The National Register.
London, England, 1822-06-24 00:00:00



THE NATIONAL REGISTER

A geological curiosity that has astonished the cu-
rious, and hitherto puzzled the naturalist, is now
in possession of Mr. Suggers, landlord of the City of
Hereford Inn, Brighton. It is a piece of party-
coloured flint, about four inches in circumference
and six inches in length, growing out of a rived
cockle shell—a sufficient proof, we surmise, that the
flinty substance first cemented within the shell or
bowels of this insect, while in its entire state, and
rived it asunder by its increase of size: but what is
most astonishing, it was dug, by a well-digger, out
of a stratum of chalk and flint full forty feet below
the surface of the earth. The cockle-shell is as per-
fect as one newly found on the sea shore, and us
hard as the flint to which it adheres, and on which
it forms the resembl .nce of a woman's bosom.
LONDON BRIDOE.—The new bridge is proposed
to be erected as near as possible to, and nut exceed-
ing 170 feet from the west side of the present bridge,
and to afford a clear water-way of not less than 690
ket. It is to be faced with granite, and to consist
of five arches ; the centre arch to rise 23 feet above
high water mark of an average spring tide, according
to the Trinity House standard, which is shown on
the face of the present bric:ge. Proper stairs of gra-
nite are to be provided. The acclivity of the road-
way, to and over the bridge is not to be steeper than
one foot in 26 feet. In the instructions for the
engineers, architects, and others, who propose to
furnish the artmittee fur letting the bridge-house
estates, with designs or models and estimates for the
erection of the new bridge, a desire is expressed
that the bridge should be worthy of the metropolis
and the present cultivated state of science; due re-
gard being bad at the same time to economy, and
to the convenience of the traffic over and under the
bridge, during the progress and after the completion
of the works. A desire is also expressed, that as
little sacrifice be made of the property et both ends
of the bridge, for the formaihm of the necessary
approaches, as is consistent with the character of so
important an entrance to the city or London.
On Saturday, as ingenious labouring mechanic,
named Henry Gecring, travelled from Newark to
Stamford on an improved vcloc;pede, manufactured
by himself at the expense of about IIL Ile calls it
a " mechanical horse." It diErs from the fanciful

things which excited so much notice a year or two
ago, inasmuch as the rider on Geering's piece of
mechanism dues not depend on his legs and feet for
making way, but places the Litur in stirrups at the
end of an axis provided for giving direction to two
side wheels, which wheels support the carriage and
keep it upright. A third wheel, towards the h►nder
end of the frame of the carriage, is turned with
leather straps on the principle of a la:he, and the
power is communicated to those by a windlass placed
conveniently in front of the rider, who turns it with
both hands, and males progress in proportion to his
activity and force in so turning. Geering himself
travelled at an average rate of seven miles an hour;
progress up hill is of course attended with more
luouur.

The only English ships cf war Buonaparte was
ever on board of arc now lying in the river Medway,
viz. the Undaunted, Bellerophon, and Northumber-
land. In the first he was conveyed to the Island of
Elba, in April, 1815 : in July following he sur-
rendered, and was received on board the second at
Rochefort, after the battle of Waterloo ; and in less
than a month afterwards sailed in the third for St.
Helena, where he died on the sth of May, 1821.
rite.—The German Journals announce a bril-
liant musical discovery. A citizen of Courland, of
the name of [Limn, has invented an instrument
which he calls 011impicon, and which to a rare beauty
joins the advantage of compassing all the tones of
the violin, bass, violencello, and the hip centre
(I 1 aute-contre.)—All who play tl.e piano can per-
form on the aympicon, and with it a sinple person
may execute a concert.
Vile following is an extract o a letter from Rio
Janeiro, dated the beginning of April :—" The
country is tranquil, and the Bank stands pretty well
in the estimation of the merchants. Confidence is
gradually becoming restored, and business has im-
proved. a little since the departure at' the troops.--..
Any serious misunderstanding with Portugal we do
not apprehend ; and the eircamstanec of this country
having an acknowledged heir to the throne at the
head of the Government, gives us strong mill:teem
of our future prosperity. Those elainges which have
occurred in the Spanish revolutionized provinces
are not likely to influence this country, as the Piince
is always referred to in any proposed change of sys-
tem. Ile fornis a centre (if attraction, to wleeli
things will ultimately graVitate, and preserves u
consistency in the measures of Government which
has been acknowledged in the province."
Recorder's .—On Saturday last .the Re
corder made his report of the prisoners in Newgate,
convicted of capital offences at the May Sessions,
when John Lomas, Robert Crawley, and John
Neumhier, were ordered for execution on Wednes-
day next. The re:e were respited dwing his Ma-
yeov pleasure.

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