and though with him we should be sorry to see the English spirit sink, we would not feed it with delusive comfort. As the title-page announces these "Strictures" to have had a se cond edition, we wonder to see the funding system uniformly printed, funded system, desideratim for desideratum, and ille lachrime for ille lachryma: but a soldier, when he turns author, is frequently out of his province, and may be supposed to be better acquainted with the use of the sword than of the pen. Art. 48. A Plan for the Payment of the National Debt and the Reduction of Taxes two Millions per Annum. By William Wood. 4to. PP. 35. 35. 6d. Seeley. 1796. While we agree with this author in lamenting the existing evil of an immense national debt, amounting at present to about 400 mik lions; and while we approve the motives that have induced him to direct his attention to this subject; we do not conceive that his plan is likely to be soon adopted, nor that he has satisfactorily obviated the objections to which it is liable. He purposes to pay off the public creditors by issuing bills at certain intervals, under the sanction and authority of parliament. These bills are not to bear interest from Government, but to be constituted a lawful tender in all money transactions; and when the interest accumulates to a sufficient sum for discharging them, they are to be paid and cancelled. On this principle, he has calculated three tables, differing merely in the amount of the sum discharged and the time required for the purpose. By the 1st table it appears that, if bills be issued to the amount of 10 millions annually, for 5 years successively, and the interest be taken at 5 per cent. 50 millions will be totally discharged in 22 years:but the operation of this plan may be accelerated by the annual million appropriated to the reduction of the debt, with the assistance of which 50 millions may be discharged in 12 years. By proceeding in the same manner at the expiration of this term, 50 millions more would be discharged in 8 years; and thus in 20 years 100 millions of the debt would be annihilated, and we should have an income of 7 millions per annum to apply towards its farther discharge. The 2d table exhibits the effect of 10 millions annually for 10 years, which would discharge 100 millions in 24 years, and, with the aid already mentioned, in 17 years. In the 3d table, we see the effect of 15 mil lions issued annually for 20 years, which would extinguish a debt of 300 millions in 30 years. The author, however, unwilling to deprive those entirely of consolation, who may entertain apprehensions that we shall be unhappy in proportion as the debt is reduced,' recommends to them a retrospective view of our funding system for the last 20 years, and their alarms will in a great measure subside; as from thence conclusions may be drawn extremely favourable for their repose: a new debt, to a comfortable amount, will, in all probability, be contracted in the ensuing twenty; and if they do not lose the idea, that it will require more than 30 years to pay off the present existing debt, it will have surprising effects in keeping up their drooping spirits.' In order to induce stock-holders to accede to his plan, the author propofes to allow them a douceur of 25 per cent. to be paid in 5 years Moo-y 5 years after the principal is difcharged. In this cafe, the whole MATHEMATICS, ASTRONOMY and GEOGRAPHY. Though Mr. Burrow's observations were delayed by the want of such inftruments as were beft adapted to his purpose, he determined to commence his operations with the apparatus in his possession; and he proceeded with such success as to complete the measurement of a degree of longitude, and also of another of latitude near the Tropic, some time before his death. His manuscripts were left, at his decease, which happened in May 1792 at Caragola, to Mr. Dalby, and they could not have fallen into better hands: for, unconnected and unfinished as they were, he has deduced from them, and from other papers to which he refers, a very satisfactory account of the result of Mr. B.'s observations, the instruments with which they were made, and the several circumstances that attended them. The mensuration was begun in April 1790, near a place called Cawksally, in lat. 23° 28' 7" N. long. 5h 53m 18" E. From this station he proceeded directly east, tracing the parallel by means of a theodolite and the pole star when at its greatest apparent elongations from the meridian, and taking offsets at right angles when obstacles fell in the way. This measurement was made with the chain, and continued till about the middle of May, when the whole easting amounted to about 33 miles. But here his journal seems defective.' - In June, Mr. Burrow returned to Cawksally and began measuring to the westward. By the middle of July (when the rains set in) the whole westing was 82684 feet.' This work was resumed in December,' when this distance was found to be 82672 feet. The measurement was then continued 129998 feet forward in the direction of the parallel of latitude, to a place called Dhoraparah, where it terminated on January 22, 1791, hence the two latter parts, or half (as he called it) of the measured parallel was 