigs and fowls are killed. When the offering is duly arranged, the priest adds to it some spirits and fruits, burns gilt paper, makes several prostrations, and then cries out to the sailors,"Follow the spirits!"-who suddenly rise. and devour most of the sacrifice. When sailing out of a river, offerings of paper are constantly thrown out near the rudder. But to no part of the junk are so many offer

ings made as to the compass. Some red cloth, which is also tied to the rudder and cable, is put over it; incense-sticks in great quantities are kindled; and gilt paper, made into the shape of a junk, is burnt before it. Near the compass, some tobacco, a pipe, and a burning lamp are placed, the joint property of all; and hither they all crowd to enjoy themselves. When there is a calm, the sailors generally contribute a certain quantity of gilt paper, which, pasted into the form of a junk, is set adrift. If no wind follows, the goddess is thought to be out of humour, and recourse is had to the demons of the air. When all endeavours prove unsuccessful, the offerings cease, and the sailors wait with indifference.

FREDERICK THE GREAT one day rang his bell several times, and nobody came. He opened the door, and found his page asleep in an arm-chair. Advancing to awake him, he perceived the corner of a note peeping out of his pocket. Curious to know what it was, he took it, and read it. It was a letter from the mother of the youth, thanking him for sending her part of his wages, to relieve her poverty. She concluded by telling him, that God would bless him for his good conduct. The King, after having read it, went softly into his room, took a purse of ducats, and slipped it, with the letter, He returned, and into the pocket of the page. rang his bell so loud, that the page awoke, and went in. "Thou hast slept well!" said the King. The page wished to excuse himself, and in his confusion put his hand by chance into his pocket, and felt the purse with astonishment. He drew it out, turned pale, and looked at the King, burst into tears, without being able to utter a word. "What is the matter?" said the King: "what hast thou?" "Ah! Sire," replied the youth, falling on his knees,

Such are the idolatrous principles of the Chinese, that they never spread a sail with--"they wish to ruin me; I do not know how this

out having conciliated the favour of the demons, nor return from a voyage without showing their gratitude to their tutelar deity. Christians are the servants of the living God, who has created the heavens and the earth; at whose command the winds and the waves rise or are still; in whose mercy is salvation, and in whose wrath is destruction; how much more, then, should they endeavour to conciliate the favour of the Almighty, and to be grateful to the Author of all good! If idolaters feel dependent on superior beings; if they look up to them for protection and success; if they are punctual in their vows; what should be the conduct of nations who acknowledge Christ to be their Saviour? Reverence before the name of the Most High; reliance on his gracious protection; submission to his just dispensations; and devout prayers, humble thanksgiving, glorious praise of the Lord of the earth and of the sea, ought to be habitual on board our vessels; and if this is not the case, the heathen will rise up against us in the day of judgment, for having paid more attention to their dumb idols, than we have to the worship of the living and true God.

money came into my pocket." "My friend," said Frederick, "God often sends us blessings while we are asleep.-Send to thy mother, salute her from me, and say that I will take care of her and thee."

AN ALPHABETICAL ACCOUNT.

Au Austrian army, awfully arrayed,
Boldly by battery besieged Belgrade.
Cossack commanders cannonading come,
Dealing destruction's devastating doom.
Every effort engineers essay,

For fame, for fortune fighting; furious fray,
Generals 'gainst generals grapple,gracious good!
How honours heaven herioc hardihood!
Infuriate, indiscriminate in ill,

Kinsmen kill kindred, kindred kinsmen kill. Labour low levels loftiest longest lines;

Men march 'midst moles, 'midst mounds, 'midst murderous mines.

Now noisy noxious numbers notice nought
Of outward obstacles opposing ought.
Poor patriots, partly purchased, partly pressed,
Quite quaking, quickly quarter quest.
Reason returns, religion's right redounds ;
Suwarrow stops such sanguinary sounds !!
Truce to thee, Turkey! triumph to thy train,
Unwise, unjust, unmerciful Ukraine !
Vanish, vain victory, vanish victory vain.
Why wish we warfare? wherefore welcome were
Xerxes, Ximenes, Xanthus, Xavier?
Yield, yield ye youths, ye yeomen,yield your yell.
Zeno's, Zopater's, Zoroaster's zeal,
Attracting all, arts against arms appeal.

GREAT works are performed not by strength but by perseverance. --JOHNSON. Subscriptions of the MALTA PENNY MAGAZINE at Is. per quarter received at No. 97 Str. Forni, and sent to subscribers in Valetta every Saturday.

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THE THAMES TUNNEL.

The project of a Tunnel under the Thames at Gravesend was first put forward in 1799, but the scheme was soon abandoned. In 1823, Mr. Brunel proposed and exhibited his plan for constructing at once, and on a useful scale, a double and capacious roadway under the Thames.

The spot between Rotherhithe and Wapping, selected for the intended communication, is perhaps the only one situate between London Bridge and Greenwich, where such a road-way could be attempted without interfering essentially with some of the great mercantile establishments on both sides of the river; the situation is about two miles below London Bridge, in a very populous and highly commercial neighbourhood, and where a facility of land communication between the two shores is very desirable, and where it must be advantageous, not only to the immediate neighbourhood, but also to the adjacent counties. While the necessary steps were taking to obtain an Act of Parliament, and to raise money to carry the planinto effect, the Committee of Subscribers employed competent persons, unconnected with the Engineer, to take borings across the river in that part, in three parallel lines; and on the 4th of April 1824 they reported that there was upon each line a stratum of strong blue clay of sufficient density and tenacity to insure the safety of the intended Tunnel, and of considerable value, as the excavation proceeded; upon this encouraging report the Committee approved of the locality proposed for the Tunnel. This very satisfactory account of the soil to be expected in the line of the intended excavation, induced Mr. Brunel to enlarge the dimensions of his original plan, and consequently the apparatus by which he intended to protect the excavation, until it should be

[Price 1d.

perfectly secured by brick-work. The Act of Parliament having been obtained on the 24th of June 1824, Mr. Brunel began his operations for a shaft of 50 feet in diameter, which he commenced at 150 feet from the River, on the Surrey side. This he effected by constructing first on the surface of the ground a substantial cylinder of brickwork of that diameter, 42 feet in height, and three feet in thickness. Over this he set up the steam-engine necessary for pumping out the water, and for raising the earth to be taken from within the cylinder, and then proceeded to sink it en masse into the ground in the way that the shafts of wells are usually sunk. By this means he succeeded in passing through a bed of gravel and sand 26 feet deep, full of land-water, constituting in fact a quicksand in which the drift-makers of the former undertaking had been compelled to suspend their work.

While this operation was in progress, Mr. Brunel received an intimation from eminent Geologists, warning him of the existence of a bed of sand lying at a greater depth, and advising him to go as little as possible below the bottom of the river. This information corresponded with the account given before by the drift-makers respecting the existence of a quicksand, and its depth beneath the level of high water. The 50feet shaft having been sunk to the depth of 65 feet, another smaller shaft, 25 feet in diameter, destined to be a well or reservoir for the drainage of water, was also sunk from this lower level; but on approaching the depth of 80 feet, the ground gave way suddenly under this latter structure, which sunk several feet at once, the sand and water blowing up at the same time. Thus was the previous intelligence confirmed of the existence and the nature of the bed of sand in question, by the which information the Engineer of the Thames Tunnel had been guided in the level that he adopted

for his structure The shaft and reservoir having been completed, the horizontal excavation for the body of the Tunnel was commenced at the depth of 63 feet; and in order to have sufficient thickness of ground to pass safely under the deep part of the river, the excavation was carried on at a declivity of 2 feet 3 inches per hundred feet.

It must be remarked here, that the excavation which has been made for the Thames Tunnel is 38 feet in breadth, and 22 feet 6 inches in height, presenting a sectional area of 850 feet, and exceeding 60 times the area of the drift which was attempted before. The base of this excavation, in the deepest part of the river, is 76 feet below high water-mark.

30th of April, 1827, the Tunnel had advanced 400 feet under the river; these 400 feet of the Tunnel were excavated, and the double archways substantially completed with brick-work in ten months and a-half. On the 18th of May 1827, and again in the month of January 1828, the river broke in, and filled the Tunnel, thereby occasioning the apprehension that the undertaking must be abandoned. After however filling in with bags of clay, the holes or chasms in the bed of the river where the irruptions had occurred, and clearing the Tunnel of water, the structure was found in a most satisfactory state, and perfectly sound. The works from that time remained suspended during a period of seven years, when they were re-commenced under the most favourable auspices, and have now been advanced to upwards of 930 feet in length, and are completed to low water mark on the Middlesex shore. The entire length of the Thames Tunnel it is intended shall not exceed 1300 feet.

It is by means of a powerful aparatus of iron, which has been designed a "Shield," (a front elevation of which is given,) that this extensive excavation has been effected, and that the double road-way and paths have, at the same time, been constructed within it. This Shield consists of 12 great frames, standing close to each other, like as many volumes on the shelf of a book-case: these frames are 22 feet in height, and about 3 feet in breadth. They are divided into three stages or stories, thus presenting 36 chambers or cells for the workinen-namely, the miners, by whom the ground is cut down and secured in front; and the bricklayers, by whom the structure is simulta-gether make 9. neously formed.

The Shield was placed in its first position at the bottom of the shaft by the 1st of January 1826, and the structure of the double archway of the Tunnel was commenced under a bed of clay; but on the 25th of the same month, the substantial protection of clay was discovered to break off at once, leaving the Shield for upwards of six weeks open to an influx of land-water, which copiously issued from a bed of sand and gravel fed at each tide, and the progress of the work was in consequence much impeded.

On the 11th of March this fault or break in the clay was cleared, and the Shield being again under a bed of clay, the work proceeded, and on the 30th of June 1826, entered under the bed of the river; and by the

SINGULAR PROPERties of the figure 9.

MULTIPLY 9 by itself, or by any other figure, and the figure forming the product will, in each case, if added together, amount to 9: for example, 9 multiplied by 9 is 81, and 8 and 1 add together make 9, and so on with the other figures.

The figures forming the amount 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9, added together, (viz. 45,) will also, if added to

The amount of the several products or multiples of 9, (9, 18, 27, 36, 45, 54, 63, 72, 81) namely 405, when divided by 9, gives a quotient of 45, and the figures forming either the dividend or the quotient, added together, make 9.

Multiply any row of figures either by 9, or by any one of the products of 9 multiplied by a single figure, as by 18, 27, 36, 45, 54, 63, 72, or 81, and the sum of the figures of the product added together will be divisible by 9.

Multiply the digits in the following order, 1 2 3 45 678 9, by 9, or by any one of the products of 9 mentioned in the last paragraph, and the product will come out all in one figure, except the place of tens, which will be a 0, and that figure will be the one which, multiplied into 9, supplies the multiplier; that is, if you select 9 as the multiplier, the product will be (except the place of tens) all ones; if you select 18, all twos; if 27, all threes, and so on. Omit the 8 in the multiplicand, and the 0 will also vanish from the product, leaving it all ones, twos, threes, &c. as the case may be.

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