212670 feet (about 40 miles); those feet being such that 50 were equal to the chain in the temperature of 55°.' From a detached part of Mr. B.'s journal, it appears that in the preceding October and November, he was employed in obtaining the rates of nine watches; with four of them he went twelve or thirteen times backwards and forwards from Cawksally to Dhoraparah in April and May 1791; the mean result he puts down at 2 325 for the difference of longitude; answering to the apparent length 212670 feet.' Mr. Dalby ascertains the length Re ́s. of of the chain used by Mr. B. for the measurement between the two places above mentioned to be 50,02105 feet. Now, dividing 213670 feet, the apparent length, by 50, gives 4253,4 chains, which multiplied by 50,02105 produces 21270 feet for the length of the measur ed arc of longitude; therefore, as 2 32:213760:: 4m: 335937 feet, or 55989 fathoms, the length of the degree of longitude in latitude 23 28.5 Themensuration of the degree of latitude was performed in the spring of 1791. It commenced in latitude 22° 44′ 12′′, 7 at Poal or Pale, a place nearly under the meridiau of Cawksally; and it was carried northward in the direction of the meridian to Abadanga in latitude 23° 52′ II", 7. The whole northing, or arc of the meridian, intercepted between these places, was 8216 chains and 14 feet. If we multiply 8216 by 50,0230, the length of the chain, when the degree of latitude was measured, we shall have 410,990 feet, to which adding the 14 feet, and 411004 feet, (nearly 78 miles,) will be the length of the meridional arc; 50 of those feet being equal to the chain at that time, in the temperature of 55. The latitudes of Poal and Abadanga were determined by a great number of observations with the aftronomical quadrant; and their difference is 1° 7′ 59′′: 411004 feet :: 1: 60457 fathoms for 1° on the meridian in latitude 23° 18", the middle latitude nearly between Poal and Abadanga. By reducing Mr. B.'s measurements to the temperature of 62°, to which the measured bases in England are reduced, each degree will be about 4 fathoms less on that account; allowing also for the dif ference of latitude between the two places at which the operations were performed, we shall have 60455 fathoms for the degree on the meridian, and 55985 fathoms for that of longitude,in latitude 23° 28 N. For the application of the measures, resulting from the observations of Mr. Burrow, and those of other persons in different latitudes, exhibited in two tables by the author, towards investigating and determining the figure of the earth, we must refer to the pamphlet itself. From a train of reasoning and computation, which we cannot pursue, Mr. Dalby infers that it feems extremely probable, that the meridians are not cliptical in low latitudes: but that the earth (as M. Bou guer supposed) is flatter in a north and south direction, or has more of a globalar form in those parts than an elipsoid :--but he observes that nothing conclusive respecting the figure and dimensions of the earth can be expected from determining differences of longitude by means of time-keepers. The most certain method seems to be that by angular measurement, in the manner lately brought into practice in England, by which the value of an arc of longitude (resulting from the perpendicular degree) may be found with certainty to a small fraction of a second of time; and consequently the probable error can be nearly estimated.' As two ellipsoids have been determined, one with the degrees at the Tropic, and the other with two degrees of longitude, Mr. Dalby has subjoined two problems, in which are illustrated the methods of solution. The Best problem shews how to find the earth's diameters, supposing it to be an ellipsoid, from the given degree of longitude and also, that on the meridian in a givea latitude; the second problem determines the earth's axes, on the same supposition, supposition, from the known degrees of longitudes in two given latitudes. Art. 50. A New System on Fire and Planetary Life; shewing that the Sun and Planets are inhabited, and that they enjoy the same temperament as on Earth. Also, an elucidation of the Phænomena of Electricity and Magnetism. 8vo. 25. Cadell jun. and Davies. The author of this New Syftem' bespeaks the candour which he flatters himself his labours deserve, and deprecates the little mean criticisms of illiberal minds, cankered with envy, malice, and other abject passions.' In compliance with his wishes, and that we may not tire the patience of our readers, we shall not enter into a minute detail of the principles which he adopts, and of the manner in which he applies them to the solution of the various phenomena of nature. The two great leading principles (he says) upon which I build my system are, that fire consists in motion, and that inert matter, which, by way of distinction, I shall call earth, consists in inaction. The next two most important principles I draw are, that the particles of fire have a great repulsive power to each other, being the first great and general law in nature; and from that repulsion consists its motion. The next important law is, that the particles of inert matter, or earth, have an attraction or gravitation to each other. Another great law is, that these two bodies, viz. fire and earth, have an attraction for each other.' He then proceeds to prove first and principally, that these two bodies, viz. fire and earth, from their two great qualities, repulsion and gravitation, are the great causes of PLANETARY LIFE, and as I shall hereafter prove, of life in general; by the word LIFE, in a philosophical sense, I would define motion.-Agreeably to this definition, planetary life is to consist in the planet's motion round the sun,' &c. Re-s. From this specimen of the author's general principles, and of his mode of writing, the reader will be able to form some judgment as to what may be expected from the progressive developement and application of his assumptions. It will be needless for us to accompany the writer in exposing the crrors and supplying the defects of the Newtonian system; and in shewing how admirably his theory adapts itself to the solution of every difficulty that occurs in astronomy, optics, and philosophy in general. We confess that he often soars above our comprehension; and that we are not satisfied, even when we incline to think that we understand his meaning, with his account of the arrangement of the planets, of the causes that produce their diurnal and annual revolutions, of the alternate ebb and flow of the tides, of the refrangibility of light, and of various other phenomena to which his range extends. We regret that, as this system was formed by the author 20 years ago, and submitted to the consideration of some of his friends, none of them should have had influence sufficient to dissuade him from exposing it to public view:-but when Dr. Herschel announced to the world his conjecture that the sun might be inhabited as well as any of the other planets, our author, encouraged by such an example, could no longer suppress his owu ideas; and he entertains the hope, that his new and extensive system will meet with due candour from that accurate observer of heavenly bodies. EAST Re-s. EAST INDIES. Art. 51. Remarks on a Pamphlet intitled, Letters, Political, Military, and Commercial, on the present State and Government of Oude and its Dependencies.' Containing a Copy and Explanation of the Treaty of Commerce between the East India Company and the Nawaub Vizier; together with a Sketch of the Measures taken during the Marquis Cornwallis's Government, in regard to the Vizier. By Edward Otto Ives, Late Resident at the Nawaub Vizier's Court. 4to. 25. Debrett. 1796. Our readers will find an account of the Letters' criticised in this pamphlet, in the 1st No. of M. Rev. Vol. xxi. N. S. We had imagined that a discussion of the topics, introduced by that writer, would naturally have led Mr. Ives to a consideration of his plan for remedying the abuses prevalent in Oude; and to the suggestion of a more equitable, though not less efficacious mode of restoring to its inhabitants the blessings attendant on law and order. In consequence of this expectation, we experienced a considerable degree of disappointment, on finding the author of this pamphlet, (whose oficial situation furnished him with the means of obtaining every information requisite to form an accurate judgment, on a subject so momentous to the political interests of the East India Company,) confine himself to a vindication of the commercial treaty with the Vizier, and of the conduct of the late Governor General in the negociations which preceded it. That treaty we think it impossible to peruse, without perceiving that the advantages resulting from it to the contracting parties are either reciprocal or balanced, though a greater degree of accuracy and precision in its terms would have obviated the misconceptions, which have occasioned some of the censures bestowed on it by the letter writer. To those who had an opportunity of tracing the principles which regulated the measures of the Bengal Government, during the presidency of the Marquis Cornwallis, it must be superfluous to prove that, whatever were the Vizier's motives for acceding to the treaty,force was out of the question: but to what motive can it be assigned with greater probability, than to a persuasion of the benefits accruing from it to his own subjects? A weak and voluptuous prince is always incapable of forming plans for the welfare of his people, and is seldom surrounded by per sons who have that object in view: but, when such plans are prepared for him, we see no reason to question his acquiescence. To the wisdom of the Marquis's conduct, in withdrawing all interference in the affairs of Qude, we bear a willing testimony, notwithstanding its total want of success: because, in public as well as in private transactions, justice and policy will generally be found to concur; and it is not until experience shall have demonstrated the case of exception, that statesmen are justifiable in deviating from that maxim. To conclude, we readily admit that the Vizier's government cannot longer be suffered to remain completely independent: but we still think that a Count Bernstoff, invested with the Company's influence, is all that is wanting to the Court, to the inhabitants, and toe allies of Oude. NATURAL Ham....n. |